Since Then

~3~ "Pfft! What man?!"

"Miley Cyrus is now the...butt shaking queen?!" I cried with astonishment.

"That butt shaking thing is called twerking, my dear." Mom said with a amiable expression.

And that's my mom.

"-don't be doing it at school either!" Mom gave me a comical expression.

"Fine." I jokingly pouted, "Guess I won't get any guys then." Mom only rolls her eyes.

Mom glances at the clock and mutters some profanities, "As much as I would love to stay here, I gotta work!" She peers at me, waiting for my approval.

"Go." I dug my index finger into her shoulder to get her going. She can be a slow poke at times.

" Alright then, love 'ya and I'll be back before 'ya know it."

"Bye-bye!"
And she vanishes before I know it. Dang, what was her job again? How long is it until her shift ends? I don't know. I guess I don't care if I don't remember them. Thanks a lot coma!
Oh well.
Wait a minute...who's gonna take me home. I might be able to just walk around the hospital until my mom's back.
Someone raps at my door. "Come in!" I hollered, laying my head into the pillow, and assuming that mom left something her and just came back to retrieve it.
"Hey, Amber..." An familiar voice greets me.
The mystery boy.
I snap my head towards him, "Hello...erm.."
"Jason." He added.
"Jason, okay." I paused, deciding to be blunt, "This may be awkward because I just woke up from my coma but, am I supposed to know you? Like, before my coma?"
Silence.
"Um, we weren't really friends back then." Jason answered, scratching the back of his neck. I simply raised an eyebrow at him. If we weren't friends, why would he be visiting me if he didn't know me.

My eyes widen as it dawned to me, "Were we more then-"
Jason interrupts, blushing fiercely."N-nono! It wasn't like that!"
"Then, why are you here if we're not friends. Hell, or haven't met before my coma!"
He gazes at me longingly. I gaze back into his green eyes, at least they look more green from a distance than blue. A wave of familiarity washes through me. Why were those eyes familiar? Why can't I put my finger on it?

I snap out of my trance as Jason breathes in.

"I saved you."
Did I hear that right?
I gasp, "You what? How?!"
Jason walks towards me to sit down on the bed and reaches over to lay his hand over mine, "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't be here."
I chuckle, smirking, "I know that you idiot." Jason only grins but continues with an serious expression.
"I was the only one who witnessed the crash so, obviously, I called 911. While the ambulance was on their way, the survivors saved almost everyone. Except you, people didn't notice you because you were at the very back. The bus engine was on fire and I wasn't sure if it was gonna explode or not but it didn't matter, I went in through the broken glass to save you. Man, The firefighters had to chop off the bus big enough that I can drag you out. You were still conscious and you weakly muttered, "help" before you closed your eyes. That's when I realized you were in my grade and I wanted to visit as much as I can until I knew you were okay. Gosh, that was so damn scary. So much of my weight was lifted off when you woke up." Jason squeezes his eyes shut for a moment before opening it as if to get rid of the memory.

My vision was already blurry when he finished, "I-I am-m s-so-o sor-sorry!" I stammered as tears came flooding down my cheeks.
Jason picks up my hand and squeezes it with both hands, "Don't apologize! God, it wasn't your fault!" Jason lets go of my hands only to scoot over to me so he would be laying next to me, embracing me as my I sobbed into his shirt.
While crying, not to be weird or anything but I could help it but notice the fact that he smells like vanilla. Mm.

Wait, ew! Amber! Don't you dare to sniff people, especially a dude!

I sobbed for God knows how long yet Jason still manages to not get sick of it and keeps embracing me, rubbing my back in circular motion. Just the way Dad used to do when I was crying.
Why am I thinking of my dad at a time like this, not when he left me and mom since I was eight.
When my sobs came to a stop, I pulled back. As I was about to wipe my tears off, Jason cups my cheeks into his hands, using his thumb to wipe the tears off. My heart literally did extreme flips.
Why was he doing this, he knows I'm alive. Isn't that enough for him to know that I'm okay?
Why is he doing this to me? Just why?
Without thinking, I mutter, "Why are you being so damn nice while we're just acquaintances?"
Jason stares down at me, with a droll look on his face, "Because I'm so damn nice. Do you have a problem with that?"
I can't help but smile and let sarcasm seep in as I say, "Yes, I have a damn problem with you being so damn nice so why don't you be more damn nice than you are now, huh?"
Jason and I laugh so hard until Mom barges in.

"Shall we go ho-" Mom stops in her tracks and crosses her arms, putting on her signature smirk of hers, "Oh, Jason, what are you rugrats doing here."
Oh no. That defiantly did not sound like a question. I push Jason off the bed to quickly change the subject, "You know him?"

"Duh, of course sweetie! Why wouldn't I not know the man who saved my daughter?" Mom made a face that reads "I'm your mama and I know everything".

"Pffft! What man?!" I retort jokingly.
"Excuse me, I'm the man!" Jason said in mock hurt, then he flexes hair arms as if he is "The Rock". I broke into guffaws and soon, Mom and Jason joined in laughing along.