Red and white roses

Smiles and Hearts

My eyes flickered open. I scrunched up my nose in disgust, it smelled like white rubber gloves and white hospital bedding.

I looked left to see a bunch of roses. "Thanks Mum" I whispered. I checked the tag only to see that they were labeled with:

Dear Gina

I was the ever so kind man who called the ambulance. and for that I hope you are thankful ;)

You're welcome

Ben<3

It contained a smiley face and a heart. That made me feel special. but who was he? All I know was that he was witty. cute.

I rolled over onto my side to see the same unfamiliar face as before, when I was having my asthma attack.

"Hello there stranger" I stifled a giggle.

He almost fell off his lounger, he looked rather surprised? Why?

"What?" I exclaimed rather rudely.

he just looked as me in awe. "Anybody home?" I asked waving my hand in his face.

"NURSE!" he screeched in my ear.

"WHAT!?" she yelled, all in a panic.

"Sh...she's awake" he whispered.

The nurses jaw dropped rather unnaturally. "You'll catch flies" I said to her, not really putting any emotion whatsoever into my statement.

I later discovered I had been in a coma for almost 6 months. I had had multiple operations, countless x-rays and scans.

I almost died that day. But thanks to Ben, I didn't.

**

"Oi!" I yelled into his kitchen window.

"Get off ma property!" he replied in a old man's voice.

Ben and I have an extraordinarily strange relationship. we talk about the strangest things, I need a camera surgically implanted into my brain so I can show other people our memories.

I think Ben and I have had a conversation about this at some point. But maybe I want to keep 'our' memories... Well... 'Ours'

He strolled out of his front door with a strange looking newspaper wrapped object in his hand. "strange" I said in a confused tone.

"What" he asked quickly.

"What is with the thing in your...."

"Shhhhh" he interrupted, handing me the package.

I skipped towards his car in a fit of laughter. "what's so funny?" he asked his mouth slightly curving upwards.

"It's just like one of my books" I mumbled. I was kind of embarrassed.

"Really?" he asked a curious and mischievous look in his eyes.

"Yeah" I replied, hoping he wouldn't ask me to go into detail about it.

"So what happens? in your book I mean" he asked innocently.

"Well he gives her a strange package...." I started.

"And?" he urged me on.

"Inside there is a....." I paused, should I tell him the truth? Will it make it really awkward? God I wish I had experience with this kind of stuff.

After carefully scanning through my memories of books I'd ever read, I came to the conclusion it was best to lie.

"Earth to Gina?" He waved his hand in my face.

"Oh goodness!" I was startled by his sudden movements.

"Aw" he smiled foolishly. "your so innocent, but it's cute" I blushed and hid under my hands.

"in the book....." I paused thinking of a good lie. My brain managed to conjure up an... interesting story within about 30 seconds, I hoped he wouldn't say anything about it and continue to get in his red sports car. (what a typical boy)

"Carry on, you silly goose!" he said with a fake lisp. "Shit" I whispered. here goes.... "He gives her a strange package.... And it has a magic wand in it..." I paniced "It's a fairy tale" I quickly added

"I worry about you, you're so... stressed" He said, massaging my shoulders. I giggled quietly as i got almost what felt like tiny electric shocks, spinning and dancing through me.

I slammed the car door quickly only to have him open it and toss the strange package on my lap. I closed the door lightly this time. it was Ben's car after all.

It was great. having Ben I mean. No! not like that..... just as a friend? I don't even understand our relationship anymore. I got all confused and upset when I thought of us being an 'item'

It was just nice I guess to have a friend who had their own car and their own house. They were both paid for by his parents of course. I guess it's different if they live in Australia. they just up and left last year, leaving Ben to live by himself.

"Why did you stay?" I thought aloud. "I'm not really that sure" he answered.

"I mean it's not like a had that many friends? I had Whorebag even though I never even got to enjoy her, but my buddy Chris did" he said squinting his eyes.

'Whorebag' or 'May' was Ben's ex, who cheated on him with Chris. In case you didn't seem to catch that moderately important detail.

"Why was I in hospital for so long?" I asked innocently. The nurses wouldn't tell me, god knows why.

"That was ages ago" He replied plainly.

"So?" I looked at him with pleading eyes.

"They told me not to tell you... But they... probed you" he stifled a laugh.

"Arse" I put my middle finger in the air

He leaned over and squeezed me tightly, I squealed and slapped his arms pathetically, secretly not wanting his grip to loosen. We stayed there for a while, both silently hoping that we never let go.

***********************************

He later drove me to our usual spot in amongst the roses. No, not literally sitting on roses. A little spot in a garden where no matter how hard they tried, they could never grow anything there. So we took it upon ourselves to 'make use of it' you could say. We went there almost every day if we could help it. It slowly just became a simple text message.

You coming?

Do I have to?

See you there in five.

Ten?

Three.

Hours?

Seconds.

Ughhh.