As I Fall Asleep- Joshua Bassett

Chapter 6

Two Weeks Later...

Josh and I were transported to a hospital in LA when we were well enough to move. LA is where Josh lives, and it's not too far from my hometown, so it made sense. My family, minus my mom, had left Hawaii a few days after my attack to go back home, as previously planned. My mom was with me in Hawaii the entire time, staying at a hotel down the street when she wasn't with me in the hospital. 

She had to go back home when I was placed in the LA Hospital, but that was fine. I was a big girl and could handle myself. Besides, I was almost an adult.

When we got to the new hospital, I was surprised to see that Josh and I were sharing a room again. The room was much bigger with a curtain between the beds, giving off the illusion of two separate rooms, although there was still only one TV.

As the days pass, I feel myself getting better and stronger. With help, I'm able to get in a wheelchair and explore the hospital. Since I've been bed-bound for so long, I take advantage of this freedom every day for as long as I can. 

I wake up one morning to hushed voices coming from the other side of the curtain. I know I shouldn't eavesdrop, but I can't help it. I'm confused when I hear a female's voice, clearly not Josh's mom or sisters. The voice is oddly familiar, but I can't place it.

"Well, I mean is she like obsess with you? She risked her life you and didn't you see her earlier at some hotel?"

"Yeah, I saw her earlier, but I think it was just lucky timing she was there at the beach."

"Ok, but-"

Josh cuts the mystery girl off with, "Sabrina, she saved my life. She's not some crazy stalker."

Is that what people thought of me? That I was some rando who was obsessed with him and stalked him? I mean, I was a fan, yeah. But I wasn't constantly looking at pictures of him on the internet or trying to figure out where he lives.

"Fine," the girl huffs out in a breath.

I take this opportunity to fake a small cough, letting them know I'm awake on the other side of the curtain.

They stop talking for a minute until I hear Josh go, "Katie, I want you to meet someone."

The curtain opens, courtesy of the girl pulling them. Now I know why I had recognized her voice. I had grown up watching her on Disney Channel.

Sabrina Carpenter smiles at me. "Hi, I'm Sabrina. You must be Katie."

I nod and shake the hand she offers me. "Hi. Wow, this is so surreal meeting you. I love 'Girl Meets World'." 

She doesn't say anything back and I mentally scold myself. This girl thinks you're a stalker! Probably not the best to say you watched her on TV all the time. 

Sabrina walks back to Josh and announces, "I have to go, but it was nice meeting you, Katie."

"You too."

She leaves right as a nurse enters the room letting me know she's taking me down to get more lab work down. I groan.

"Have fun!" Joshua yells as the nurse wheels me out.

***

I return hours later. It turns out they scheduled more than just blood work. When I'm brought back to my room, I see some of my friends, Brooke, Jenna, and Kate, waiting by my bed. Josh is nowhere to be seen.

We embrace and Brooke gets down to business.

"How is it having Joshua Bassett as a roommate?"

"Fine. He's nice and has alright taste in shows," despite some of his previous suggestions, I add in my head.

All three of them roll their eyes. 

"Come on," Jenna starts, "You guys are together basically 24/7. Anything happening there?" she asks, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively.

I make a face. "Definitely not. I mean we're friends. Besides, I'm pretty sure his girlfriend visited this morning." He had never confirmed that they were together, but I've heard the rumors. Her visit this morning just confirmed my suspicions. 

"Too bad," Brooke says, shaking her head in disappointment and I laugh.

"Where are Jane and Claire?" The girls usually all stuck together so I was surprised to see them apart.

"Sick," Kate answers.

We talk for another 20 minutes when Josh is wheeled in. He looks tired.

When my friends see him, they gasp and start giggling. "Josh, meet Jenna, Kate, and Brooke." I point to them respectively.

"Nice to meet you" Josh tells them.

"You too," they chorus back. 

Kate adds, "Wow you are even cuter in person," and I look at her incredulously. Josh just chuckles while both Jenna and Brooke hit Kate in the arm. I'm not surprised, Kate was never afraid to say what she was thinking, and this was no exception.

Besides, she's not wrong. Hey, I'm not blind. It's certainly not a burden to look at Josh every day.

They stay for a few more minutes but I keep looking past them to Josh in his bed. I thought he looked tired before, and he still does, but there is some other emotion in there that I can't quite place.

I fake a yawn and Jenna notices. "You're tired, we should let you rest. We can come back later."

I smile sheepishly, "You sure? Because I don't need to sleep right now." I fake another yawn, contradicting what I just told them.

They all say, "Yes of course. We'll return later" and they shuffle out.

Once they leave Josh turns to me, "Are you actually tired or did you lie... again?"

I give him an evil smile and he sighs, "I figured."

"So..." I begin.

"So...?" he questions back.

"So, what's wrong?"

"What? Nothing's wrong." he says a little too defensively.

"Oh, come on. I think we've been friends long enough that you can tell me when somethings bothering you."

He doesn't look convinced.

"Please."

He sighs in resignation. "Fine. I have a surgery scheduled for tomorrow because I've been steadily losing feeling in my leg that past few days."

"What?!" I exclaim, "why didn't you tell me?"

He closes his eyes and I finally figure out that emotion that he's been trying to hide but can't. Fear. He's scared.

"Never mind," I tell him, "All that matters now is that you get better, and the surgery tomorrow will hopefully help." I try to give him an encouraging smile, but he doesn't seem affected. 

"I'm scared that the surgery won't work. Or that something will go wrong, and I'll lose feeling forever, and I won't be able to live my life. He wipes away the few tears that have made their way to his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry. Josh, the doctors here are some of the best ones in the country. They know what they're doing. You're going to be fine." He nods.

After that, we pretty much drop the subject.

***********************************

Thank you guys for continuing to read! Sorry if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes, it's unedited :/

Don't forget to vote, share, and comment!

-kb