My Mythical Best and My Mythical Worst

I'm Not Okay

***Link***

     The ride to the hospital was torturous. I just wanted to hold Jaden in my arms and tell her I love her and I'm sorry and I care and she was right. I just wanted her back in my arms. I cried the whole way there and they wouldn't let me in the room when we got there. I had to sit in the waiting room for about an hour before I got to see her. 

     "Charles Neal?" The receptionist said. I stood, "down the hall, turn right, second room on the left." She smiled and I walked swiftly down the hallway. Jaden was lying in the bed with an I.V. in her arm. She was still unconscious though. I stood in the doorway just looking at her, and studying her features for about three minutes before someone said, "you can go in there, sir. She isn't awake yet but she will be soon." I turned to see a nurse and she squeezed through the door next to me. 

     I took a few cautious steps through the door. What if she doesn't want to see me? It was me who did this to her. Why would she want to see me? I wasn't really sure if I wanted to be here when she came to. 

     The nurse looked at me strangely and pushed a chair to the side of the bed. I thought about it for a second and the yearning to hold her hand overpowered me. I sat in the chair and grabbed her hand. Her wrist had a large bandage on it which I didn't want to look at. I put my head down on the bed and started crying again. I felt so bad for this. I squeezed her hand lightly. I fell asleep not long after because it was getting a little late. 

***Jaden***

     I woke up and looked around. I seemed to be in the hospital. I looked down at the person's head on the bed next to me who was holding my hand and realized it was Link. His black hair covered his face. I looked at the clock on the wall that read 3:26 AM. I wondered how long Link had been here and how long I had been here. I bent down to look at Link's face that was tear stained and he still had his glasses on. 

     I didn't want to wake him so I didn't let go of his hand, not that I wanted to. I reached across my body and took his glasses off of his face very gently and scooted down in the bed. I put a hand in his greasy hair and ruffled it a little. I heard a soft groan escaped his lips and I stopped. 

     He picked up his head and looked at me. His face was tear stained. We didn't say anything. We just stared at each other. A tear escaped his eye and in glistened down his cheek. I reached up with my free hand and wiped it away as a few of my own tears rolled down my cheek. He cupped my face with his free hand. I smiled at him and he returned a heart warming sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry." The words escaped his lips quietly. I shook my head and asked, "for what?" As a sob escaped his lips. "This." He moved his hand and my face got cold. He looked down and started sobbing. I didn't know what to do. He let go of my hand and covered his face. 

     I put a hand on his shoulder and he looked up at me. I shook my head and moved over in the bed. I pat the bed next to me and he looked at me confused. "C'mon. Get up here." I smiled and he obeyed. I was careful with my I.V. arm as i reached over and grabbed his glasses and placed them on his face. I knew I didn't do it right and he laughed. "You missed." I smiled and laughed. I put my head on his shoulder. 

--mythical time jump to next day--

     I woke up to a nurse telling Link he couldn't be in the bed with me. I groaned as he pushed himself out of the bed. He apologized profusely and sat down in the chair by the bed. "Why are you still here?" I asked him. He shrugged "because I care. I've been told you can go home today but you are on bed rest for a few days." He smiles, "which means you'll need to either stay at my house or I'll stay at your house." His smile grew. 

     "Does anyone else know about this?" I asked and he looked confused. "You know, me self harming." I said shyly. "Oh. Ummmm, no. No one knows excluding myself." I nodded. I didn't want people thinking I was depressed. 

     A phone went off in Link's pocket and he pulled it out. He looked at it for a second and handed it to me. I was my phone. I had three messages from Eli, two from Zeek, seven from Michael, and a missed call from mom. I was assuming Link still didn't know why I had done this but I was sure he was assuming it was because of him. A tear slid down my face as I read through the messages from my family members. I had to call my mom. 

     "Hey, ma." I said "Sorry I never answered last night. I was sleeping." It wasn't technically a lie, "I'm also three hours ahead of you guys so it was about two when you called me." 

     "That's alright, baby. I was just checking on you." 

     "Well, I'm alright. I'm coming home soon. I'm not sure when yet because I don't really have money but I will find a way to get there before the funeral. 

***Link***

      "Hey, ma." Jaden said, "sorry I never answered last night. I was sleeping. I'm also three hours ahead of you guys so it was about two when you called me." I smiled. Maybe I could learn about her family by listening. I don't know why I cared anymore. She wasn't my girlfriend. 

     "Well, I'm alright. I'm coming home soon. I'm not sure when yet because I don't really have money but I will find a way to get there before the funeral." She said. What? Is this why she hurt herself? Because someone died? I wondered who it could've been. I knew it wasn't her mom because she was talking with her. 

     She hung up and I said "you're going home?" I didn't want her to leave. She nodded and said "just for a week. My dad passed away last night. That's why..." She trailed off "this." She motioned toward her arm. I looked down, I thought it was me. I still felt like I had something to do with it. 

     "Link?" She asked and I looked up at her. "Will you go with me, please?" She looked embarrassed. "You know, home." I looked at her strangely. "Just as friends. Please. I'm scared." I didn't know what exactly she had to be scared of but she had her reasons. I started thinking about Good Mythical Morning. We would have to record episodes way in advance. That's alright. We could manage. I smiled at her and nodded, "of course I will."