Stolen Kisses and Near Death Misses

part one

uuuhhh... just a lil warning before you read: there's quite a bit of 'effin and jeffin', as my mum puts it (translation: swearing) in this story. sorry if it makes you uncomfortable, it's just the type of person (read: asshole) that Mal is. 

other than that, enjoy!

Mallory was of the view that when one wakes up in hospital, there can be one of two reactions:

One: 'oh shit, I'm in hospital.'

Or two: 'shit, I'm in hospital what the--'

You get the gist.

She came to the conclusion that she fell into the latter category as she stared at the white ceiling with disdain, reflecting on the past day and a half. The look of panic on her mother's face; the solemn voice of the doctor saying things about broken bones and X-rays and casts for the next five weeks, among other phrases that made her heart sink even further, and her expectations for the coming summer go from vibrant to, well, pretty dull.

And that boy.

That fucking boy-

"Honey," her mum pulled back the curtain from around her bed, interrupting her thoughts (which was probably for the best). Her voice was gentle, as if speaking to an aggressive animal or something. "Brennan's here again."

She raised her eyebrows questioningly. "Who the heck is Brennan?"

"The same boy who was here yesterday, sweetie," she replied softly.

Mallory felt her eyes widen. "The guy who ran me over?" She would've loved to see the look on her own face if she wasn't so bloody mad. "You two are on a first-name-basis now? "

"Mallory, honey," her mum sighed, "it was a mistake--"

"A mistake?" she seethed. "Successfully ruining my summer. Breaking my leg, causing me to be in a cast for the next five weeks? Mum, I don't care if it was a mistake, this Brennan who you're so chummy with now could've killed me."

"The boy was driving at twenty miles an hour, Mallory, don't be so dramatic."

Mallory frowned, crossing her arms over her chest like a stubborn child. "I was run over on the first day of the summer holidays, Mum. I deserve to be dramatic."

Her mum sighed, giving her a disapproving look  "Fine. So, you don't want to see him?"

"No way in hell."

The older woman gave Mallory the typical 'I'm Not Angry, Just Disappointed' look and left the room, letting her daughter get back to her teenage angst. Mallory let out a sigh and slumped back onto her bed. Why was her mum so astonished that she didn't want to see the guy who ran her over? Was she supposed to be over the moon that the destroyer of her holidays was back to rub it in her face? "Oh hi again, we haven't officially met, but I was knocked down by our first encounter, I'd love to finally get to know the guy who gave me an excuse to stay in bed for the whole summer."

The curtain ruffled. Mallory threw an arm over her eyes. "Mum, I told you, I don't want to see him."

A scoff came from her bedside - Roslyn. "Chill, it's just me."

Mallory shifted her arm to look at her best friend, softening when she saw the flowers in her hands. "Aw, thanks, Ros."

"Don't thank me," her best friend replied. "I'd like to lie and say I'm that thoughtful and got you these, but your mum told me to bring them in. Told me they were from some guy called Brennan. Don't tell me you've got some secret boyfriend you're hiding from me, now?" she raised an eyebrow teasingly.