As I walked home, I noticed that spring was in the air. The snow from earlier in the week had melted, and there were tiny green shoots poking out of the dirt near the park. I smiled as I realized that warmer weather was on its way and that soon we would have the luxury of walking to class without our heavy coats. I opened my mouth to say something to Liz and then closed it when I remembered that, for the first time in a long time, she wasn't walking home from class with me. I checked my phone, but she hadn't yet left me a reply.
I shifted my focus to my date with Cam. He was picking me up at six for dinner at his place, and I couldn't figure out what to wear. I wished Liz would call me back so that I could ask her what one wears to dinner at a man's house when you're meeting his dog. I smiled thinking about how Liz would probably flippantly reply that the best outfit is one that is easily removed.
"Call me, Liz," I whispered as I looked at my phone again. Nothing.
It didn't take me long to get ready, but it did take me quite awhile to settle on an outfit. I finally decided that the best one would be jeans and a soft, fuzzy, blue sweater that tended to shift and drop off one shoulder, and a matching tank top underneath. I carefully picked out underwear and looked at myself from every angle in the mirror before pulling my clothes on. I wasn't sure why I was so nervous since Cam didn't seem to be overly concerned with my clothing, and then it dawned on me that I was dressing for his dog and I fell over laughing, wishing Liz were here to see this silliness.
At six, when Cam had just knocked on my door, my phone started ringing. I couldn't get to it in time, and I worried that I'd missed Liz's call. I needn't have worried; no sooner than I'd picked up the phone did it start ringing again. It was Liz.
"Liz, where have you been?" I demanded as I answered the call.
"Alex?" she said in a weak voice. "Alex? Help me..."
"Liz, what's going on? Where are you?" I shouted into the phone. "Where are you?"
"Bathroom, Alex. Help me..." She trailed off, and I heard the phone hit the floor.
"LIZ!" I screamed. "Pick up the phone! Tell me where you are!"
On the other end, all I could hear was the sound of Liz wheezing and calling my name over and over.
"What's going on?" Cam asked with a concerned look.
"It's Liz, we need to find her," I said as I grabbed my coat and keys and ushered Cam out the door. "You drive."
I instructed Cam on how to get to Liz's apartment complex and he let me off at the door before he went to find a parking spot.
"She's in 3D," I called before I slammed the truck's door and ran for the building. The doorman let me in and I told him to let Cam in when he came back. I looked at him and said, "We may need an ambulance, too."
Scared to take the time to wait for the elevator, I raced up three flights of stairs and pounded on Liz's door. When she didn't answer, I opened the door with the key she'd given me for emergencies.
"Liz! Liz! Are you here?" I called as I raced through the apartment. The place was a mess with dirty dishes on every surface and clothing strewn across the floor. I hadn't been there since New Year's Eve, and I had no idea Liz was struggling.
"Liz! Where are you?" I yelled as I pushed open the bathroom door and found her lying on the floor. She was bleeding from a cut on her forehead and was mumbling incoherently.
"Alex, where are you?" Cam called as I grabbed a towel and blotted the blood on Liz's head.
"In here! Call an ambulance!" I shouted as I cradled Liz in my lap and spoke softly to her. "C'mon Liz, stay with me. You're going to be okay. I promise."
"It hurts, Alex," she cried as I held the towel to her head.
"I know, sweetie," I said as I stroked her hair and gently rocked her.
"They'll be here shortly," Cam said as he appeared in the doorway. "Is she high?"
"Shhh," I said, shaking my head. "I don't know."
The paramedics arrived a few minutes later to assess the situation. Cam talked with them as they scooped Liz up and prepared to take her to General. I hugged her before they wheeled her to the elevator and told her I'd be at the hospital when she woke up.
"Not good," Liz mumbled as she shook her head. "I'm not good."
"You're fine, Liz," I said as tears welled up. I squeezed her hand and then the paramedics motioned that they had to go. After they left, I pulled together a bag of clothes and things for Liz in case they decided to admit her to the hospital, and as I did it, I searched her drawers looking for evidence of drugs.
"Do you think she's using drugs?" Cam asked as we drove to the hospital.
"It seems like it, doesn't it?" I said as a nagging doubt entered the picture. "But there wasn't any drug paraphernalia at the apartment, and I've never seen her do more than get drunk."
"Maybe she's drinking?" he suggested as we pulled into a parking spot.