Spectrum

65

Natalia's POV

"Thanks." I hear muttered in the room.

I open my eyes and see Nathanial sitting by the window, bouncing his knee. He always does this when he's either bored or nervous. Sometimes both simultaneously.

"Ow." I mutter to myself as I lift the arm.

"Shit. Nat, are you up?" Nathanial asks, jumping up from his seat.

"Where am I?" I ask. "Is this an IV?"

"Yes, don't pull on it. They had to put it closer to your hand. You know how hard it is to find a good vein on you." He says in a teasing voice.

I glare up at him and watch as his smile fades.

"Nat, not right now." He pleads.

"Am I in the hospital?" I ask.

"Yes." He replies.

"Are we still in Zacatecas?" I ask.

"Si." He nods. "You hit your head pretty hard on your fall." 

"What's the IV for?" I ask.

"Dehydration." He replies.

"Oh." I nod. "Where's my phone?" I ask.

"Don't worry about your phone right now." He replies with a chuckle.

"I'm calling Grayson." I reply sternly.

"Don't. Worry. About. That. Right. Now." He replies slowly but with equal sternest in his own voice.

"They didn't have any sweetener." I hear from the door. I turn my head quickly and feel tears sting my eyes at his voice.

"Grayson?" I ask, hearing my voice crack.

"You're up. Oh my God." He says, setting the coffee cup down and rushing over to my side. "Are you okay? How do you feel? I've been here, you've just been asleep." He explains.

"What? When did you get here?" I ask. "Are you sure we're still in Mexico?" I ask.

"I got here late last night." He says. "My flight landed and then I came here immediately."

"How did you know about the accident?" I ask.

"I didn't." He replies.

"Why were you in Mexico?" 

"To see you." He replies.

I reach for his hand and cringe and the sudden pain shooting up my arm.

"Don't. Just rest that hand, okay? They said it might hurt more if you try flexing it at all." He warns me, placing his hand on my arm gently.

"My face feels greasy." I mutter more to myself than to anyone else.

"I tried taking your makeup off without waking you. I got most of it, but I know you'll want to wash it soon." He says, rubbing my arm with his thumb.

"You took my makeup off?" I ask quietly.

"Yeah. I know you hate the feeling of it staying on for too long." He mutters.

Grayson is here. Grayson is in Mexico right now. 

"Wait, you've never even left LA before. What are you...why did you come here?" I ask, still trying to wrap my head around this. 

"I came here to fix things with you." He says.

"Can you leave?" I say, turning to Nathanial. 

He lets out a sigh and gives me a quick nod before leaving the room. Silence falls over us when Nathanial leaves, which begins to make me more nervous than I expected.