Once Upon A Surf

Chapter Nineteen

 Tick. Tick. Tick.

My gaze moved slowly up to the clock on the wall and I watched the red hand jerk between the even dashes.

"Somehow, she hit her head. Since she was unfamiliar with the surfing area, she dove into a portion of the waters that had a shallow, rocky bottom."

My knee was bouncing as I sat in the chair, unable to keep still, unable to focus on anything long enough to really think.

"Surgery went well, and we got the head wound stitched up. She lost a lot of blood."

A TV was playing in the corner, an old episode of Spongebob Squarepants. The sound was like an annoying buzz in my ear, drowned out by the sharp clicking of the clock.

"Now we just wait for the swelling to go down to see if there's any extensive brain damage."

My eyes flickered back to the bed, to the person laying there. Abbi's head was wrapped in tan gauze, her eyes closed and her breathing even. She looked completely relaxed, almost like she was taking a nap and was having the most peaceful dream of her life. The white hospital gown had small blue designs all over it and the gray blanket was pulled up to her chest.

Machines whirred, attached by wires to her face and hands and chest. The room was otherwise silent—her mom was in the corner sleeping, her dad had left moments ago, muttering something about getting a coffee.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

I swiped my hand across my burning eyes, staring at the clock, taking a moment to register the time. 11:47. Tuesday night. I had been here almost three days. I let out a long breath, leaning back in the chair and trying to relax, but my knee was bouncing and my brain was too wired and my chest clenched at the thought of Abbi not waking up every time my eyes drifted shut.

I heard the click of the door and turned, blinking in surprise. It took a second to realize that I wasn't just seeing things, and my bouncing knee froze.

"Jen."

Jenna stared at me, her mouth slightly open, and an uneasy tension clouding the room. For a moment we just stayed like that, unmoving, before Jenna broke her stare to look at Abbi.

"What happened?"

"You would know if you had been at the meet."

A mixture of hurt and anger flashed in Jenna's eyes and she turned her eyes to me. "Can you not do this here?"

"You should leave," I said, my voice even.

"I'm here for Abbi, not for you. I think I'll stay."

My jaw tightened. "Since when were you friends with Abbi again?"

"Is it so wrong for me to care about her wellbeing?" Jenna snapped. "Abbi and I were friends for years, and I find out she's almost dead—"

"Don't," my voice came out low, dangerous. "Don't say that."

Jenna let out an exasperated sigh. "If you want to fight, let's at least not do it in here."

"I'm not leaving this room."

"Neither am I."

I stared at her, cocking an eyebrow, before finally turning away with a sigh. Jenna was silent for a moment before she stepped forward, putting a vase of flowers on one of the window sills in the hospital room. The door opened and I glanced over, watching Abbi's dad come in. His eyes flickered in surprise at the sight of Jenna but immediately he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her in a hug, almost dropping his coffee.