I arrived at the hospital around eight the next morning. The same nurse who was there yesterday smiled at me and nodded to the elevator. “Go ahead.” She said. “He’s doing a little better today.”
My parents were no longer in the room with Ted. I felt a little bad for getting angry at my mother yesterday, but I’d told her, didn’t I? Ted was fighting, and he was getting better.
I stood by the door for what seemed like ages, staring at Ted’s limp body. Aside from the cast on his lower right leg, and likely some bruises underneath his hospital gown, he didn’t have any visible injuries. Which meant it had to be something in his brain, or his spine.
A wave of fear washed through me. If his brain was injured, would he still be the same once he woke up? Would he have a completely different personality? Would he even remember me? I sniffled and walked forward, trying to forget that an idea of brain injury had ever crossed my mind.
I sat down by his bed and grasped his hand between both of mine. I slouched over, resting my elbows on the mattress, and brought his hand to my mouth. Everything about him was so familiar. His tousled brown hair, the way his eyelashes curled, the arch of his nose, the curves of his mouth. All his features were burned into my mind after twenty years of studying them and memorizing how they moved. His eyelids, which covered what I knew were a pair of kind, blue-green eyes. His mouth, which curled up into a smile that could always make me feel better. His nostrils, which always flared before he laughed.
I wished he would just wake up already so I could stop worrying about him.720Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2WfntHpsAs
Hours later, there was a knock on the door. A nurse poked her head in. “Hello? Sorry, dear, I just need to come in and check some vitals, if you don’t mind.”
I shook my head and gestured for her to go ahead. She smiled, walked over, and started doing some tests. As she worked, Lily, Alex, and Liam walked in.
“Sam!!” Lily exclaimed, rushing forward to hug me. “Why didn’t you wake me up when you got home yesterday? I was so worried!!”
I was grateful for a distraction (of sorts). “Sorry, I didn’t want to bother you. Also I was pretty tired.” I hugged her tightly.
“Oh, don’t apologize. How is he?” she asked frantically.
I pulled away. “He’s doing a little better than yesterday. I’ve been here a couple of hours and he’s been fine. He’ll be fine.” I said.
“What did he hurt?” asked Alex.
“Uh… well, obviously his leg, and he’s got a couple of bruises, but aside from that it’s just… Actually I’m not quite sure.” I pursed my lips, then turned to the nurse. “Do you know what exactly is wrong?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yes, his external injuries are pretty minor but his brain was jostled a bit, which is why he still hasn’t woken up, and his ribs are fractured so they punctured his lungs. And now he has traumatic pneumothorax, which is basically a collection of air between the lung tissue and—“
I raised a hand. “Okay, never mind, I don’t think I can stand to hear this.” Lily and Alex protested.
“I want to know, though!!!” Lily exclaimed.
I sighed. “Right, then I’ll just wait outside. Call me back in when you’re done.” I walked out, feeling a little nauseous. I sat down and leaned against the wall, closing my eyes.
The door opened and closed beside me and I felt the warmth of someone sitting down beside me. I slowly opened my eyes and turned my head.
“I had no idea what they were talking about. Never did well in science.” Liam said, chuckling slightly. “You okay?”
“That’s the second time you’ve asked me that in the last twelve hours. Are you okay?”
He smiled. “Seriously though. Are you okay?”
“That’s three.” I said. He raised a brow expectantly. I sighed. “I’m as good as I can be right now, which, incidentally, is not very good at all.” He nodded. I looked down and wrung my hands together, trying to find the words to say. “It’s just… you hear about this kinda stuff all the time in the news, but you never think it’ll actually happen to you, you know?”
“Yeah. I know.”
“I mean, Ted was—is the most anti-drinking guy I know. The first and only time we got drunk was when I turned eighteen. Neither of us were particularly excited, we both hate the taste of alcohol, but we thought it’d be fun. A typical eighteenth birthday celebration. But the hangover was enough to convince both of us never to drink again. And now, here we are.”
Liam’s face twisted into an expression I couldn’t quite place. I looked away.
“I just wish I knew why he got drunk.” I started. “He wasn’t the kind of guy to drown in his sorrows, he’d usually call me if something was wrong. I mean, sure, living 200 kilometers away from each other has made us a little more distant, but not distant enough for him to drink rather than talk to me.” My heart twinged with something that felt a little like bitterness. I brought my legs closer and curled up into a ball, resting my forehead on my knees.
