Day 55

The next day, Polk and Tripoli were there with Kyle. Well, Polk was; Tripoli was vigorously typing at her phone.

"Hey guys," I say as I pull up the extra chair the nurses have left in the room for Kyle's various revolving door of visitors. Polk observes me for a moment before looking at his girlfriend.

"Why did you ask me that again?" asked Polk.

"Ask what?" Tripoli and I asked at the same time. Polk flinched under Tripoli's sudden undivided attention.

"I asked Polk if he feels mortally wounded when he sees Renata smile," said Kyle with a shrug. "So, how did she make you feel just now?"

"Excuse me?!" I said in complete outrage.

Polk flinched again at my outburst. "Um, I think that's just you, man. Her smile was breathtaking though."

Tripoli kicks Polk's shin with the tip of her steel toed boots. "Ow!"

"What's my smile to you, Polk?" she asked him with a dangerous edge to her voice.

Polk said, "You don't really smile much, Tree."

"Wrong answer," replied Tripoli with a woeful sigh. "I think I need some space from you right now. I'm going to get a soda."

Polk is about to get up from his chair when Kyle grabs his arm. When the door closes again Kyle said, "Sit down, Polk." His friend does while I glare at Kyle. His only answer was a reply, "See. Breathtaking, Renata. Your smile is breathtaking...that's not so far fetched from mortally wounded."

"Wait, you just stirred some trouble between Polk and Tree because you wanted to prove to me that my smile was...was..."

"Breathtaking?" Polk tiredly supplied.

I felt heat go to my cheeks, I looked away from Kyle, and stared at the wall.

"Wait a second...you didn't know you were hot, Renata?" asked Polk. "I would've thought some guy said something by now...You even had a stalker!"

"If me being hot means I'll have stalkers in the future, then I don't want to be hot," I replied.

Kyle smirked as he said, "Don't worry, hotness wears off, Renata. It's called the process of aging."

He reaches for me, hand palm up. "Come on, where's my present."

I slap the card on his palm, a swirl of emotions flowing through me. I almost tuned out Kyle's voice...almost.

"Harley becomes a rockstar and releases the first album on your birthday where Harley dedicates the album to you."

"Alright!" exclaimed Polk. "I knew there had to be some rockstar's from your demon spawn!"

After Polk said that he left Kyle's room and never returned that day; neither did Tree.

I remembered what Kyle said when the door closed again. "I deserved that."