Light drifted in and out of Spencer’s eyes, she tried to close them put something wouldn’t let her than the pressure was gone and she was in the dark once again. Pain in her shoulder made it impossible to move, her throat was sore and dry.

“Miss. Carlin can you hear me?” A male voice spoke softly. Am I in the nurses office, the car…I saw it, everyone was looking at me.

“Spencer?” Paula whispered in her ear, “Sweetie if you can hear us open your eyes.” Her mother’s voice was shaking but steady. Slowly Spencer opened her eyes on her own, she was lying in a hospital bed with her mom and dad standing by her side, she could see Glen near the end of the bed over her oxygen mask.

“Oh thank God!” Arthur sighed in relief.

“How are you feeling?” The male doctor asked checking her vital signs.

She tried to talk, force the words from her head to her mouth but no sound came out. Eyes darting back and forth trying to understand what was going on. Swallowing was hard but she managed to wet her throat, the word she meant to say was Ashley but it came out one long hoarse croak.

“You shouldn’t try to talk right now, we have you heavily medicated.” The doctor assured her parents that she was fine; the bullet hit no major artery in the shoulder and that she only had physical therapy to help regain the movement in her arm but other than that she was great.

“We’ll see you later sis.” Glen squeezed her toes not wanting to actually go up to her, the IV’s and oxygen mask was making him sick to his stomach. She looked pale and small compared to the girl he went to prom with who was lively and tall.

The doctor raised her bed so she was half way up so she could see around her room before leaving her alone. Empty, that was this place. Sterile instruments and clean sheets, silence. Her eyes though tired stared from one part of the room to the next, searching for an answer as to what was going on. When did she get shot, at prom…but that hadn’t happened yet or did it and she was dreaming. Was Ashley all right, and where was Clay only Glen was there in the room with her. When her eyes got to the door she saw a figure, a girl taking small steps toward her. Spencer couldn’t make her out, her eyes still slightly blurry. Soon the girl was above her, the light from the overhead lamp casting her shadow upon Spencer and it reminded her of the day at the beach, the water crashing over her and Ashley pulling her up. For a minute Spencer thought she could still taste the soda from her girlfriend’s lips.