Girl Meets Senior Year

Aftermath

Riley sat in the hospital waiting room staring at the double doors leading to the emergency care rooms. Her friends had stopped on their way to the hospital to get everyone a change of clothes and met up with her as soon as they could. She had not spoken a word to anyone since they all arrived. Her parents, Auggie, Shawn, Katy, Farkle, Lucas, Zay, and Smackle sat near her in various conversations amongst themselves.

After what seemed like an eternity a doctor in scrubs emerged from the doors. He removed his face mask as he approached.

"Maya Hart's family?"

Everyone stood up.

"We're here parents," said Shawn, holding Katy close. "Is she ok?"

"It was close. The bullet punctured her left lung. An inch higher and it would have hit her pulmonary artery. All things considering she was very lucky."

Katy let out a breath of relief, "When can we see her?"

"She's stabilized now and in recovery. Due to the collapsed lung she's having trouble breathing on her own and we're keeping her sedated. She won't know you're there, but if you follow me you can come see her now." Riley moved to follow. "Sorry, family only right now."

Katy grabbed Riley by the hand, "She is family."

Riley gave her a sincere smile to show her thanks as the three of them followed the doctor to Maya's room.

Maya was laying unconscious in the hospital bed, hooked up to various machines. She had a tube going down her throat. Riley had never seen her so helpless before.

She ran to her side crying, "I'm so sorry, Peaches. If I had listened to you none of this would have happened. You have to get better."

"This isn't your fault, Riley," her uncle Shawn said putting his hand on her shoulder. "You can't blame yourself for this."

"I'm here, baby girl," Katy said taking Maya's hand. "We're all right here."

-

Three days later Maya had started breathing on her own and the doctors no longer needed to keep her sedated. "It's up to her now when she will wake up," they said. It wasn't until another four days had passed that she finally opened her eyes.

Maya blinked, disorientated, and tried to get a sense of her surroundings. She looked to her side to see Riley slumped in a chair next to her fast asleep.

"Riles?" she asked. Her throat was sore and her voice barely audible. She looked around for something she could throw. Picking up the tissue box on her bedside tray, she tossed it at Riley.

"Wha? Maya!" Riley sprang up from the chair, dropping her blanket on the floor behind her, and rushed to Maya's side. "You're awake!"

"What happened? Why does my throat feel raw?"

"Because there was a breathing tube in it for almost a week," she started to tear up.

"I don't know what happened. How did I get here?"

"What's the last thing you remember?"

She searched her mind and realization hit her, "Missy. She was going to shoot you." She looked over at Riley wide eyed.

"You stepped in the way. You saved me, Peaches."

"I was shot?" Maya looked astonished.

"In your chest and there's a tube in your side to help reinflate your lung."

Maya reached down to feel where the tube was coming from her left side.

"Is everyone else ok?"

"Everyone is fine. They are all going to be so excited to know you're awake. I need to get your mom."

Before Riley had a chance to move Maya shouted, "Don't leave me!"

"Let me just page the nurse, ok? I won't leave." She moved to the other side of the bed to hit the call button.

"Hello?" a voice came out of the wall speaker.

"She's awake. Please tell her mom and the doctor."

"Wonderful. Someone will be in shortly."

"Riley?" Maya asked.

"Yes, Peaches?"

"What day is it?"

Riley pulled the chair she had vacated closer to the side of the bed and sat back down. "November seventh." She took Maya's hand in hers.

"It's been a week?" her voice rang with disbelief.

"I'm so sorry, Maya. This is all my fault."

"How is any of this your fault, Riles?"

"I wanted to rush to school that morning. If we hadn't..."

"Then she may have not confronted us first. She may have shot you from behind. One of us could have died. One of our friends could have died. We are all still here, that's what matters. Don't blame yourself for this."

"But you're in the hospital. I almost lost you," she cried.

"You can't get rid of me that easily, Honey." Maya laughed slightly.

"What?"

"I'm the one with a gun shot wound, and you're the one who needs comforting."

"Not funny. I've been worried for days," Riley pouted.

"Sorry, love. But it is a little funny. Come here and kiss me?"

"If you didn't have a gaping wound you'd be sorry right now," Riley said smirking before bending down to give Maya the kiss she asked for.

The second their lips connected Riley felt at peace for the first time in a week. She knew they'd get through this together now that Maya had come back to her. "I love you, Peaches," she whispered as she pulled away, breaking the kiss.

"Love you too."