I wake up with a killer headache, I try to open my eyes but the brightness of the room leaves me unable to. I feel someone rubbing their hands through my hair gently ,while humming a familiar song I can't seem to place.
The sensation of getting my hair messed with along with the soft humming of the person near me nearly put me back to sleep. I let my headache be tamed by the much needed and wanted pampering I am receiving. I start to fight my eyes open, they slowly get used to the light of the room. I feel the hands that were once intertwined with my hair pull away from me, as the humming stops.
I sit up on what feels like a hospital bed, with my eyes mostly adjusted to the light. I turn toward my right holding my hand on the top part of my eyes blocking out some of the light. A girl with blonde hair that is half pulled back ,to stay out of her face, is sitting on a small black rolly chair next to my bed. Realization hits me "hey you are the girl that hit me in the head!" I say finally understanding who this stranger is.
"Yeah i'm really sorry about that." she says holding one hand up in front of her in an apologetic manner. "To be fair I was in my pjs and alone and a random man that was breathing heavy and bleeding came into my lifepod really fast without warning." She explains logically. Understanding where she is coming from I just apologize which earns me a smile from the unnamed girl.
"So the infection was so bad that we had to cut off your leg from the knee down and because of that you have been asleep for 2 days" The girl says with a serious face. I quickly lift the blanket to see both of my legs were still there. I look back up to the girl to see her holding in her laughter. "Man you really got me with that one" I sigh with relief while laying back in my propped up hospital bed. The girl lets out her laughter and puts her hand on the inner side of my shoulder almost for support. I couldn't help but smile at the girls' laughter. "You really were out for 2 days though,'' she says between laughs, "I felt really bad about knocking you out that I stayed by your side like glue the entire time you were asleep" she explains clearly after she stopped laughing.
"Oh yeah? I do know that you enjoyed playing with my hair" I say with a smirk forming on my lips. The girl with a blush now forming on her face quickly retracted her hand from my shoulder. I grab her hand as she is pulling it away from me. "But I really liked them, maybe I can convince you to give me another one, one day. Ms..?" I say holding her hand by her fingers keeping her from distancing herself. " Wylde..Charlotte Wylde" she says, locking eyes with me. "Well it is a pleasure to meet you Charlotte, I am James Arrowood" I say planting a kiss on the back of her palm with my hand holding hers by the fingers.
"Your brother warned me that you were a smooth talker" she says pulling her hand back to herself. "Oh but only to the ones that really peak my interest" I say smiling at Charlotte. She turns away with her hand on her mouth. She clears her throat and opens a closet that is next to her, she grabs some clothes then closes the door back. Charlotte hands me the clothes she got from the closet. I take the clothes from her hands making sure I touch part of her hand to make her jump a little. "Well I'll step out so you can change" she says walking toward the door. "Hey!" I say a little loud to get her attention, she faces me. "Thank you" I say, earning a smile and nod from Charlotte.
I get out of bed after she closes the door behind her, laying the clothes I was given on the bed. I only have my old boxers, they must have taken off my wetsuit when I was unconscious. I have a patch over the cut on my head covering most of my forehead on my right side, I have some thin black carbon fiber medical wrap around my left leg where I have my wound, I have the same thin black carbon fiber wrap around my right hand. It is wrapped between each of my fingers going up to my knuckles, then it is wrapped down my palm covering it completely and about 2 inches down my wrist. I feel my forehead to find a small knot under the skin, I smile remembering my last conversation. I start to put on the clothes that were given to me. I finish dressing myself and find some black socks and black shoes on the ground near the bed. I slip on the socks and shoes really fast. I am wearing grey sweatpants with a white long sleeve shirt and black boxers with my black shoes and socks.
I call for Charlotte letting her know I am done getting dressed. I tap the tips of the shoes on the ground to make my foot comfortable in them. " You look good in those, they fit nice. Ah here I know." Charlotte puts her hand in my hair and brushes through it giving it that natural messy fringes look, a little thinner on the sides with the top reaching eyebrow length with the top not groomed in any particular direction. "Much better!" Charlotte says happily.
"Okay let's go meet up with everyone else" Charlotte suggests. I give a small nod of agreement, Charlotte turns and starts leading down unfamiliar hallways. I notice that Charlotte is wearing some black shoes, black sweatpants that compliment her figure, a grey long sleeve shirt that hung loosely on her. Charlotte stops and turns around smiles and she turns back around and opens the white doors that we stopped in front of showing a group of people talking around a table. I notice Caleb is in a new change of clothes and sitting on the left side of the table closest to the door I just walked through. The group of people around the table turn to face Charlotte and I.
I walk in after Charlotte letting the doors shut behind me. Charlotte moves beside me "This is James" I give a slight wave. The man standing up at the far side of the table walks toward us. "Nice to meet you James, my name is Richard. This is Sara, and this is Jack." He says while pointing at the two unfamiliar people sitting at the table. "And it seems like you already met my daughter Charlotte" Charlotte hugs Richard and walks to the counter with food on it. "Yes sir" Richard raises his eyebrows at my reply. "Hmm manners, I like you kid. Go get yourself something to eat. I am just starting the day's plan." I nod and walk past him and grab a plate adding a few things of food onto it and sit down next to Caleb at the table.