Nothing Else Matters

Chapter 3

I woke up feeling exhausted. I was so thirsty. And wet. Why was I wet?

I sat up. My stomach dropped. I remembered everything. Cal leaving for what seemed like the last time, me trying to tell him something before he left, but nothing coming out. We were supposed to have a whole week to ourselves. We could have had such a good time. But we were here. And before I knew it I was crying. Again.

I had no tears, nothing to cry, but I was still gasping and crying and choking on tears that didn’t really exist. Dad walked into the room and helped me get out of the bed.

“It’s time to go home, Cal will be out of the hospital in a week, if, you know.” He tried to smile to make me feel better but it didn’t work. How could they not be sure if he would live? Didn’t they study all this so they could know? But it really didn’t matter right then. I could go home now, see Kenya again at the least. Maybe hang with Valentine. I don’t know if I could face the water again without thinking of Cal but I tried to pull a straight face as we walked out of the hospital.