My Hometown

It really is a small world

*Caden's POV*

All I remember is the dreams I have before waking up in the hospital.  I saw her, the girl I thought about for so many nights and stayed up late just dreaming about, regretting my decisions, and having to live with them.  It didn't surprise me that I was having a dream about her, I did often.  She stood in front of me motioning for me to jump into the water with her.  I ran up to her and put one of my arms around her waist and she squirmed because she was so ticklish.  We jumped in together but before we could hit the water I woke up to a blinding light.

Everything was so blurry and when I finally focused I could only concentrate on two things: my family in front of me, and the searing pain in my arm.  I tried to even my breathes as I faced my father.  He wore a worried but relieved face.  What had even happened?  I tackled someone and then all I felt was pain in my arm.  My family started asking me what seemed like millions of questions.  I tried to answer them all without getting too frustrated and then I noticed something at the corner of my eye.  I faced toward them and saw her.

Was I still dreaming?  There was no way she was here.  "Cora?"  I asked feeling stupid that the words came out of my mouth so desperately.

She didn't respond, just stood there and stayed completely still and silent, looking in awe.  I imagined I looked the same.  Seeing her face was amazing and awful at the same time.  I brought back happiness, pain, and regret.  More than anything I wanted to go up and hug her.  But even if I were to get out of the hospital bed, she wouldn't let me hug her.  Right then I noticed her holding hands with the boy next to her.  I felt a sharp pain, emotional pain.  I can't believe I felt jealous, but I did.

I looked over at my family.  My parents looked between Cora and I, confused.  I forgot that I had never told them about her. 

"Do you guys know each other?" Asked my sister, Katie.

"Uh yeah."  I said finally speaking up.  "She lived in Florida when we lived there.  We went to the same school."  Of course that wasn't the full truth but it wasn't technically a lie.

"I never noticed her.  You know we are twins and we went to the same school."  Katie noted

"It's weird you never saw her."  It really was weird.  We had gone to the same school and I always saw her in the halls.  But she did naturally stand out to me.

"Well it really is a small world I guess."  Said my mom.

"So let me get this straight," said the boy holding Cora's hand.  I already didn't like him.  "You two lived in the same place across the country and went to the same school.  And now you both moved to the same place and go to the same school."

We both nodded, but Cora still didn't look like she recovered from all this.  Although I couldn't blame her.  I was probably the last person she wanted to see.  I studied the guy holding her hand.  He had messy dark hair and seriously needed a haircut.  He had dark blue eyes that looked like an ugly shade of oil.  He looked somewhat familiar.  Maybe he went to school with me but how had I not noticed Cora yet?  I had a lot of questions, mostly directed at Cora, and I was getting a splitting headache.  A looked at my hurt arm.  The injury would stop me from playing sports for a while.  I wanted to scream in pain from the injury.  And not just because it hurt, I already felt useless with it.  I wanted to get out of this uncomfortable hospital bed and hug Cora, and then I could slap the boy holding her hand.  I blinked a few times, clearing my mind.  I couldn't think like this.  Our lives had changed, because of me.

A nurse walked in with a clipboard and warm smile.  "How are you feeling?"

"Fine.  Any chance I could get out of this bed anytime soon?"

"You should be able to leave by tomorrow morning, but you will have to go to therapy weekly to get your arm back to normal."

"Thank you ma'am."

She nodded.  "I think you should leave him some time to rest, so finish up your conversations."  She left the room writing things on her clipboard. 

I looked at Cora who was avoiding my eye contact at all costs.  The boy was whispering something in her ear.  I felt a raging fire burn inside my chest.  Who was this boy?  And how did Cora get over what happened so quickly?  I still wasn't even close to getting over her.

"Goodnight Caden, we're going back home.  I told the hospital to call us if you need anything."  Said my mom who gave me a hug.  I suddenly felt embarrassed but tried to push the thought aside.  That was the least of my worries.