A few moments passed, then the door opened. My head snapped up to see Lily, breathless. “You should probably come back in now. Ted’s starting to move a bit.” I jumped up and practically ran back into the room. The nurse was bent down, hand on Ted’s forehead. I dashed to the other side of the bed and crouched down, taking his hand. His head moved, turning to face me. His eyelids fluttered slightly and his breathing grew more laboured. His lips parted and I brought a hand to my mouth, tears starting to fall from my eyes.
“Sammy…?” He rasped out with what seemed like great difficulty.
“Oh, God, Ted, don’t talk. It’s your lungs, they’re… punctured, or something, you’ll be okay.” I sobbed.
He grinned. “That… must be why it’s so hard… to breathe…” He was wheezing.
“Shh, shh, Ted, stop, no, you’re awake and that’s what matters, just get some rest.”
“I… God, Sammy I missed you, always… worrying…” He burst into a coughing fit. I made a strangled noise and looked up to the nurse.
“Can’t you do something???” I asked, hysterical.
Her eyes were wide. “I’ve called the Doctor, she should be here in a moment.” I looked over at Lily, face hidden in Alex’s shoulder. He was looking at Ted, expression somber. Then I looked over at Liam, who was looking at me. He met my gaze, a concerned look in his eyes. I turned back to Ted, who had stopped coughing.
“Sammy…” He raised a hand to my face and brushed away my tears. “Stop crying, just a little cough… that’s all. I’ll… be okay. You just…” He started coughing again.
I took his hand and pressed my lips to it. “Teddy, just don’t talk, oh God I was so worried, just get some rest and you’ll be okay.” He stopped coughing and looked into my eyes, smiling.
“Yeah. I’ll be okay. Don’t you worry, Sammy.” Suddenly a doctor came rushing in with five nurses in tow.
“I’m gonna need everyone to clear out, please!” Said the doctor firmly.
I stayed put, staring into Ted’s eyes. I reached out a hand and touched a knuckle to his cheek. His heart rate sped up on the monitor and a nurse tried to pull me away from the bed.
Ted squeezed my hand weakly. “Go. It’ll be okay. I’ll be okay.”
I bit my lip and bent down, brushing my lips on his. “Stay alive.” I whispered. “For me.”
He smiled. “For us.”
I slammed the car door shut and Alex put the key in the ignition. Lily got in the front seat and Liam sat beside me.
We drove half way home in a tense silence. My cheeks were stained with tears. Lily looked like she was about to cry, and Liam just stared out the window in some sort of trance.
“Well, I suppose that could’ve gone worse.” Said Alex, awkwardly.
Nobody responded.
“Okay, look, I get that this is a bad time and I’m sorry but I thought you said you broke up with Ted?” I turned, startled, to see Liam staring at me accusingly and somewhat… angrily.
I opened my mouth then closed it. “Liam, is that really necessary right now?” demanded Lily, with a shaky voice. “Her best friend just woke up from the brink of—“
“Yes, it’s important because she said they broke up four years ago and she just kissed him—“
“Why do you care anyways, it’s not like you’ve ever shown an interest in either of our romantic lives—“
“Of course I do!!! Don’t you remember when I almost beat Alex up after your first date—“
“Ah, yes, I remember that, it was highly traumatic—“ Alex interjected.
“Shut up, Alex!! You’ve never done anything but torment Sam so you don’t get to say you care—“
“Why the hell not? She’s my friend too—“
“Well friends don’t get angry when their friends kiss other guys, so what the hell—“
“IT’S A PERFECTLY VALID QUESTION, I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR—“
“WHY, DOES IT FUCKING BOTHER YOU?”
“MAYBE IT FUCKING DOES, IT’S NOT YOUR BUSINESS WHETHER OR NOT I CARE ABOUT—“
“YES IT FUCKING IS, SHE’S MY BEST FRIEND—“
I’d had enough. “WILL YOU TWO JUST SHUT THE HELL UP???” I screamed. They were both suddenly silent, glaring at each other and breathing heavily. “You guys can sort out whatever this is when I’m in my room and I can’t hear you.” Liam’s mouth twitched. “Lily, I’m perfectly capable of answering a question that’s directed at me, but thank you for your help. And Liam, Lily’s right that it’s none of your business whether I’m in a relationship or not. But to answer your question, Ted is my best friend and nothing more. A kiss isn’t a gesture that’s reserved for a romantic relationship.” He opened his mouth but I cut him off. “And before you ask, I’m not obliged to tell you why I kiss people.”
Liam crossed his arms and ‘humph’-ed, turning back to the window. Lily rolled her eyes and continued looking out her own window. I sighed and ran my hand down my face, just trying to hold myself together long enough to break down in privacy.
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