Insert Witty Title Here :), S. N. Albright [an ebook reader txt] 📗

of outside.

The doctor and woman walked into the room, and the doctor seemed to be doing some tests while Kevin was still unresponsive. The woman plopped down on a chair in the corner of the room, and cupped her face in her hands. As her head lifted, her true expression showed. She was in terrible emotional pain. She had short, wavy black hair and blue eyes that matched those of Kevin’s. Obviously she was Kevin’s mother.
“Miss Garcia-” said the doctor despairingly to the woman.
Her face was red and her eyes watery, but she managed a reply “How is he?”
“Well, your son-” he paused “he’s not very strong. It could go either way from this point, ma’am. I’m sorry, but I honestly have no certainty.”
Miss Garcia bit her lip. She looked longingly at her son, as if she expected Kevin to awaken and spring out of bed and run to her. But that moment never came.
“I’ll leave you alone for a while.”


She lightly shook his shoulder. “Kevin, honey? Can you here me?”

But, then, what I hadn’t expected made me gasp, but then I slapped my hand over my mouth, because for a moment, I had forgotten how I was still incognito, hidden away in this medical cupboard.
Kevin’s eyelashes fluttered, and he seemed surprised. “Huh, what? Where am I? What day is it?”
“Shush. Kevin, baby, you’re fine, its Wednesday.”
“Oh. So I’ve only been out for a day. ‘Not too bad, I guess.” His voice was still very groggy.
“Kevin, please calm down. It’s been 8 days. But, you’re going to be fine.” His mother eased him out of his original tense upright position, and back down, lying flat on the bed.
“Mom, why am I here?”
“Kevin, please!” She started crying again. “If you don’t calm down…” her voice trailed away.
“Fine. Just answer me. Why am I here?”
She pointed to his leg with sorrow, “There was an accident.”
“That wasn’t a dream?”
Kevin’s mother shook her head, cringing at how much she wished he were right.
“Mom, one more question. Where’s Grace? Is she okay?” I saw Kevin’s eyes sparkle a little with tears, but then he blinked it away. He looked expectantly at his mother, but to his surprise, her expression dropped to anger and irritation. “What?” he asked.
“Oh, nothing. I just hoped that instead of interrogating me about some girl I don’t even know, you could say ‘Hi, mom’ or maybe ‘I love you’. See anything wrong with that Kevin?” she started yelling. Confusion and fear mixed together upon his face, probably because he had never expected her response to be so assertive.
“I love you.” He extended his arms, more sarcastically than he’d intended, and she simply rolled her eyes and exited the room.

Chapter 8

Kevin sighed and stared over to the cabinet I had temporarily inhabited. “Okay, show’s over. Whoever you are, get out. You’re very bad at camouflage.”
My eyes went wide and I gasped. I had been spotted. I wondered how long he’d known he was under surveillance. I stumbled out. Our eyes met and I saw his eyes widen in surprise, then scan me from head to toe, as I he refused to believe his own eyes. I could feel my cheeks turn red.
“Grace.” Kevin finally said.
With a small gesture that was anticipated as a wave, I said, “Hiya.”
His gaze dropped to the floor. “You saw all that?”
“I didn’t mean for it to go down that way. I saw you in here, and walked in, and when I heard someone coming, I panicked. I’m really-”
“Forget it.” He swiftly interrupted. “I see you’re okay.” He desperately tried to salvage the conversation.
“I see you’re… better.” I remembered the original condition of his leg, and how thankful I am that I’ll never have to look at it again.
The discussion was officially ruined. I could see in Kevin’s eyes he knew exactly what I was thinking. How he obviously never wanted to think about the accident anymore, but it was too late. I couldn’t hold this back anymore. “Why? Why did you do this, huh? Why were you so stupid? I thought you were dead! You could’ve very well been, for that matter!” My expression distorted from embarrassment to exasperation and anger.
“Grace, I couldn’t just watch you get shot by that thug! Just turn the other cheek and abandon you! I couldn’t! I can’t!” He tried frantically to defend himself. I understand where he was coming from, but this was too much.
“I wouldn’t die for someone else. Okay, that sounded shallow. But-”
“Save it. If it’d please you, we could just say it was a…” he searched for the word. “A reflex.”
“Reflex? That wasn’t involuntary! I’m not the air you breathe!” I didn’t know why I had suddenly become so defensive, but I decided to simply roll with it.
He took a deep breath. “Your really trying to get me to say it, aren’t you? You just need to hear it, right?” I could sense a touch of impatience in his words.
“What are you talking about? Say what?” I truly didn’t understand what Kevin was talking about, but I guess he knew more about me; at least that’s what he thinks.
“That you are.”

Chapter 9

I never really taken much thought to consider how I really felt about Kevin. Up until now, he seemed nothing more than a middle school companion, which continued onto 9th grade. Now I know how much this accident really affected us as people, not just physical condition.
“I should go.” I told Kevin.
“What’s the rush? Got a date?” he joked in reply.
“You know how Nathan Polly doesn’t really have a lot of money right? I mean, he’s really nice, don’t get me wrong.”
Kevin shrugged. “I guess. Why? What’s up with Nathan?”
“After-” I paused. “That thing. David bolted when teachers started coming out.”
“And, Nathan?” he continued.
“He chased David outside and there was a huge fight. That’s why David’s in Juvy now. ‘Cause Nathan’s goal wasn’t to beat David, he knew there wasn’t a big chance, you know, with the gun and everything, but to sidetrack David until police arrived.”
“And this has to do with his financial issues, how?”
“He didn’t think he’d have enough money to come here for help. He got shot in the arm. That’s why I’m here. I took finally convinced him to let me take him here.”
“Wait. So are you telling me he’s just NOW getting here?” Kevin was distraught. I was too when I found out Nathan hadn’t gotten immediate medical attention.
He continued. “I’ve been here for days, and they still say I’m not doing so hot! Nathan could have some disgusting infection or something by now!”
I nodded in agreement. “That’s what I told him. It took me a long time to make him give in. He’s just so stubborn!”
Kevin’s voice dropped to a low whisper. “Did you see it? His arm?”
I remembered how I could barely hold back my lunch at the sight of Nathan’s arm. “It’s terrible.” My whisper matched his.
Our talk was cut short by a loud pang sound coming from down the hall. Suddenly a crowd of nurses followed by one pushing a gurney rushed in the direction of the noise. Then it hit me.