Everything We Always Were

Fourteen: Stale

The drive to the hospital was a blur of thunder, rain, and low-volume music.

Maria had an older car but was overly confident behind the wheel, even during the storm. We both rushed into the hospital under her small umbrella to avoid getting drenched again.

"James Friar," I say once we reach the nurses station inside the ER doors.

"He's still getting checked out, but when he's done, we will lead you back," the nurse says, monotone and not looking at me.

"Did they tell you anything on the phone?" I should have asked the question in the car, or at home but I was in shock.

"It was an accident," She explains as we find two uncomfortable seats next to each other in the waiting room. "Hydroplane,"

"Is he okay? Did they say?"

"That's all they told me,"

For the next hour and a half, we sit in silence. The only sound is the rain pattering on the windows and the occasional claps of thunder over the stale, beeping hospital air. She had grabbed us some shitty coffee from the cafeteria and when she came back in, a doctor called James' name.

We rush back together, following the doctor through the halls.

"James is just fine, just a few scrapes and bruises." He explains as we walk, not looking back at us. "He can be discharged in the morning, we just want to make sure there is no concussion or anything else."

I nod, although he can't see me, and he stops in front of a door.

"The visiting hours are long over, but as I understand, his grandmother was here earlier and passed, so this is a different situation. You two can stay here with him until he is discharged." I assume Maria had pretended to be Jay's mother, and that the doctor assumes I am his sister. If it means I can see him, I don't care.

James is sleeping when we walk in. He's got a busted lip, and a gash on his forehead which looks like it has a few stitches.

The other scrapes and bruises aren't visible.

Maria stands by the door and I sit in one of the even more uncomfortable chairs.

"Are you hungry? I can go find a vending machine or see if they're serving any food in the cafeteria," She offers.

"Sure,"

James slept until 6 am. Maria had called the school to tell them what had happened and we both got the day off. Maria had to argue for a bit to get me out for the day but she did it.

Roni was the first to wake up and text the big group chat. She saw that I was at the hospital on our tracking app and got worried. I told the group chat everything that had happened, hoping it didn't upset James. I didn't go into detail, I just said his grandma died and he got into a small car accident.

Once he woke up, he was discharged and we took him home.

He was pretty much silent until we got to his house.

"You can go home," was the first thing he said to me. "I'm sorry for keeping you up all night,"

"You have nothing to apologize for. If you want to me go home, I can. But I don't have to go to school today."

"I'll probably just be sleeping." His voice is still just bland and monotone.

"It's fine, you can have your bed. I'll take a nap on the couch."

And that's what happened. I finally got some sleep, waking up at 5 pm with a sore back.

James was still asleep, and Maria decided to wait for him before deciding on dinner.