British Joey

Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter Twenty-Three

I look like crap. Yes, I do. 

I wish I didn't though. I haven't showered in nearly ten days and my hair is absolutely atrocious. I stared at myself in the mirror. I didn't look much different except for the cast that I had on my left leg. My ribs are still aching but not as much and the back of my head still hurts a bit. Nothing major though. I'm here, alone, in the hospital and it's the day I get to return to London. Everybody else left a week ago. I expected Elliot to say something about staying with me but he didn't. In fact, he barely visited me. I don't know what I did wrong. All I know is that something I did or said caused him to act hostile towards me. I felt bad.

"Honey are you read to leave?" my mom peeked her head from the doorway. She heard about me and flew from Florida right away. My dad on the other hand, not so much. He came to visit and everything but he had to leave really early because of his stupid job. 

"Yeah. But can I please go take a shower? I look like a mess," I begged her. She keeps saying no even though I don't even know why.

"You know that you shouldn't because of your ribs..." she said slowly but I felt her giving in. "Fine. Just be careful, really careful, okay?"

I rolled my eyes,"yes mother," 

"You're sounding more British by the day. Next time I see you, you're going to have a full on accent," she smiled.

"I'm sure that's not true," I said as I began to gather my clothing for the shower. Somehow I ended up in a VIP room so I had my own private bathroom with a shower and bathtub. 

My mum didn't say anything else after that because I entered the shower and talking to me would be absolutely pointless. 

It took me twice as long as usual because everything I did had to be slowed down. Every move ached and my ribs felt like it was going to explode. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea...

Washing my hair was such a difficult task to do, I almost called my mum to help me. But that would've been as awkard as hell. So I decided to finish this ridiculously hard task. Cleaning myself. 

I never thought I would say this but I wish I was a cat right now. A few licks and I was all good. But noo....I had to be god damn human!

As much as I thought I hated the shower, I'm glad I took it because I felt all fresh and clean. 

I'm happy that I get to spend some quality time with my mum on the flight back but at the same time, I couldn't help but wish for Elliot to be here too. Why did he just leave me here? I thought all these kisses would've meant something by now. But I guess I was wrong. 

My thoughts were interrupted by my mum speaking to someone outside. At first I thought it was a doctor or something but by the way she was talking to that person, I could tell it wasn't. 

I leaned my ear against the bathroom door and listened. 

"She's alright," my mum sighed," don't worry honey! She's actually taking a shower right now. If you care about her so much why did you leave?"

So she was talking about me? Was it dad? No, it couldn't be. She would never call him "honey". So who was it? There was no one else she could've called. Unless it was Alfie...

Only one way to find out.

I wrapped myself in a towel as fast as I could - which wasn't very fast mind you - and walked outside.

My mum seemed to be engaged in a very exciting conversation because her voice was raised and her arms were flailing around like a maniac. But the conversation was almost impossible to make out. I couldn't hear what the other person was saying, and it seemed to be very important. She didn't even notice me come out!

"Mum?" 

She jumped ever so slightly as she quickly put down the phone. 

"Joey! I didn't think you were going to be done yet!" she sounded extremely guilty as she began to blush. 

"Um yeah...I can see that," I walked out slowly. "Who was that?"

"Oh nobody," she shrugged, "we should probably get go-"

"Mum, don't even try," I rolled my eyes, she could such a child sometimes, "who was that?"

"Okay, fine. I was never good with keeping secrets anyway," she sighed in defeat, "just promise me you won't tell this person okay?"

"Okay...." I narrowed my eyes. Why did she sound so...suspicious?

"It was Elliot,"

"WHAT?!" my eyes bulged out.

A bajillion questions ran through my head like a river stream. How did he have her number? Why was he calling? Did he do this often? Those were just a select few that seemed to bother me more than the others. 

"Yeah yeah. Before you start with all the questions let me just answer a few of them," she sat me down.

"How do you know what I'm going to ask?" I hugged my shoulders. It was getting cold. 

"You're my daughter," she said as if that was obvious," he asked me for my phone number on the day of your accident. He's also just been doing this to check up on you-"

"Check up on me?" I squealed? Not a fan-girl squeal, more like a squawk. 

"Yes, he wanted to know if you're okay. He also calls every single day. To be honest, it's getting annoying," she pursed her lips.

Everything made sense now, what she was talking about on the phone. But just one thing seem to boggle my mind.

"Why did he leave me then if he cares so much about me," I cocked my head to one side as if to think of an answer myself.

She shook her head," I have no idea. No. Idea. What goes through teenage boys' minds?" she smiled at me.

"If only I had an older brother," I picked at my towel.

"Well, honey. We should get going, you should get dressed too. Unless you want to attract attention from males..." she winked.

"MOM!" I gently hit her on the arm. 

"Ok ok. Go, now!" she shooed me towards my huge pile of clothes that just seemed to get bigger and bigger. Just like the amount of questions that was beginning to pile up in my brain-----

Sorry for the late update and short chapter :( I've been busy with moving and homework!

-silvergiraffe_

p.s. hope you liked the chapter!