My Cousin in the Summer

Chapter 19

"I can't believe I was that stupid. It's all my fault. Everything. Why can't I just do something right for once? It doesn't make any sense!"

As of eight am, Grammy, Jeffrey, Hunter and I had been stuck in the hospital waiting room. Barely any people were there, and if there were any, they had their heads down or too focused on their phones. Most likely because Hunter was ranting nonstop about how everything was his fault. He wouldn't stop pacing, or running his hands through his already messy hair, and when he did sit down, he kept crossing and uncrossing his legs before standing back up again.

So far he had done this twenty-five times. Not that I was counting.

"God, I am such a fu-dge up!" He exclaimed, barely catching his words as Jeffrey glanced at him pointedly. He sighed agitatedly, running his hands through his hair twice, and begun pacing again.

I stood up roughly, getting sick and tired of his self blame. Heading over to Grammy, where she was waiting anxiously by the counter, I tapped her shoulder lightly.

"Yes, Leaha?" She asked, barely putting any attention on me. Her gaze was fixed on the tv screen where it showed patients' names in red, an indication they were in the ER. Patrick's was still up there.

"I'm gonna go to the cafeteria-- bring back some food." I replied, reaching for her wallet in her purse next to her.

"Yeah, yeah of course." She nodded, still looking at the screen, yet allowing me to grab a twenty.

"Great," I replied, then stalked over to Hunter and grabbed his hand. "You're coming with me."

"Wait, what?" He asked, sounding as if he was being pulled out of a trance.

I didn't reply, and instead dragged him out of the waiting room, still holding onto his hand as we walked the halls. He didn't say anything up until we were at the cafeteria doors, when he roughly pulled his hand away and glared at me harshly.

"What the hell are you doing?" He asked sharply, crossing his arms.

"Getting food." I replied, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You interrupted my thinking!"

I scoffed, "Your thinking? You were ranting, pacing back and forth, running your hands through your hair repeatedly and almost dropped the f-bomb in front of Jeffrey three times. In my book, that's definitely not called 'thinking.' To be honest, it was getting quite annoying. If anything, you should be thanking me before someone back there would've gotten up your ass about it."

Hunter glared at me. "You're a bitch."

"No, I am merely trying to save your sorry little ass from getting berated." I retorted, crossing my arms and glaring back at him.

"Why can't you just leave me alone!" He raised his voice as he continued to glare at me. Throwing up his hands in frustration, he spun towards the wall and leaned his arms against it, his head hanging down.

"Look who's talking," I shook my head then sighed. "Hunter, bab- I mean, hey. It is not your fault that Patrick got knocked out. Okay, well, maybe for putting the rock on the branch like that but not for it falling. Think of it like it's gravity's fault."

Hunter turned his head to look at me underneath his arm. "Stop trying to make me feel better."

"Well excuse you if I'm trying to help," I said frostily. It was silent for a moment before I sighed. "Hunter, listen to me, please. It is not your fault. Patrick is a tough cookie, he'll get through this, I guarantee it. You don't need to beat yourself up over this, before you know it, we'll all be back up and running around as if this was all a dream."