A Boy Named Harry

Chapter 2

I woke up knowing exactly what had happened. It's not like in the movies how your eyes open and you're so confused, it's worse. You wake up with full memory of the entire occurrence, just wishing you didn't remember. I remember waking up with blood everywhere, I remember lying in my hospital bed just like I am now. I rubbed my eyes, realizing my throat was dry. I looked over and noticed my mum asleep in a chair next to my bed. A glass of water sat upon the nightstand with a note.

Louis, I know you will wake up soon. Here's some water. ~Doc

Dr. Mathers had been on my case since I was diagnosed. After getting to know each other he became casual with me, preferring to be called Doc, leaving notes with instructions with things he knew I could handle. I liked him and his way, didn't make me feel sick. Knowing I could handle this simple task, I sat up slightly and sipped the water. Still cold. It was refreshing on my tongue and wonderful against my dry throat. I smiled at the sensation.

"Mum," I whispered. "Mum," she awoke. I felt bad for waking her up. I could see the circles under her eyes, knowing she must had been awake hours after I went to sleep. She walked over to my bed and brushed my hair out of my eyes. She smiled, but the smile didn't quite get past her mouth. "Good morning, beautiful boy. How'd you sleep?"

"Good, but did I have a choice?" I smiled. She giggled at my joke but I could see how much it hurt her. She was tired, too. Not tired like me, but physically.

"Mum, go home. Get some sleep."

"No, Louis. I'm going to stay right here," I knew she was. I wasn't one to argue with her knowing she would always win. I did wish she had gotten more sleep. At home there is a bed and I'm not there to worry about. I turned away from her noticing I was still in one of the ER rooms and not my own. Looking down under the curtains, I saw the boots from before I fell asleep. My eyebrow raised and I sat up more.

"Mum, could you do me a favor? See those boots? Who do they belong to?"

She went around the curtain to check out the room next to mine. A moment passed by and I wondered what was taking her so long. Opening to curtain, she looked at me and smiled. There stood a tall boy, dark hair. Dark clothes that fit him just right and left room for wonder. I could see tattoos on his chest from where his shirt came down, no doubt he had more under his attire. He was fit, I must admit. His arm in a sling and his face a bit scratched up, no wonder he was in the hospital. He looked down and gave a cheeky smile, looking up and slightly waving his hand.

"Hey," he let out slowly. His eyes wandered. I knew well that my mom imposed herself and made him uncomfortable. She stood there looking at us exchanging glances and her hands beginning to clap almost. "I'm Harry."

"H-hi. I'm Louis," my mom smiled even wider. "So, what are you in for?"

"I was stupid. I climbed a tree and fell out, broke my arm," he partially lifted his sling to show. He quickly put it back down, obviously causing an uncomforting feeling. "You?"

Cancer. Brings me in every few days. It didn't sound right as I thought about it. My condition wasn't how to start a conversation. I thought about what to say. "Nose bleed." His eyebrow raised at my words and I knew what he was thinking. "There, um, there was a lot of blood." His eyebrow lowered and he took what I had said with no other questions. I could see my mum watching us like a hawk, hanging on our every word to each other. She wasn't used to me talking to other people who weren't adults. She tried everything she could to help me make friends, but being in the hospital all the time, any friends I made ended up dying or getting better and losing touch with me once they got back to their normal lives. Eventually, I had no one left. My best friend died three months ago, and I was too sick to attend his funeral. But, I had my mum. She was good company.

"Did you stay over night?" I asked.

"Yeah.. Doctors just wanted to be sure I didn't get a head injury," I wouldn't be surprised with how slow he talked, but I didn't mind listening to his long draw. It was quite intriguing. "I'm actually being checked out, I'm just waiting on my mum to finish the paper work," I know how that goes. If I could count how many times my mum had to do that. By now she had her signature on a stamp to make things a little easier. "Are you going home soon?"

"I'm actually not sure. I don't think so," I knew I wasn't. Doc would keep me here since I was scheduled to be tomorrow anyway. He would move me to a private room that I would stay in for months and decorate and die in, probably. I had done this before. Another round of chemo, they said, and Tuesday was the start of it.

"Oh. Sorry," he smirked at me. "My, my mum should be done soon. I think I'm gonna go find her," he looked around for her, but I knew she wasn't done. My mum's staring wasn't subtle and was obviously making his skin crawl.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just gonna stay here," I look around. Expecting him to go find his mum as he said, he starts to walk, but winds up in the chair next to my bed. I turn over to my mom, noticing her smile. She gets the hint as my eyes widen to her.

"Lou, I'm going to go to the cafeteria. If you need anything I have my phone on me and yours is on the nightstand," she practically runs away keeping her eyes on us.

"So, kid," I hear Harry say, "What are you really in for?" He makes it sound like I'm in prison, but I wouldn't lie if he said I was. Being in the hospital wasn't exactly something I enjoyed, especially when I was here for long periods of time which I often was.

"Nose bleed," I wasn't lying, but it wasn't the whole truth.

"I get it, don't tell me. But I have another question. Your mother, what's up with her?" My cheeks turned red. I knew she embarrassed him. Hell, she embarrassed me. But she was the only friend I have, and she tries so hard to be the best mum she can be.

"She, well. I don't have many friends. She just wants to make me some."

"Oh, so we're friends now?" My eyes widened. He seemed offended at her attempt.

"No, no. I'm sorry, she's-"

"Kid, I'm joking. Don't get your panties in a bunch. It's cool. My mom's kind of the same way." I sighed in relief. At least someone else might get it. I smiled at the thought that maybe I wasn't alone, not in this world, because I knew I was, but in something. "Like I said earlier, I'm Harry. And if you want to be friends that's cool." I sat for a second as I thought about his offer. He interested me and his persona was astounding. He really pulled you in. I wish I knew how much he was going to pull me in at the time when I answered, I may have changed my mind.

"Yeah, sure. A friend might be nice," I smiled at him and he did back. I lied, I would never change my mind with a smile like that. We sat for a few more minutes just chatting, nothing much. We exchanged numbers to text, since neither of had a clue when I might get out of this hellhole, at least that's what he assumed. He seemed pretty cool, and for once I may not have mind my mum imposing herself on a situation. Within the few minutes we spent together I knew I wanted to get to know him better.

"Hey, Lou!" Doc walked in. Harry got up from his seat. Shaking my hand, he said goodbye and went to go find his mother as he was supposed to earlier. Watching him walk away, I oddly felt sad that he was leaving. Just his presence alone made me feel better, almost forgetting that I was sick or why I was here.

"A friend?" Doc raised his eyebrow. Doc knew I didn't have any friends. He stood by as all of mine left or died.

"I'm not sure, yet."