Popsicles

Chapter 13- Penny

Penny’s blonde hair laid over her hospital pillow, with her eyes glued shut. The birds chirped outside her window, and the sun shone brightly through the windows. Everything outside her hospital room was happy, and everything seemed fine. But it wasn’t. Penny was lying in a hospital gown, glued down to a bed she probably didn’t want to sleep in, but the thing is, we don’t know if she wants or needs to be in that hospital bed. Her eyes have been shut ever since she got hit by that car, and she hasn’t woken up.

If it weren’t for Joshua, and that woman, Penny could be at school right now. She could be talking to Max and Katherine, and possibly even Kyle. She would be going over the boring syllabuses, or reading a book in her English class. But she’s not. Instead, she’s cooped up inside a tiny hospital room, locked out from the world. 

All of her friends, peers, and crush were all at school. Reading books, filling out syllabuses, eating merrily at lunch. Penny was surrounded by nurses, doctors, saline bags, and the beeping of monitors. 

Nora and her mother sat on the tiny couch in the hospital room, eating doughnuts. They were probably from the Krispy Kreme, which was across from the hospital. They had bought Penny a doughnut too, but they still weren’t sure if she was going to wake up. But they had hoped she would, and pretended like she would wake up, so they sat the doughnut on a table beside her bed. 

She was alive though. No straight lines appeared on the monitors, and they beeped like a normal heart rate would. She was perfectly healthy, and nothing seemed wrong at first. But her brain had been damaged, and she couldn’t find a way to open her eyes or wake up. 

The doctor walked in and stared at Penny in sympathy. His eyes flickered from Penny in her tiny bed, to Penny’s family, eating doughnuts on the couch. He nodded his head towards them and walked towards Penny to check up on her. “We have some news.” The doctor spoke with sympathy. 

“What is it? Is she going to be okay?” Penny’s mother asked, her forest green eyes filled with nervousness and worry. The doctor continued to stare at Penny in her bed, then turned to Nora and her mother, trying not to be rude. 

“We think she has slipped into a coma. She has been asleep for over six hours, correct?” The doctor asked, flipping through his clipboard. 

“Yes, I believe so.” Penny’s mom said soft-spoken. He nodded and pulled his glasses onto his nose, and they sat askew on the bridge of his nose. 

“Okay, well, I highly believe she has slipped into a coma.” He said, pulling his glasses off of his nose. “There is no telling if she is going to wake up anytime soon, though.” Penny’s mother let a tear slide down her cheek, she was too busy staring at her lifeless daughter to bother to wipe it up. 

“Thank you Dr. Ramirez.” Her mother said, smiling and nodding. He nodded also and when he was about to leave the room, Nora said something too. 

“Dochter?” Nora’s sweet voice spoke, not very fluently though, because she was only three. The doctor turned around.

“Yes sweetheart?” 

“Can I hahve mai siwsy bach soon?” Nora spoke, while the doctor giggled at how she spoke. He nodded, and left the room, closing the door quietly. 

Once the doctor had left, Penny’s mom stood up and walked towards her hospital bed. She pushed the remaining blonde hair out of her pretty face, and kissed her forehead and lightly spoke, “Come back to us Penny.” Once she had pulled away from the hospital bed, she sat back down on the couch with Nora. 

After a couple of hours of pure anxiety and waiting, the doctor slipped into the room again. “Penny has some visitors, can they come in?” The doctor asked. Penny’s mom nodded, and three teenagers entered the room. It was Max, Katherine, and Kyle. Katherine was holding a small balloon in her hand that said “Get well”, but she knew Penny wouldn’t be able to see it for another couple of hours. She sat the balloon down besides her hospital bed, and stared at her best friend in disbelief. Penny’s mom stood up and joined the three teenagers, and mourned over her still alive child.

Max was holding a bright bouquet of flowers, and sat them on a table beside Penny’s bed. He took Penny’s hand in his, and held Katherine’s hand with his other. Kyle, on the other hand, did nothing. He couldn’t help but feel guilty. His brother and the woman, who was currently sitting in the hospital somewhere right now, had caused this to the girl he has a major crush on.

Kyle was in shock, and couldn’t believe what he was seeing. He had hoped for the best, maybe -- just maybe, she would wake up soon. So then he could steal the kiss that was stolen from that woman and his little brother. Max and Katherine backed away from the bed without a word, and went to Penny’s mom to talk. Kyle walked up to Penny and held her hand, and tucked her long, blonde hair behind her ear. After a couple of minutes of looking at Penny, Max and Katherine came up to Kyle.

“We’re all going out for an early dinner. Do you wanna come with?” Max asked, patting Kyle on the back. Kyle shook his head and continued to stare at Penny.

“No, I’m going to stay here.” He spoke. They all nodded their heads, packed up their stuff, and headed out the door towards a place to eat by the hospital. Kyle, on the other hand, stood in his same position. Suddenly, Penny’s hand tightened onto Kyle’s. Kyle jumped up, but recovered, reminding himself it was just her reflexes. As soon as Kyle reminded himself that, Penny’s eyes flickered open. Kyle sighed in relief. 

Penny sat up, and rubbed her eyes, scanning the room she was in. Then, her eyes landed on Kyle standing in front of her. Kyle couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t. He had to kiss her. 

With his instincts, Kyle pulled Penny towards him and kissed her, but Penny tried fighting it back. She eventually pulled away, and looked astonished. “What do you think you’re doing?” Penny yelled, pushing Kyle away from her and sitting on the edge of the hospital bed.

“I-” Kyle started, and then he realized something. She must’ve had a concussion and forgot about him. “I’m Kyle.” 

“I know who you are!” Penny yelled, pushing Kyle once again. “Why are you trying to kiss me? Get away from me!” 

“But-” Kyle started, but stopped himself and ran his hand through his dark brown hair. “You don’t remember do you?” 

“Remember what?” Penny snapped. “All I remember is that your idiotic dad tried killing me.”

“You forgot all of it. You forgot about us.” Kyle spoke under his breath, barely audible to Penny, but she still heard it.

“What about ‘us’?” Penny said, shaping her fingers as quotation marks in the air. “Why are you even still here? Leave.” Kyle nodded and left the room, tears streaming down his face. Suddenly, he saw Dr. Ramirez and told him that Penny was awake. 

Dr. Ramirez hurriedly made his way to Penny’s room and barged through the door, finding Penny sitting on the side of her bed, crying. Dr. Ramirez rushed up to her.

“Are you okay? What’s wrong?” He questioned quickly. 

“Kyle came. And h-he...” Penny trailed off, not wanting to talk anymore. She didn’t want to talk about why she was in the hospital room, why she had forgotten so much, and most importantly, the kiss, and why it felt so right to her.