Begin Again

7 - An Old Friend

Elle

Two weeks left and I can go home. I woke up feeling just great and cheerful. I slowly eased myself onto the wheelchair and smiled at my success in doing it all by myself. Yeah, Hunter was great help, but sometimes he was around too much and I'm thankful for the privacy. Good thing he was very busy for the past week and only visited me briefly, thrice that week.

I wheeled myself to the elevator and all the way to the lovely garden pavements. It must've been a lazy day since the nurses didn't really notice me, or maybe they got used to me going down to the garden. None of them realized that my usual companion wasn't here with me. At the garden, I swallowed a lump in my throat as I started wheeling myself om the non-linear pavement. The ground naturally slanted down towards the direction of the lake.

I remembered a scary moment back when I was a kid. I rode a bicycle down a pavement that was going downwards. I lost control and panicked as the bike gained speed and I knew I couldn't brake before I reached the road where the cars were. Had to jump off my bike! Without a rider, it quickly swerved and crashed into a gutter. But at least I was safe. My parents weren't so happy that I rode out of the neighbourhood without their knowledge.

But.. didn't I already get into an accident anyway? With that thought, I proceeded to wheel myself down the pavement that was going downwards, this time a hospital garden one instead of one at the side of the road.

I thought that I could control herself but soon enough the wheelchair was rolling down steadily without me even wheeling. In panic, I squealed as I grabbed the wheels hard. The wheelchair actually stopped abruptly.

I let out a sigh of relief.
"That was a close one wasn't it," said a clear low voice. I knew that voice, the voice that I will always be fond of immediately upon hearing it.
"Gem!" I exclaimed.
"Hi Elle," he replied cheerfully.

A guy that looked my age was standing by my wheelchair, one hand gripping tight to the right wheelchair handle. I realised immediately that it was actually him who stopped the wheelchair. Memories of him quickly grabbing me and righting me when I was stumbling and also warning me and holding my wrist like a dad when we crossed the road and.. oh there're too many things to list.

"Thanks, if you hadn't been here I'd have crashed into the pond!"
"You're welcome Elle. Let's move to a less dangerous spot shall we." He replied smoothly.

He pushed me to a more.. flat picnic spot away from the pond. A lovely tree that had tiny flowers and small fruits I can't identify was shading a welcoming bench.
"Oh Gem, it's really you! I missed you so much, haven't seen you in so long!" I said as soon as he parked me near the bench. Automatically, I reached my arms out towards him affectionately.

He automatically hugged me warmly. After that, he patted me on the head. I knew I looked silly but I did my pleased closed-eyed smile anyways. With Eric 'Gem' Luree, I always felt comfortable, safe and sound.

Patting me on the head had become a habit to him in the last years of high school when he was sort-of-tutoring me (because he was one of the brightest students in class, aside from being a sports star) (yes some people have everything don't they). He found out it made me feel less anxious when I couldn't understand what he taught me and also did it as a "good job" gesture when I did understand.

"I came to visit you. Feeling real terrible that I absolutely couldn't visit you sooner. Just now when I parked my car I saw a girl on a wheelchair, wheeling like crazy to the garden and thought I should check it out before she hurts herself. Shoulda known it was you." he playfully said.

"That's awfully coincidental," I said. "Just like in the movies!" I happily added with a smile. "I'm glad you came anyway. Better late than never. How's Australia? And are you still playing baseball?"

"Nah.. I stopped playing baseball a while ago. College and the rest of life was in the way."
"That's a shame. I loved to see you play. You have a gift."
"I know, I know, I'm awesome." he said jokingly and in a confident voice.
"Oh my god! That sounded so not you. You never say things like that- never joke like that! Oh my god."

He sighed, not tired but relieved. "And Elle, you have the same old amusement from little things you have always had. Now don't get too excited. You probably won't hear it again." He said playfully with a small smile.
"Yeah, probably. That's why I have to savor the moment, no?" I smiled at him again.

He smiled slightly, back at me while staring into my eyes too. He's one of the people I know who can do it for a very long time without making it feel awkward somehow. I like it, and I think he's brave. Guys who aren't don't usually succeed in holding my gaze that long.
"Ahem." A familiar low voice.

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Interrupted by? Read on to know who xoxo