Holding On // Jack Gilinksy

Chapter 7

It was seven in the morning when I decided to go get a cup of coffee from the cafeteria down in the hospital. I stood up all night with mom and I needed to boost myself up with some energy for today so I figured coffee would help. When I got the coffee and took a sip out of it I realized it wasn't as good as the coffee shop next to my apartment where Shawn works in Paris. If only mom visited Paris at least once before she had to get in the car accident, I would've shown her everything and introduced her to Claire in real life, not in a web cam. I also would've introduced her to dad and maybe we could all have dinner together like a family. When I was little I had this stupid dream that they would fall in love again and we would all live together, but things like that rarely happen in real life.

I was walking to go get some creamer for my coffee and I couldn't find anything. There was a boy right next to me about my age so I tapped his shoulder, " Excuse me, do you happen to know where the creamer is?" I asked him.

When he turned around to face my direction I realized that he was very, and I mean very attractive.

" Uh yeah, it's like right around over there." He handed me a little packet and I face palmed.

" Oh my gosh it was right in front of me I'm so stupid, thank you." I laughed slightly while he gave me a simple smile.

" It's okay I get like that too, especially when I'm all worked up about something and I forget about my surroundings." He told me and I noticed that his eye color was a vibrant blue color.

" Yeah my uh, it's my mom." I mumbled and he nodded his head slightly.

" I'm here because my brother broke his leg jumping off our roof onto the trampoline but apparently it didn't work out so smoothly." He said, making me giggle.

" What's your name?" I asked.

" Nash, yours?"

" Audrey."

" Well nice to meet you Audrey. Why won't we get a table?" He suggested and I nodded my head. We sat on a nearby booth and he started stirring his coffee.

" Why's your mom here?" He asked me and I almost choked on my coffee.

" She's on a ventilator and they're uh, going to, you know.. Today." I explained to him and he gave me a sympathetic look.

" Oh man I'm so sorry." He mumbled while I just looked at the ground not knowing what to say.

Nash stood up to throw away his cup and he grabbed mine along the way, thank god I finished that cup because I would've killed him if he threw away a full cup of coffee.

" So what school do you go to? Or at least did. I don't know how old you are." Nash asked.

" Oh I finished high school back in Paris, I don't live here." I told him and he widened his eyes when I mentioned Paris. He's probably wondering why I'm here in Florida.

" Paris? Wow, I've always wanted to go there with friends and stuff." He smiled at me and I smiled at him back. We kept on walking until we reached an elevator.

" Well I hope I see you around, nice meeting you." Nash stuck out his hand for me to shake and I laughed once we joined our hands.

" Nice meeting you too, hope your brother's leg gets better." I told him and I hopped on the elevator and pressed to go to the third floor. My hands were inside my large jean jacket and I realized how cold it was inside the elevator. I hate hospitals.

You never know who's dying in the room right next to you.

When I entered my mom's room I was bummed when I noticed she was still asleep but then again, what was I thinking? She's never going to wake up now.