We Are Similarly Different

Azariah Preston

Vincenzo pulled her to a stop when they were just feet away from Je'Kai's parents. "I called Aunt G against his will. Before he passed out Azariah, he said to call you. I didn't have your number, and neither did he." Vincenzo shoved Je'Kai's phone at her. His screen saver was a picture that they were in. She tugged at his ears while he pushed his tongue against the inside of his top lip. "He lost control of his bike because he was looking at that picture Azariah. He misses you."

  At eight o'clock that night, the doctor that had seen to Je'Kai had come out to speak to them. Momma Georgia and Uncle Dale hadn't sat peacefully since they'd been aggravated by nurses and doctors coming in and out of the surgery theatre and saying that they were doing all they could. Vincenzo had just sat there, beside a teary eyed Azariah. Neither of them opted to leave, despite Uncle Dale's reminders that it was in fact a school night. "Arden family?" the doctor called, glancing up from his clipboard. "That's us." Uncle Dale said as all four stood at attention. "I'm Dr Willem, the surgeon responsible for Je'Kai's surgery." Azariah glanced at Vincenzo, who pulled her into a hug and offered a weary smile. "The surgery was successful, however, we had no idea that the bike had fallen onto him. As a result, he'd slipped into a coma."

Azariah collapsed into Vincenzo's grip. She had no more tears to cry. Just the thought of Je'Kai in this situation was enough to drain her, emotionally and physically. Momma Georgia wept in her husbands' arms. It surprised Azariah that Momma Georgia had been the one to comfort her. It took this to finally break her and Azariah felt even the smallest pieces her heart left break. "Although a lot more broken bones were expected, Je'Kai only suffers from a cracked spine- not broken, all six ribs broken, and his left shoulder blade." Azariah choked on a sob. "He's in recovery. You're welcome to go on into room 504. I suggest that you do follow hospital rules however and go in two at a time." The doctor instructed before squeezing Momma Georgia's shoulder comfortingly. "Uncle Dale, why don't you and Aunt Georgia head in first? I'm sure you must be beat." Vincenzo offered, ushering his friends' parents toward the elevators. He felt like it was on him to watch over Azariah, after all she was his best friends best friend and what friend would he be if he didn't offer his support to her?

Azariah had the doctors' words replaying in her mind. "...he'd slipped into a coma." She stared blankly at the white walls. Who said that hospitals were pure places? If anything it was the dreariest, and Azariah knew that it was like a leech, sucking you dry of any form of hap piness you ever had stored up. It goes beyond saying that. She felt as if all of this was on her. Azariah was to blame. If she'd fought harder against moving to the U.K, he'd be the same boy she knew when she was ten years old. What else had gone wrong since she left? Azariah knew that if she hadn't left, she would've probably been sitting on her window pane and doing homework, along with Je'Kai who sat at his own window.

She felt Vincenzo sit beside her. "Hey. How are you feeling?" Azariah felt a dry laugh escape her throat. Vincenzo quickly excused himself to get her some water. "I'm really sorry that he's not how you remember." He pulled her into a side hug. "This is entirely my fault." Azariah spoke below a whisper. "Don't say that." Azariah smiled at Vincenzo. "Oh, trust me it is. If I hadn't left and come back so unexpectedly, we wouldn't have been sitting here." "How I see it, you had no choice in the matter. It angered him that you left." Vincenzo said, kneeling in front of her. "Answer me this, if you were given the option to stay here, with the Arden's would you?" Azariah needn't even think the question through. "Of course I'd stay. They're like family." Vincenzo smiled at her response. "Aza - I can call you that right? Your name is pretty long." Laughing, Azariah nodded. "Thank goodness. He's madder at himself. He's hurt by the fact that he couldn't do anything to keep you around. Pushing you away has only broken him down even more..."

Vincenzo was cut off by Momma Georgia and Uncle Dale. "Aza thank you for your troubles sweetheart." Uncle Dale said. "Vince, I know you did all you can." Vincenzo smiled, he obviously didn't feel that way. The older couple shared hugs with their son's friends before leaving the hospital. Azariah waited until their retreating figures were no longer in view. Sighing heavily she walked towards the elevator, Vincenzo not far behind. Reaching the room, Azariah's tears resurfaced. She couldn't believe that Je'Kai could ever look so helpless, so weak. "I'm uh, going to leave you to spend some time with him. "See you at school tomorrow."