I woke up to a robotic beeping noise. You could tell it was supposed to be not so annoying, but anything that repeatedly makes the same noise over and over again bugs the shit out of me.
"Make it stop," I groaned, covering my eyes with my arms When it still didn't stop, I bolted upright. Or, attempted to, really. I was restrained by a belt stretching across my stomach, which was covered by a white blanket.
What?
My blanket isn't white. It's the exact opposite -- black. I looked up. The ceiling was white, just like at home, but so were the walls here. My walls are orange.
Then why is everything white?
The beeping got a little faster and I whipped my head around to see what it was so I could make it stop.
A heart rate monitor. Dammit. Now I can't a destroy it.
I winced at the dull, throbbing pain in my head. It was as if my whole head had a headache, not just my forehead like usual. The pain sharpened at a point along my hairline, but I didn't dare touch it in fear of making it hurt worse.
There was a crinkling sound from my other side, and I turned to find Harry in the recliner next to my bed. He had his arms crossed on his chest like I so often saw my father napping in a recliner on his day off. He opened his eyes at the sound of my pillowcase crinkling. He smiled when he saw me.
"Hey," he said softly, sitting up. "How are you feeling?"
"Honestly?" I asked. He nodded. "I feel like I got hit in the head with a bus. Only less so."
He looked worried. "Do you need a nurse?"
"No. Wait... maybe. But you need a comb," I said, flicking his head. I paused, then added, "and a shower." I wrinkled my nose in mock disgust. I though for a moment, then asked, "Why am I in a hospital?"
He looked hesitant, but answered anyway. "You don't know?" I shook my head slowly, the pillowcase crinkling in protest. "You fell and hit your head." He reached over me and gingerly touched my forehead, right on my hairline, next to where the pain was centered. "Ten stitches. Right there."
I reached up and touched the bandage carefully, just brushing the pads of my fingers over it. "I should've seen this coming," I joked. "Been falling a lot lately, haven't I?"
There was a little knock on the door, and I turned my head to see who it was.
"How's my favorite patient?" a female voice asked.
"I'm in a hospital with then stitches in my head. How do you think I'm doing?"
"Oh! You're awake! Good, good. My name is Abby," she said, motioning to the whiteboard on the wall, where her name was printed neatly.
"Can you get this belt off me now?" I asked right away. "I don't like it."
"Yeah, I can do that," she said, removing the restraint from my bed. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit in the head with a bus. Only less so," I repeated, then added, "and hungry."
"Well I can fix the hunger, but not the pain. I could give you some ibuprofen or Tylenol for the pain if you would like," she said sweetly, looking at the monitor and scribbling on her clipboard.
"I think I can do without the pain meds," I said. "But I want real food."
"What other kind of food is there?" She blinked, her eyes wide.
"Hospital food," I answered. Harry started laughing.
Abby smiled. "The food here isn't my favorite, either, but it's the only thing I'm authorized to give you. Is there anything in particular you would like?"
"No, that's okay. I'll eat later."
"Okie dokie then! I'll see you in an hour then!" Abby said, waving and walking out the door.
Awkward silence filled the room. Then shouting started in the hallway. It was unintelligible and loud. Almost more annoying than the beeping from the monitor.
"You Americans aren't very polite, are you?" Harry said.
I shook my head. "I honestly think that North Dakotans are some of the most polite people we have. Some people have hearts, but not all of them are polite."
Minutes passed of more awkward silence. I moved my arm around, trying to get comfortable with the IV in my arm.
"You're not mad at me anymore."
He said the words so quietly I almost didn't hear them. I had been in the process of figuring out how to just take the damned thing out, but I lost my train of thought. I looked up, trying to think.
"I wasn't mad at you," I said after a minute. I forgot what I said almost immediately after the words came out of my mouth.
"You weren't?"
"What?" I wasn't what? A deer, I'm definitely not a deer.
He looked confused. "Mad at me. You weren't mad at me?"
"Why would I be mad at you?" I asked. "What are you talking about?"
