If I Could Be Who You Wanted - Chapter 4
The next eventful day had come at a quick pace, and soon Miguel found himself sitting alongside Reese at the small cafe, a little ways from their dorm. They were both sipping mugs of steaming coffee and making light conversation about their first day of college.
"Do you really think it's going to be any different than high school, man?" Reese wondered as he took a big gulp of coffee, wiping his mouth with the backside of his other hand.
"College? Sure. We're going to have so much more freedom, imagine staying out all night to attend parties..."
"Too bad YOU'LL be the one invited to those parties, not me," Reese snapped, showing some bitterness. All his life he had followed in his popular best friend's shadow, and he was sick of it. Miguel was always the hero, the one that always got the girl, and where did that leave him? Nerdy, geekboy Reese, always everyones doormat.
"Woah, woah," Miguel raised both his hands over his head, as a sign of peace. "Where did THAT come from? Of course you'll be invited! College will be a fresh start for you. You'll see. Finally the girls will realize what a great guy you are."
"Do you really think so?" Reese asked hopefully, inching his wire-rimmed glasses further up on his nose; a habbit he always did when he was deep in thought.
"Yeah," Miguel reassured him. He went to take another sip of coffee but then realized his mug was empty. He got up and went over to the counter, ready to refill his cup.
As he got there, he couldn't help overhearing two waitresses who were deep in conversation, worried expressions painted on both their faces.
"I heard that her baby had some kind of heart attack last night, that's why she's not in today," a girl with raven hair spoke up, and from the tone of her voice it was obvious that she was clearly annoyed.
The blond shifted uncomfortbly. "Yeah, Kay called me from the hospital early this morning. She was real panicky too. I tried to get her to calm down but she just wouldn't listen to me."
Kay? The sheer shock of hearing that name was like a slap in the face for Miguel. They couldn't possibly be talking about the same person, could they? Nah, it was too far-fetched, and besides, Kay didn't have a baby. That was impossible. It must be some other girl.
But it's hard not to be bitter when you've been raped.
The note suddenly flashed through Miguel's mind, and he wondered for a second if it was possible.
"I mean, I can't believe it's happened again," the blond continued. "After everything that babys been through, not to mention Kay, I just can't believe this might be the end."
"Excuse me, miss," Miguel interuppted their conversation. "This Kay that you're talking about. I think I might know her. Could you please tell me her last name?"
The blonde shifted her gaze away from Miguel, and blushed slightly, her cheeks turning a pale pink. "I don't know if I should...it's against policy."
Miguel made one final desperate plea. "Please, you have to tell me. She could be alone and in trouble. I have to see her."
"Alight...but I don't normally do this, but you seem like an honest kid, so I'll give you the benifit of the doubt. It's Bennett. She doesn't talk too much about her personal life, but I was able to pick that much up."
Miguel stumbled back, grabbing hold of the counter for support. He never thought he would see her again, so he had tried to push her to the farthest corners of his mind; the wounds were still too painful to deal with. But then here was this waitress, standing in front of him, telling him everything he needed to know...and he still didn't believe it.
"You're kidding, right?" he finally choked out.
"Listen you, I don't "kid" about something that serious, alright?" the blond snapped. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my job. Oh Steeeeeve-"
"Wait!" Miguel almost screamed, causing everyone in the cafe to turn around and stare. Utterly embarresed, he turned his voice down to a low whisper. "Can you tell me where she is now?"
"She's probably still at the hospital, awaiting the test results. Look, don't tell her I told you this because she's real secretive about letting people know who she is, for some reason. I gotta go."
Miguel quickly dashed out of the cafe, mumbling a quick thank you before tearing out the door and running down the block towards the hospital. Reese looked on, stunned, wondering what had gotten into his best friend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kay's face was lined with worry lines and she looked like she hadn't slept in two weeks. Her hair was a tangled mess at her shoulders; messy and uncombed. Her footsteps echoed on the tile floors of the hospital as she paced, something she had been doing off and on for the past five hours.
She couldn't even put a decent thought together, they swam all over the place inside her mind. After all she had done for that little baby, after giving up her entire life for Anna...this had to happen.
"Please God," she whispered as a single tear ran down her face. "I know I don't have a right to ask for anything. I know I've been a horrible person. And maybe I don't deserve anything, but Anna does. She's just a...just a, baby, and she has so much to live for...her first words, first day of school, prom. You can't take that away from her. Please. She's all I have left."
"You're wrong, Kay," a familar voice said gently. Kay turned around and came face to face with the last person she expected to see.
