May

Julie arrived at the hospital around five o’clock in the evening, having left the gallery early just to come and pick May up. May couldn’t help but smile as soon as her best friend walked in the room, as she finally felt at ease for the first time that day.

“Thanks for coming to get me. You’re a lifesaver.”

“Actually, I think you’re in first place for the lifesaver award today,” Julie joked in a voice that made them both laugh.

“But seriously, May, are you okay? How are you feeling?”

May held up the small red bottle in her hand. “The doctor had to give me some medicine for the nasty headache that’s been bothering me ever since I woke up, and I have a nasty cut on my forehead that will take a few days to heal, but other than that, I feel fine.”

Her friend came and sat in the chair beside her bed. “Good. Now then--are you crazy? Just what were you thinking, jumping in front of a car like that?!”

“I didn’t have time to think, Julie. Erik was about to get hit! If I hadn’t acted when I did, he might have been seriously injured.”

Julie’s eyes narrowed playfully. “I thought you didn’t even like Mr. Jerk-face.”

May sighed. “I don’t, but that doesn’t mean I’d stand by and watch as he got hurt.”

“Spoken like a true hero! Tell me, do you think we should call Erik a male damsel, or gentleman in peril?” Julie asked with a wink.

“Do I think we should call him a what or what?”

Julie gave a light shrug. “You know, a term that means damsel in distress, but for men.”

May grimaced. “Whatever you’re talking about, please stop. You’re grossing me out.”

“All I’m saying is Erik is a total babe, and you came running to save his life. That sounds like the classic story of a knight in shining armor to me!”

Suddenly, the image of Erik dressed as a handsome prince from a medieval movie passed through her mind. The outfit almost fit him perfectly, with his uncut hair and rugged facial features. In fact, in a setting like that, he might even seem sexy for a change.

May quickly shook such thoughts away. “You know what? Maybe having my mom pick me up isn’t such a bad idea after all,” she said with a weary groan.

“Oh, please!” Julie snorted. “At least when you’re with me all you have to worry about is feeling slightly annoyed.”

May closed her eyes with a snicker. “You’re literally the best friend anyone could ever ask for, but at the same time, you’re the worst.”

“What can I say? It’s a gift.”

“Or a curse, depending on the day.”

Her friend laughed some more. “Now then, don’t we have to fill out some important yet equally tedious paperwork before we leave? We need to hurry up so we can get you something to eat outside of boring hospital food asap.”

May tried to sit up, despite the terrible throbbing pain inside her skull. “Erik took care of that before he left, so all I have to do is sign my name out at the desk.”

“How? He’s not even related to you.”

“Because he lied about being my boyfriend. A falsehood that, might I point out, everyone seemed to believe without any kind of proof. I almost feel like I should file a complaint.”

Julie’s expression went from confused to excited in a matter of seconds. “What an interesting and totally unexpected development from your handsome gentlemen in peril, whom you so gallantly saved today.”

May shot her friend a warning glare. “Watch it, Julie.”

“Why else would he say something like that?” her friend asked. “It’s not like he had to ride in the ambulance with you when he knew that you were only knocked unconscious and had suffered very minor injuries.”

“Erik said that he did it so that he could be by my side when no one else could.”

Julie raised one brow. “That sure sounds more like something a male damsel would say to the female knight he owed his life to.”

“Or something any decent human being would say when he wasn’t focused on being a jerk,” she retorted.

“Are you saying he’s not Mr. Jerk-face anymore?”

May rolled her eyes. “Just to be clear, I never once called him Mr. Jerk-face, nor have I ever referred to him as a handsome jerk. So, don’t say stuff like that. I don’t want Erik, or anyone else, getting the wrong idea about me.”

“But you did say that he was handsome, and that he’s a jerk,” Julie noted with a mischievous grin.

“No, I said that he had nice eyes.”

“So, he’s a jerk with nice eyes then?”

May struggled to hold back the urge to giggle. “If you ever tell him I said that-!”

Julie came over and lent a hand to help May to her feet. “I swear, my lips are sealed this time.”

“Promises, promises...”

As she stood up, a wave of dizziness washed over May, causing her to wobble just a little. Julie caught her and stayed at her side until she regained her balance. Then, the two of them headed towards the exit together.

“Just remember that you were hired to save Erik’s company, and now you saved his body. What’s left but for him to fall in love?” her friend asked.

Saved his body?!

“Julie, I don’t want to hear another word about Erik for the rest of the week. Is that clear?”

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“Fine…” Julie replied with a huff. “Be that way.”

May’s stomach suddenly growled. “Well, you are right about one thing: I do need to eat something other than the stale crackers the nurse brought me earlier.”