"Melody, are you okay?" he asked. "What do you remember?"
I almost forgot his questions. "I think I'm fine. What are you talking about? Why would I be mad at you?"
"Melody, you've been mad at me for nearly three days."
It finally clicked. "Oh!" I started laughing. "You thought I was mad at you? No! I was upset, but not mad."
He looked relieved.
"Where's my phone?" I asked, changing the subject.
He pointed at a set of small, long doors beneath the TV. "In the closet. They put all your stuff in a bag and brought it up a little while ago."
I blinked at him, waiting. When he didn't do anything, I said, "Well, I guess I'll go get it them."
His head snapped up. "What?"
"Well, when I ask where something is, it usually means I want it," I said, pressing a button on my bed. It started to sit up. "I usually assume that people will just get it for me, but they usually don't, so I should really stop assuming that."
"Nonononononono!" Harry got up. "I'll get it."
My head pounded, but I kept sitting up anyway, determined to be able to sit up completely.
"Don't push it," Harry warned, dropping my phone on my lap and pushing my hand gently off the incline button. He sat down next to me on the bed. "I have a question for you."
"Okay, shoot," I said, opening my Twitter app. "Yay!" I said before he could say anything. "I got another Twitter follower!"
Harry laughed. "Puh-leaze," he said teasingly. "I get a thousand new followers every week."
"Watch it bucko," I said, laughing. "You might lose your question-asking privileges. What were you going to ask me?"
He scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I, uh..."
I got lost in my Twitter feed. I forgot every tweet as soon as I read it, but I didn't care.
"Mel?"
My head snapped up. "Hm?"
"Did you hear a word I just said?"
I thought for a moment, trying to organize my thoughts. "You were talking?" I asked a minute later.
"Yes, I was."
"Oh," I said. "Then keep talking."
"I asked you a question."
"Oh. What was it?"
"Um... never mind," he said, standing up.
"Harold Styles, get your ass back here and tell me what you were going to say," I said, pointing at the spot where he had previously been sitting. He reluctantly came back and sat down.
"Okay, so, um... you remember at the arena in... uh... Wahpeton when you told me that you like me?"
I nodded, trying my hardest to keep up with everything he was saying.
He continued. "You asked me if I liked you in the same way, and I wasn't sure then, but I am now."
I looked at him hopefully, waiting for him to answer his own non-question.
"And I know you think that it's incredibly corny and stupid to use titles, but--"
I cut him off. "I never told you that. Who did?"
He smiled. "Katrina. I have no idea which one, though."
I laughed.
He continued. "I know you think titles are stupid, but I was wondering if maybe you still want to be my girlfriend?"
He bit his lip nervously, and I covered my face with my hands, cringing like I always do at sappy shit.
When I uncovered my face, I was smiling. "Yes."
His face broke into a grin. "That was surprisingly less painful than I thought it would be," he joked.
"I don't bite, Harry," I said. "Well, that's a lie. I do bite, but only if I really don't like you. Which obviously isn't the case here."
He chuckled. "So can I kiss you now?"
I nodded, smiling. "As long as you never ask to do it again."

Notes

IT FINALLY HAPPENED!!!!

They're officially together now.
That took FOREVER.

Like the new character thingies I put up (if you haven't noticed yet)? I did that yesterday. I'm still working on them. I have a new character to add and I'm gonna change some pictures.

I decided that I wouldn't add whatever I had left in my notebook. I'll use that in the next chapter, but I wanted to get this one over with because I have a limited amount of time right now. I have a doctor's appointment (I've been sick all weekend) in probably half an hour, so we have to leave my house soon.
WE'RE GETTING SNOW!
And then a snowstorm tomorrow, so we have these fat, wet pieces of cold fluff landing in my yard. Wait... nevermind. It's normal flakes now. :(
Anyway, I probably should get my shoes and coat on.
Bye, my walricorns!!!!!

OH! WAIT!
I have NO idea what I'm going to do for ship names. Comment what you think they should be below and I will pick through them and find the best one (along with my "celebrity" judge who has yet to message me back).

LOVE YOU!!