Stuck With U

This virus thing was probably the best thing that's ever happened to me right now. I don't mean catching the virus though, but the effects of it. I know, it sounds insensitive, inconsiderate, and bitchy but I just can't say no to super cheap flights!

It's the first week of March and I can tell this virus has already scared the hell out of people. It's from China, for Christ's sake. That's enough to scare the bejeezus out of someone. It's already affecting my classes, not that I'm complaining. I have all the free time in the world now! With that, I've decided, on a whim, to travel. I feel like life has given me a chance to take a pause and just do whatever I want, right before the non-stop journey of my future. I definitely could use a breather. This was it.

I had just arrived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, my first ever destination for international travel. Why? Don't ask. It's a long story. After getting my luggage from the conveyor belt, I started my journey towards the exit. There, I can see a lot of taxis parked, despite the virus scare. I hopped into one and asked the driver to bring me to Howard Johnson, the hotel I booked a room in. I took in all the sights from the car window. Albuquerque is beautiful. Everything was breath of fresh air, different from what I was used to.

After checking into my room at the hotel, I took a long, hot shower and dressed for my day's adventure. I then googled where the nearest McDonald's was. I was famished. With my phone in my hand, google maps open, I set my way on foot to conquer my hunger.

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath. I have been to so many car rental shops, and have been denied a car rental each time. My plan was to rent a car with a driver, drive the way to Dulce and well, try to look for what I was looking for. Frustrated, I made my way back to the hotel instead. I was about the cross the street when this car came screeching down the street, towards me. I should have jumped out of the way, yeah. But I was frozen in place and stood there gaping at the incoming car. A second later, I was on the ground and my vision blacked out.

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I was awake even before I opened my eyes. I was in so much pain, in so many places. My head hurt, I can't move my arm, and I can't feel my foot. My foot!

I opened my eyes and I sat up in my bed. I reached out with my right hand, which was surprisingly in a splint, IV attached. I stopped short when I saw my right foot in a cast. "What the fuck?" I exclaimed.

"Oh thank God you're awake!" a boy's voice said. I turned to the owner of the voice, a boy, maybe my age or younger, with dirty blonde hair, long nose, green eyes. He was sitting on the small sofa right beside my bed, in a gray hoody, shorts, and white shoes.

"Who are you? Where am I? Wait, answer the second one first." I said.

He chuckled shyly and answered, "You're in the hospital, I'm Caden and I'm kind of the reason why you're here." I narrowed my eyes at him and said, "What happened to me?"

"Well, you crossed the street during a green light and I kind of bumped my car into you."

"Bumped into me with your car?" I repeated, my eyebrow raised at him.

"Okay, maybe I kind of run you over and kind of broke your foot and gave you a concussion," Caden said sheepishly. My left hand immediately touched my temple. My head was still pounding.

"So you almost killed me."

"No, because you were never in any danger at all. It was just a minor accident."

"People die from just sleeping with a concussion. You're lucky I woke up," I snapped at him. He sighed and looked me in the eyes.

"I'm really sorry, okay? I had-" he was cut off short when the door opened and a doctor came in. "Good, you're up. How do you feel, Ms. Rosales?" he asked.

"Like I got hit by a car," I answered sarcastically. He chuckled and said, "Sarcasm is a good sign, your concussion is healing. But you'll need to stay here another day so we can monitor you."

"Thank God," Caden muttered under his breath.

"Your boyfriend's gonna have to stay here with you though, somebody's got to watch over you. Just in case it gets worse instead," the doctor implied.

"He's not my boyfriend," I replied immediately and glanced at Caden. He quickly glued his eyes to his shoes. "What about my foot? What happened?" I said questioningly to the doctor. Caden cleared his throat and replied instead, "Well, when the car hit you, you kind of flew a little and somehow landed on your feet, but the wrong way. So you broke your foot."

"I flew, huh? Must have been a really strong bump," I said, giving Caden the side-eye. He pursed his lips in response.

"It's rather minor, a few weeks in a cast and you'll be good as new. You have nothing to worry about." The doctor said with a smile. I smiled back and thanked him. After checking my vitals and explaining how the morphine is going to leave me in pain real soon, the doctor left and bid us goodbye. I lied back down in my hospital bed and exhaled a deep breath. What the hell am I going to do, now?

"I really am sorry. Sincerely and truly sorry," Caden whispered. I looked at him and gave him a weak smile. "I should've looked at the traffic light. I'm not used to it. We don't have traffic lights back home. So we literally just cross the street whenever, as long as it's on the pedestrian lane."

"Really? I didn't know that the Philippines didn't have traffic lights."

"In my city, we don't. Wait, how do you know I'm from the Philippines?" I asked, confused.

"Oh. I had to check your bag for an ID so I could fill up your hospital forms. Sorry about that. I didn't mean to snoop," he answered, his head down again.

I shook my head at him and said, "It's fine." I closed my eyes and sighed again. I really can't stay mad at this dude. I can tell he really was sorry. We were both quiet for a while when Caden finally said, "I'll take care of you and everything, Danielle. You'll be alright."

I certainly hope so.

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Hi guys! This is my first fanfiction story ever and I hope you guys enjoy it :)

Teaser: Caden finally tells his mom about Dani. How will she react?

Find out in the next chapter that'll be in Caden's POV ;)

P.S. This story was inspired by the song Stuck With U by Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber, and the Genal siblings on TikTok 💜