God, It Could Power the Sun

She Answered On The Fourth Ring

TRIGGER WARNING: MENTIONS OF HOSPITALS, MENTIONS OF SELF-HARM SCARS.

It had been a month.

Josh was still unconscious, and Tyler's attendance at school was splotchy. Some days he was just too sad to leave the house. He couldn't remember smiling since gaining the knowledge of Josh being comatose. Right now, he just picked at his waffles hopelessly.

Kelly's phone rang, letting out a rather annoying sound that Tyler had come to hate. His mother reached over to the granite countertop, and picked up her phone with a sigh. She answered on the fourth ring.

"Hello?" Tyler heard her say. He continued to eat his late breakfast, slowly and sadly. He couldn't make out anything on the other end of the call, so he really only heard,

"Oh my gosh, you're serious?

"That's amazing!

"Thank you!"

He watched her put the phone back down in it's place, looking at Tyler, whose face was twisted into confusion. He noticed his mom's eyes become glassy, as she said "Tyler..."

Tyler felt like he could fly at the next few words she let out. His face brightened immediately, and tears sprung to his eyes. "C–can we go and see him?!" he exclaimed, jumping up to stand and nearly knocking over the wooden chair he was originally sitting on.

Kelly quickly nodded. She couldn't have been happier to see her son grin like that after so long in nothing but devastation.

He grinned and ran out to the car, forgetting about his breakfast entirely. It was sprinkling, and the sound of raindrops splashing onto the concrete beneath him was a music Tyler could hardly ever ignore. He could ignore it right now, though, as his thoughts tuned out the pattering.

He had forgotten a coat, but it didn't matter to him in the slightest. How could he be cold with such a warm, happy feeling in his chest?

Kelly followed close behind her son, hopping into the front seat of her car and putting her key in the ignition.

Fortunately, their drive to the hospital was quick. They soon found themselves hurrying inside the building, making their way to the front desk, where the lady there checked them in and told them they could see Josh. She stated the room number, though Tyler already knew it. Both Kelly and Tyler walked quickly to the mentioned room, euphoria replacing their usual melancholic state.

Tyler was shaking with excitement; this was the first time he'd been truly happy in a month, and it felt so good to be smiling again.

They got to Josh's room and rushed in.
There he stood, with his faded blue hair, confused, but conscious. Tyler quickly went over to him and wrapped him in a huge hug, leaving Josh to, very weakly, hug him back.

"Josh, y–you're awake!" Tyler knew Josh was aware of this, but couldn't think of much else to say.

"Relax, Ty," Josh said, and chuckled, his voice sounding gentle; sweet.

"God, Josh, I thought you wouldn't make it." Tyler took a deep breath in, pulling away from the hug and looking up at him.

"Well, here I am." Josh chuckled again, though this one was half-hearted.