When I woke up, I didn't move or open my eyes. I waited until I knew who was there. I heard the door open, so I guessed that someone had just left and now someone else was coming in.
"Hey, Lina," Louis said softly. I felt his hand pick up mine. Everybody did this, and I think it's more of an involuntary thing now. Even if he hadn't spoken, I'd still know it was Louis. His hands were soft, but he had rough patches where his fingers meet him palm. Calluses. That's what they're called. Calluses. And the pads of his fingers were a little rough, but not too bad. Whereas Niall's hands were soft everywhere except the pads of his fingers. So I can basically tell who's with me when they don't talk. I also know them by how they cry. I don't know why everybody keeps crying, though. I'm not even sure what happened, or why I'm in a hospital.
I peered out from under my eyelashes and saw that Louis had his head in his hands.
So that's why there's more weight there. There's one question answered.
I noticed what Louis was wearing. A wrinkled striped shirt and suspenders.
What's with the suspenders, dude? Those are for granddads who work in a field all day. With tractors.
Why is his shirt wrinkled?
"I'm so sorry, Lina," he said, quietly crying. Yup. He's the silent type. He's not a blubbering idiot like Harry is when he cries. "I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I should've never talked you into going shopping. And Harry hasn't done anything but cry," he sobbed, letting go of my hand and burying his face in his hands. "Niall hasn't eaten much, either."
I opened my eyes completely and just looked at him. I didn't know if I could speak, so I did what I could. I reached up and pressed my palm against his cheek and wiped away a stray tear with my thumb. He looked up at me and his eyes widened. I dropped my hand. He ran out of the room and shouted something. I heard someone running into the room and I closed my eyes, resuming my previous state of stillness, not wanting anyone to know I was awake for some reason.
"Angel?" Harry said softly. I felt a tear on my arm, but I didn't respond. He picked up my hand. "Angel? Are you awake?"
I still didn't respond. Harry didn't say anything else. He just left. And I fell asleep again.

Niall was in my room now, and he just did what he usually does. Pull up a chair and stroke the back of my hand with his thumb. He never said much. Sometimes he cried, but that was mainly right away. Now every once and a while my hand will get a little wet, but he doesn't sob like Harry or Louis.
It was now that I really wanted to watch the monitor again, so I opened my eyes and ended up staring at Niall, waiting for him to do something. He had blond hair and brown roots. I think he dyes it. When he finally looked up, he didn't freak out like Louis did. The corners of his mouth turned up, though.
"Hey, Lina," he said quietly, sliding off the chair and sitting on his knees at the edge of the bed. "How's it going?"
I just stared at him. He stared back, his blue eyes intense. He looked like he was searching for an answer. I didn't want to make a fool of myself, so I didn't speak.
He looked disappointed. "Do you need anything?" he asked. "Water? Food? Do you want me to go get Harry?"
I didn't answer, even though I was really thirsty.
"Lina?" he asked worriedly. "If you can hear me, squeeze my hand."
I did as I was told and his face relaxed a bit.
"Do you want to see Harry?"
I just stared at him.
"Yes? No?" he asked, confused. "Do you want something?"
I squished his hand.
"You want something?"
I squished his hand again, and his eyes widened as he figured it out.
"Mom? Dad? Both? Harry? Liam? Louis? Zayn? Food?"
I squished his hand before he could say anything else.
"Food? You're hungry?" he asked.
I just stared at him. That's not what I want. I'm thirsty. T-H-I-R-S-T-Y thirsty. Water would be nice.
"No? Okay, then," he said before continuing. "Something you can consume?"
I squeezed his hand and he nodded in response.
"You don't want food, so.... water?"
I squished his hand multiple times and I'm sure my eyes got a little wide, too. He chuckled and pressed a button on the wall. Seconds later, a nurse came in.
"Oh, good! She's awake! I'll go get--"
I squeezed his hand really hard and looked at him with a panicked look on my face.
"No!" Niall said. "Lina doesn't want them. She's thirsty, that's all. Don't tell anyone she's awake yet, okay?"
"Oookayy?" the nurse said, confused. "I'll be back with some water in a minute."
I relaxed slightly. Niall and I sat in silence until the nurse came back with the water. She pressed a button on my bed and it turned into more of a chair, then fiddled with my IVs and sat down at the foot of my bed.
"I'm going to ask you some questions, okay sweetheart?" she said, leaning forward.
"She can't speak," Niall said.
"Then how--"
"Ask her yes or no questions, and I'll tell you the answer," Niall answered. "When she squeezes my hand, it means yes."
"Ohh. That makes sense. Okay sweetheart. Do you know your name?" she asked, turning to me. I squeezed Niall's hand and he nodded at the nurse. "Do you know sign language, sweetheart?"
Niall looked at her as if she was crazy, but I squished his hand and he nodded at her.
"Can you spell out your name for me?"
I released Niall's hand and spelled my full name out for her in the sign language alphabet.
E-V-A-N-G-E-L-I-N-E A-V-E-R-Y W-H-I-T-E.
I grasped Niall's hand again and waited for the next question.
"What's the date today?"
Niall started listing off the months in order and when it came to June I squished his hand.
Then he started listing numbers, and I squeezed his hand when he reached the twenty-third, then I sign-languaged the year.
"How old are you?"
I squeezed Niall's hand when he reached 17.
"Well, her memory seems to be fine," the nurse said, standing up. I squished Niall's hand -- hard.
"Ow! That hurt, Lina!" he said, shaking out his hand. The nurse left and I panicked internally.
Moments later, four boys came running into my hospital room. The curly-haired one came right up to me and hugged me so tight I could hardly breathe.
"Thank God you're okay," he said, releasing me.
Niall held the cup of water out to me, then held it up to my mouth when I didn't take it. I gulped the cool liquid until it was gone, and I squeezed Niall's hand. He held the cup above his head. "Lina wants water!"
Louis sprang forward, grabbing the cup and ran out of the room, returning moments later with a full cup. The process was repeated until I wasn't thirsty anymore. So of course, that's when everyone decided they had to hug me. Once they were done squeezing the shit out of me while I tried not to scream, they all sat back and grinned at me.
Curly held my left hand while Niall held my right. Curly leaned forward and whispered, "I missed you" in my ear.
I turned to look at him, confused. "Do I know you?"

Notes

So I'm going to go get water.
I hate it when I brush my teeth and I'm REALLY thirsty afterward.
It sucks.
Anyway, I'm going to get water, then go to bed.
GOODNIGHT EVERYBODY!
I MAY OR MAY NOT POST TOMORROW! I'VE BEEN PROCRASTINATING MY ESSAY AND IT'S DUE TUESDAY!