Free Out of My Mind by Pat White

didn’t move or moan, or show any signs of consciousness.
    “Catherine?” he whispered against her hair.
    “Let go of her,” Taylor said towering over him. “He ran into her, I saw it,” she said to the gathering crowd.
    Right. It’s not like she would take responsibility for nearly killing her friend.
    “I said, let go.” The bimbo grabbed his arm, digging her fingernails into his skin.
    He wouldn’t let go. “Don’t be stupid,” he said. “You don’t want to move her until the paramedics get here.”
    She released his arm. “Catherine?”
    “She’s unconscious. Go get her parents,” he said.
    Taylor’s eyes rounded with fear.
    “Now!” J.D. shouted.
    Taylor took off but her sidekick stayed back and kneeled beside him. “We didn’t see, I mean, we were…” her voice trailed off. Her skin paled as she stared at Catherine’s motionless body.
    “I’m a nurse, move aside.” A mom type with red hair crouched beside J.D. “How are you, young man?”
    “Fantastic.”
    She narrowed her eyes at him.
    “Forget about me. Check her.”
    “Is she unconscious?”
    “Yes, ma’am. And she’s got a previous brain injury.”
    The nurse took Catherine’s pulse.
    “Catherine!” her mom cried.
    “What the hell is he doing to my daughter!” Catherine’s father roared. “Let go of her—”
    “Sir, I’m a nurse. She’s unconscious and shouldn’t be moved.”
    “I don’t want him touching her, that…that bastard!”
    “Please, sir, an ambulance is on the way.” The nurse put out her hand to keep Catherine’s dad from doing something stupid.
    “It’s his fault.” Taylor pointed at J.D. “He ran her down on his skateboard.”
    “Young lady, this is not the time,” the nurse warned.
    “So help me God…” her father threatened.
    Sirens wailed in the distance. A small group of nosy neighbors crowded the street.
    “I’m a police officer. Everyone, please step back,” Detective Ryan ordered.
    J.D. didn’t think he’d ever be happy to hear that guy’s voice, but Catherine’s old man was ready to rip his daughter off of J.D. regardless of the damage it could do to her, just to get a piece of him.
    J.D. hoped someone saw what really happened. He guessed Ditzes #1 and #2 were too busy texting or screwing around with their iPods to notice Catherine crossing the street.
    Her mom kneeled beside Catherine and stroked her back, her hand brushing against J.D.’s arm by mistake. He closed his eyes, remembering what it felt like to be comforted and loved. An ache started low in his gut.
    Then Catherine stirred.
    Relieved, he opened his eyes.
    “What…what happened?” she whispered against his neck.
    “You were crossing the street—”
    “This jerk ran you down,” Taylor interrupted J.D.
    Her mother stroked her back. “Catherine, relax honey, the paramedics will be here any second.”
    Catherine raised her head and looked at J.D. “You knocked me down?”
    “Yes.” He slipped his arm off her back. She didn’t move for a second then shifted slightly.
    Her mother gripped her shoulders. “Try not to move.”
    “The ambulance is here,” her father said. “Hurry up, hurry!” he called to the paramedics.
    “I’m afraid to look at you,” Catherine said to J.D.
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Why did you…?” she whispered, oblivious to the commotion going on around her. Then she glanced at her hand, pressed against his chest.
    “Because he hates you, he hates everybody,” Taylor accused.
    Catherine didn’t seem to hear her. “The lights…”
    “Get her to the hospital, damn it,” her dad ordered.
    “I was the doe,” she whispered to J.D. “In the street.”
    He couldn’t form a single word. He searched her eyes, but she glanced away and pushed off of him.
    “Honey, don’t move,” her mom said.
    “I’m fine.” Catherine stood with her mom’s help and glanced down, eyeing J.D. with a puzzled expression.
    Her dad towered over J.D, probably waiting for the crowd to disperse so