Fools in Love

30. Growing Boy Is Grown Up

I'm oddly glad to be back to work. There's a sense of normalcy that I've been without for longer than I thought. Although I was away for break, when I return the shop feels natural. I know what to do and where to go. Everything is simple. Smile at customers. Take their orders. Get the job done, although there are some instances where people try to small talk. It's happening more now since I'm no longer a nameless Subway worker. Now I'm the guy dating Matthew Jeneviere, and people want to know. Not that I tell them anything. They're easy to drive away with the reasoning of a line or work.

The owners of this Subway are probably secretly grateful, too. Due to my sudden popularity, there are definitely more customers compared to last semester. Another thing I'm oddly grateful for. More customers means that I'm kept busy. There are a few instances that are unsettling. Some customers are too nosy, too persistent. They wait until I get off my shift to attempt to talk or stay in the store even when they're done eating. Thankfully, I have Matt.

He picks me up after work as often as he can. Seeing his car park along the curb, waiting patiently for my arrival, eases any tension left from the day. Unfortunately, that won't be happening tonight. I have the closing shift, but Matt's filming won't be done until even later than that. I promised to text him when I leave and when I get to the dorm, otherwise he may go mad with worry. We wouldn't want that!

"Careful on your way home, Dana," Martha says as she locks up the dark Subway. She waves goodbye when heading for the bus stop.

I text Matt to let him know I'm heading home now. He's quick to respond, reminding me to text when I get to the dorm. I roll my eyes, about to reply when I hear footsteps behind me. I glance back. There are some students rowdy at the local bars, stumbling and shrieking when it isn't even midnight yet. I shrug it off and continue on my way.

But when I pass the local drug store, someone reaches out from the alleyway. I barely have time to curse in surprise before there's a fist in my gut then another across my cheek. I hit the ground hard, groaning then curling in on myself when a boot rams into my ribcage and another and another. The streetlights don't shine here. There's only looming buildings in the dark and the bare silhouettes of strangers above me. I don't know who they are or how many, only that there's definitely more than one. I'm being bombarded on all sides, kicked until my face beats against the cement. There's the taste of blood, echoing pain as my vision blurs.

I might have screamed, or have been screaming the whole time, because the perpetrators suddenly leave, shouting surprised curses as they disappear down the alley. Someone is kneeling next to me, another is shouting down the alley. I see the blaring light of a phone. I think someone is asking for my name, but my head is throbbing.

Then everything goes black.

~~~~~~

When my eyes open, I'm in a hospital room. My body aches. A machine beeps at my bedside. Then the bed shifts slightly. Matt's red-rimmed eyes come into focus.

"He's awake!" Matt frantically calls. He takes my hand, frowning when I flinch. Even my hands are bruised. He's about to release until I slip my fingers between his.

"W-What happened?" I groan.

"You don't remember?"

"Mm, I was... on my way home."

"Someone jumped you," he says, hanging his head low in shame.

Before I can ask more, a doctor and some nurses come in. Matt steps away, allowing them to look me over. No bones are broken, but I have a mild concussion and a lot of nasty scrapes and bruises. They want me to stay overnight to be monitored. There's more to do once they're gone. Next, the cops come in. They attempt to get all the information they can from me, but the most I give is that I remember being dragged into an alley, kicked by multiple people, then they were gone.