Stoic

Apologies

I don't like being here. All these tubes, and medicine they have me take make me feel like an animal. I can't walk on my own yet so I have an assistant and a walker. I'm progressing everyday they told me, they said I won't need the walker and soon enough I won't need the oxygen tank either. It's quite depressing to see my brothers, Paisley, Tracy and Tony constantly worry about me. I tell them I'm fine but I don't feel fine.

"Good morning Linh, are you ready for today's physical therapy session?" The sweet old lady walked in, she reminded me of Barb. I nodded my head and slowly pushed myself up in bed. The nurse walked over and placed the walker on my bed side, "nice and easy." I placed my feet on the floor and proceeded to slide of the bed. She followed closely behind me, a hand on the small of my back for support. "Let's do a lap or two up and down the hallway." I slowly walked up the hallway, the nurse was humming along while carrying my tank. It took me almost 45 minutes to do the two laps. "Alright sweetie, let's get you back to take your medicine."

I was back laying in my bed doing all the assignments from school. I've been here for a week and a half, hopefully they'll let me go soon. The best thing that happened in the last couple of days is my brothers got a hold of Barb and she came to visit me, it was sad at first because she started crying when she saw me but then we talked and caught up, it made me happy.

"Miss Tylers, there's a young man by the name of Luke Myers here to see you." The receptionist sweetly said when she tip-toed into my room, "should I let him in?" I took a deep breath, I can't hide from him forever I guess, "yeah that's fine." She smiled and brought him in. He had a bouquet of roses, "hi Linh, how are you doing?" "I'm fine, you?" My voice was dull. He smiled weakly and set the roses on the table near the window, "Linh, I'm really sorry. I'm really really truly sorry for that one night at the party! I wasn't thinking straight and I was drunk, I had no intensions on hurting you I swear! I've been so messed up knowing that I hurt you and then when Jase told me how you got in here, I thought my whole world came spiraling down." I put my right hand up, "Luke, I forgive you. Do I still have the same trust in you? Maybe not but I still forgive you." His eyes lit up, "that's better than nothing, and at least you forgive me. I promise you I'll do whatever it takes to regain your trust." I smiled, he cares, he still cares and that meant a lot to me. He sat with me in my room for hours. We talked about a lot, but I was really embarrassed when the doctors and nurses would come in to change my bed pan and give me my medicine.

The receptionist walked back into my room, "Miss Tylers, a couple of young me are here too see you, Matt and Tony Carter and also Hunter Derrington." She gave me a slight smirk, oh god she probably thinks I'm a slut or something with all these guys coming in. And what the heck? Tony and Matt are brothers? I was caught up on Tony and Matt and didn't even realized I said to let them in. All three boys came into the room. Tony quickly ran to my side, "oh babe you look dreadful! I bet you would've been feeling twenty times better if I came by sooner!" I giggled at the ever so dramatic Tony. "Geez T you can't just tell her she looks 'dreadful' that's rude!" Matt said giving Tony a side bump, "hey Linh, how you feeling?" "I'm doing better, thanks for visiting." Matt smiled then turned and acknowledged Luke, and Tony rolled his eyes at Luke. Feisty that Tony boy is. Finally Hunter walked up to my bed cautiously, "hi Linh." He was being awfully quiet. Luke have him a dirty look, "why are you even here?" "I could ask you the same," Hunter spat. "Guys lets not do this, especially here," Matt took a step between the two. Tony chimed in, "straight boys are so uptight sometimes! They probably need to get a shag off or something!" Tony wiggled his eyebrows at me trying to lighten the mood, which he did because he got a giggle out of me. The boys sat around my bed awkwardly, "Tony, Matt, I didn't know you guys were brothers." The two looked at me, "well babe you aren't the only twins in town!" Tony said with a little wink, Matt shook his head, "oh god, T stop." I looked at Tony, "then why did you start school later?" Tony stood and flipped his curls, "cause I was out of the country doing some extra studies!" That explains the slangs he uses, like shag? Oh Tony! Matt laughed at his brother and I giggled. Hunter seemed on edge about something and it was making me really curious. 10 minutes later my brothers walked in. Ok seriously the receptionist definitely thinks I'm a slut now. Tony jumped up and clung to Derek, "oh my god babe! I missed you!" Derek chuckled and hugged Tony. Jase busted up laughing, "that's too much! Derek you should really be careful, Tony'll actually start thinking you guys are together." Tony fake pouted, "what you don't wanna be my brother-in-law!" Matt shook his head, "T you need to chill and what's up Jase! Derek!" The guys all exchanged hand shakes. They hesitantly did the same with Luke. "Ok this room is too small to fit all of us." I said looking about the boys. Everyone was chatting amongst themselves when the receptionist walked in and told us that visiting hours were over. One by one they all left but Luke straggled behind. "Ok we'll I'll see you later, I might come by tomorrow if you want." He said as he came by my bed side and touched my hand. I smiled, "I'd like that." He returned the smile and began to walk out but I pulled back on his hand, "wait I need to tell you something," I motioned my hand to tell him to come closer. He leaned in and I pecked him on the lips, "see you tomorrow." He blushed deeply and giddily walked out of my room.

