Violets

Friday Night

Logan spaced out, trying to stare at the sunset through the window. The doctors had said his concussion could cause dizziness. He was feeling pretty dizzy now. The hospital room swayed from left to right, like a boat on the water. He couldn't focus on anything. The setting sun seemed to move the least, so he kept his eyes on it.

He was somewhat aware of the throbbing pain in his left arm. The doctors had said it was a compound fracture. He wasn't completely sure what that meant, but after the accident happened, his arm was soaked with blood. He remembered thinking "that can't be good" before he completely passed out.

Logan kept forgetting his mom was sitting beside him. She occasionally spoke his name to make sure he was still awake. She had been with him all day. Come to think of it, it was probably past dinner time. Did she eat? 

Logan summoned his focus and looked at her. "Mom."

She looked up, surprised. "Logan? Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah. Go home, Mom. Eat."

She looked at him, concern tightening her mouth. Logan's focus failed him, and he felt the room sway again. He looked back at the window.

"I'll be back tomorrow. I love you, Logan."

"Love you," Logan mumbled. He let his eyes close, and he sunk into sleep.

_

What seemed like a second later, he awoke with a start. He could sense someone next to him. "Mom?"

"I'm not your mom, stupid," a girl's voice said. Logan whipped around to see his visitor, igniting a sudden headache.

"Agh!" he said, clutching his head. The girl stepped closer to him.

"I'm sorry," she said, dipping into his line of sight. "Does it hurt much?"

Logan looked up at her. She was staring back at him, her face full of pity. Logan felt a swell of anger fill him. He was not a thing to be pitied.

"No, it doesn't," he said. "Who are you again?"

She gave him a look of disgust, but the corners of her pink lips were turned up. "You don't remember me, Logan?"

Logan stared into her smiling, gray-blue eyes. Her long blonde hair draped over the bed in shining locks. Her frame was small, but her oversized sweater made her look smaller.

"Nope, never seen you before in my life."

She playfully nudged his arm. His left arm.

"OUCH!" Logan barked. His features contorted with pain.

"Ahh! Sorry," she said. "You really don't remember me? We had the same English class last year."

"Oh," Logan said. "You came here just to see me?"

Her smile faltered. "My friend got in a car accident today. Broke her collarbone."

"Oof," Logan said solemnly. The girl smirked.

"I noticed your name on the registry and found your room. What did you do this time?" she asked.

Logan reached back into his brain. Surprisingly, the memory was there now.

"I was mountain biking with my brother. I was trying to ride with no hands, but I hit a rock, flew over the handle bars, and tumbled down the mountain. Then I fainted."

The girl raised her eyebrows. "Oof."

"Yeah, oof," Logan replied. "I was stupid. I should've been more focused on the trail."

"Were you wearing a helmet?" she asked.

"No," Logan said. "I'm usually skilled enough not to crash."

"And yet you did," she retorted.

"Hey, it wouldn't have changed the fact that my arm is broken."

"Yeah, but you could've saved your head from the fall. That's a nasty bruise."

Logan lifted his hand to his head. He felt a huge, swollen lump forming on his temple. The girl scoffed.

"You need to be more careful, Logan," she said, her tone suddenly serious. "You could be lying at the morgue right now, but somehow you survived. Don't take that for granted, you hear?"

"Yes, Mom," Logan said. The girl frowned.

"I already said I'm not your mom, stupid," she barked. Logan chuckled.

"Hey," he started, "What's your name, again?"

"Violet." The girl stepped away from Logan's bed. "Well, I need to get going. See ya."

"Wait, Violet," Logan said. She turned to look at him. "Could you come back tomorrow?"

She smiled. "We'll see."