The next eventful day had come at a quick pace, and soon Miguel found himself sitting alongside Reese at the small cafe, a little ways from their dorm. They were both sipping mugs of steaming coffee and making light conversation about their first day of college.
"Do you really think it's going to be any different than high school, man?" Reese wondered as he took a big gulp of coffee, wiping his mouth with the backside of his other hand.
"College? Sure. We're going to have so much more freedom, imagine staying out all night to attend parties..."
"Too bad YOU'LL be the one invited to those parties, not me," Reese snapped, showing some bitterness. All his life he had followed in his popular best friend's shadow, and he was sick of it. Miguel was always the hero, the one that always got the girl, and where did that leave him? Nerdy, geekboy Reese, always everyones doormat.
"Woah, woah," Miguel raised both his hands over his head, as a sign of peace. "Where did THAT come from? Of course you'll be invited! College will be a fresh start for you. You'll see. Finally the girls will realize what a great guy you are."
"Do you really think so?" Reese asked hopefully, inching his wire-rimmed glasses further up on his nose; a habbit he always did when he was deep in thought.
"Yeah," Miguel reassured him. He went to take another sip of coffee but then realized his mug was empty. He got up and went over to the counter, ready to refill his cup.
As he got there, he couldn't help overhearing two waitresses who were deep in conversation, worried expressions painted on both their faces.
"I heard that her baby had some kind of heart attack last night, that's why she's not in today," a girl with raven hair spoke up, and from the tone of her voice it was obvious that she was clearly annoyed.
The blond shifted uncomfortbly. "Yeah, Kay called me from the hospital early this morning. She was real panicky too. I tried to get her to calm down but she just wouldn't listen to me."
Kay? The sheer shock of hearing that name was like a slap in the face for Miguel. They couldn't possibly be talking about the same person, could they? Nah, it was too far-fetched, and besides, Kay didn't have a baby. That was impossible. It must be some other girl.
But it's hard not to be bitter when you've been raped.
The note suddenly flashed through Miguel's mind, and he wondered for a second if it was possible.
"I mean, I can't believe it's happened again," the blond continued. "After everything that babys been through, not to mention Kay, I just can't believe this might be the end."
"Excuse me, miss," Miguel interuppted their conversation. "This Kay that you're talking about. I think I might know her. Could you please tell me her last name?"
The blonde shifted her gaze away from Miguel, and blushed slightly, her cheeks turning a pale pink. "I don't know if I should...it's against policy."
Miguel made one final desperate plea. "Please, you have to tell me. She could be alone and in trouble. I have to see her."
"Alight...but I don't normally do this, but you seem like an honest kid, so I'll give you the benifit of the doubt. It's Bennett. She doesn't talk too much about her personal life, but I was able to pick that much up."
Miguel stumbled back, grabbing hold of the counter for support. He never thought he would see her again, so he had tried to push her to the farthest corners of his mind; the wounds were still too painful to deal with. But then here was this waitress, standing in front of him, telling him everything he needed to know...and he still didn't believe it.
"You're kidding, right?" he finally choked out.
"Listen you, I don't "kid" about something that serious, alright?" the blond snapped. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to my job. Oh Steeeeeve-"
"Wait!" Miguel almost screamed, causing everyone in the cafe to turn around and stare. Utterly embarresed, he turned his voice down to a low whisper. "Can you tell me where she is now?"
"She's probably still at the hospital, awaiting the test results. Look, don't tell her I told you this because she's real secretive about letting people know who she is, for some reason. I gotta go."
Miguel quickly dashed out of the cafe, mumbling a quick thank you before tearing out the door and running down the block towards the hospital. Reese looked on, stunned, wondering what had gotten into his best friend.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kay's face was lined with worry lines and she looked like she hadn't slept in two weeks. Her hair was a tangled mess at her shoulders; messy and uncombed. Her footsteps echoed on the tile floors of the hospital as she paced, something she had been doing off and on for the past five hours.
She couldn't even put a decent thought together, they swam all over the place inside her mind. After all she had done for that little baby, after giving up her entire life for Anna...this had to happen.
"Please God," she whispered as a single tear ran down her face. "I know I don't have a right to ask for anything. I know I've been a horrible person. And maybe I don't deserve anything, but Anna does. She's just a...just a, baby, and she has so much to live for...her first words, first day of school, prom. You can't take that away from her. Please. She's all I have left."
"You're wrong, Kay," a familar voice said gently. Kay turned around and came face to face with the last person she expected to see.