_____

I was finally released from the hospital! I was ecstatic to finally be leaving and walking on my own. I pulled the two tubes out of my nose, holy fuck that was a lot of tubing in me. Nasty. I took my first breath in and let it out heavily. The only thing I had left from the hospital was the cast on my left arm. Because I had broken my arm in six different places, I had to keep the cast on for awhile.

I waited patiently for Derek to come pick me up in the lobby of the hospital. I finally saw his car pull up so I waved to the receptionist and I skipped out.

"You look very bright today," Derek joked. "I'm glad that I can actually walk on my own and see outside instead of being stuck in a room days on end!"

When we finally pulled into the driveway I saw everyone in the house, "why is everyone here," I jokingly groaned. Derek stuck his tongue out at me, "maybe cause they care about you, you little shit!" I whacked my brother with my good hand, "rude!"

"Yay! You're finally home!" Paisley squealed and pulled me into a tight hug. When she finally let go, Tracy came in for a hug too, "I'm glad you're doing a lot better." Tony came in between us and hugged me, "oh babe you don't even know how happy I am to know you're home! Now we can hang out, cause geez these peasants are awful at choosing movies!" Luke came up and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek, "hey beautiful!" Matt gave me a side hug, "I want to sign your cast!"

Everyone was laughing and we decided to watch a couple movies (no shock there). I sat in between Tony and Luke, and I snuggled closely to Luke. Matt and Jase were being obnoxious and throwing popcorn at Paisley and Tracy. With the way Tracy was flirting, I put two and two together, Matt was the boy she liked. When I figured it out I smirked at Tracy then looked at Matt, she blushed giggling. It was nice to finally have everyone around me again. After the end credits I wanted to get my blanket, so while the boys were fighting over what movie to watch next I jogged upstairs into my room. "Hey Linh." "Fuck!" I clutched my chest, I looked up to see Hunter standing in my room, "what the fuck? I thought you left when the movie started?" I calmed down my breathing. "Um no I came up here so I wouldn't see you and Luke being all cozy." His voice trailed. He watched me intently as I grabbed my blanket, "ok well if you're done being weird, you can either come downstairs or go into Jase's room." I turned to walk out but Hunter grabbed my arm and pinned me between the door and his body, "Linh, you have no idea how much I regret telling you those things after we kissed. Not a day goes by that I don't remind myself how bad I fucked up, our friendship and anything more that could've happened. It took you going away and seeing you and Luke so happy to finally realize that I lost you for good, " he closed his eyes and put his forehead to mine, "I know I probably have no chance of ever being with you again but I just want to know that you forgive me and we can still be friends." I was still in shock with what he was saying. All I did was give him a nod and he smiled, "thank you." He released me and we stood there looking at each other. "We should go back downstairs before they come up looking for us," I whispered looking up at him.

We both walked down with blankets and pillows in our arms, "sleep over anyone?"