Broken

Chapter 3

For three days I stayed at the hospital. I never left. Luke left and when he did, I gave him my keys and backpack and told him to get me two sets of clean clothes and my wallet. He went to school too, but at lunch he left to come visit me and give me school work. I answered no one's texts, I took no calls, and I talked to no one. Even Luke, my friend, couldn't get a word out of me. The only reason I did the school work was to occupy my time. I checked and double checked the answers to everything so I'll get good marks on the work.

I was reading a magazine when I heard someone call my name. "Yes", I said. "You can visit him now." said the nurse. I jumped up and followed her to the room.

She silently opened the door and whispered, "He's asleep now, but he should wake soon." I caught her arm and my face hardened. "How many died?" I hoarsely whispered. Her face went from smooth to serious. She looked down at her clipboard like she debated telling me. "Ten...out of fifteen." She was barely audible, but I could hear her clearly. She turned and left me standing there in bewilderment. I had to quickly gather my thoughts and hide my emotions so Mason won't get anxious. I sat on the seat next to the bed. I feel like I can't breathe let alone stand. I look at Mason's hand. It has all sorts of tubes connected to it, but I take his hand anyway.

"Hey, Mason." I whisper. "This is really unfortunate. I mean you were on top of the world the other day, but you'll bounce back. You always do." I then run my fingers through his blonde hair. "I've never told you this, but I have always loved your blonde hair. I don't know... There's just something about it that I've always liked." I stop playing with his hair and stroked his face. "You know I can hear what you're saying, right?", he says in an even tone. I look into his big brown eyes and nod. He doesn't break his gaze for a long time. I feel uncomfortable so I make with casual conversation. "So, how long are you staying here?" "Don't really know. They never told me." "Oh, well it should be soon. You gotta be scoring those goals right?" His face turns rock hard in seriousness. "Parker," ok when he calls me by my full name I know there's something up, "I'm paralyzed."

My eyes never left his. I knew my eyes were tearing up, but I never broke his gaze. "I... You... You're supposed to be okay. You always were, and now...it's..." my voice was shaky, but I spoke in a normal volume. He seems to understand. "I will be able to walk. It takes time...it takes-" he bit his lip. A tear escaped his eye.

I have never seen him cry. All the years I've known him, I have never seen him even close to crying. I couldn't bear to see him sad. I couldn't stand to see him in this state. If I was in his position, I would be balling my eyes out and try to break free of the tubes. Then try to get up and leave the hospital in a fit of rage. I just hold his hand while he cries. I wipe tears from his face, telling him it will be alright.

I find myself dosing off after an hour of being with Mason. He wakes up and looks at my raggedness and says, "I'm fine. Go home, take a shower, rest and come back tomorrow." "But I..." I trail off because he's right. I kiss his forehead and leave the room.

I reach for my phone and dial Luke's number. "Hey, Luke. Can you pick me up and take me home?" "Sure. So how's Mason?" I bite my lip at the question. "I'll tell you in the car." "Ok, pick you up in five." "Bye." "Bye."

I waited in front of the hospital because I couldn't stand the smell anymore.

I saw the familiar gray car and open the door. I can tell he knows I'm upset because he doesn't say a word to me on the way to my apartment. "He's alive." I say in an even tone. I look at him and he nods. "The nurse told me that fifteen were shot and only five lived." He glanced at me to show me he was listening and coax me to spill about Mason. I don't think I have enough strength to tell him, so I cry. I cry all the way home. When he parks he leans over to hug me. "He's... Paralyzed." was all I could whisper. He just patted my back and tried to sooth me with his words. I wasn't listening though.