Reject.

Chapter 36

It's been three days.

Ashton likes being visited by Bekah and the boys, so when I'm with Michael he's never alone.

Michael's sitting up when I bring him a surprise.

"Sophie!" He smiles. His eyes move from my face to what I'm carrying in my hands. "Did you... Sophia... YOU BROUGHT ME PIZZA!" He shouts, his eyes lighting up.

"Calm down, it's just pizza." I laugh, opening the box and putting a slice on a plate for him.

"How am I supposed to calm down? I haven't had pizza since our date! The food here is horrible, trust me." He grabs the pizza out of my hands and takes a bite. "Thanks so much." He says, chewing.

I walk over to Ashton, and give him a hug.

"How are you doing?" I ask him.

"I'm feeling grand. How are you?" He asks.

"Everything's okay, it's just lonely at home." I say.

"Well, it's good that you came to see us. I'm coming home soon, so you won't be as lonely at home." Ash smiles.

"I'm so glad you're okay. I don't know what I would do without you. Honestly, I work at a fast food restaurant. I could never pay the bills or anything with this job."

"I'm sure you'd find a way." My brother says.

♢♪♢

Michael

♢♪♢

Pizza.

I've never had a better pizza than this one in my life.

Of course it's because Sophia brought it to me at the hospital.

She makes me smile.

Smiling because of Sophia or pizza is a lot better than plastering on a fake smile.

I eat most of the pizza that she brought me as she talks to Ashton.

I feel a little lonely, even though she's only five feet away.

I begin to entertain myself with the paper plate.

I find out that it can be folded into a paper airplane. Naturally, I try my best to make a paper airplane, and I throw it over their heads.

Of course, it flies off course and smashes into the side of Ashton's face. "Sorry." I say. Now what? I ask myself. I reach for the remote sitting on the blanket near my leg, and flick on the TV.

There's nothing good on, as always. So I flick to the kids' channels.

I have a choice between some game show and Tom and Jerry. I just push the off button, lay back in my bed, and stare at Sophia.

"Hey, I think your boyfriend misses you." I hear Ashton say.

"I do." I grin.

Sophia comes over to me and I kiss her on her cheek.

"Don't leave." I tease, playing with a strand of her long hair that fell out of her messy bun.

"I won't." She giggles.