Won't Stay Down For Long

Chapter 17: Jessica Leaving

The dreadful day has come. The day when the person that has helped me through everything is going home. Thinking about how I can't just go see Jessica when I want, brings tears to my eyes.

After I talked with Brett on the phone, I was not able to fall asleep. I would either burst into tears about Jessica or want to break something about Eric. Sometimes I would stare at the pocket knife that sat on my dresser. Thinking about sliding the slick blade against my skin. Once I had gone as far as pressing it against my skin, but I thought that scarring myself isn't worth it. So I threw the knife into the back of my closet and then curled back into a ball under my sheets.

Right when I woke up I went to go find my mom. I found her sitting at the kitchen table with a bagel in her hand and a coffee cup in the other. Right when I was next to her I told her what Eric had done. She dropped her bagel on the table and leaned down to give me a hug. She rubbed my back and said that everything will be okay. In the middle of the hug I also told her about Jessica. Right when I said it tears started rolling down my cheeks. We hugged each other for a few more seconds and then she told me that everything will turn out alright.

My mom drove me to the hospital and followed me to Jessica's room, but before I entered her room my mom sat down in the waiting room next to Jessica's room. "Are you going to go see her with me?" I asked my mom.

"You go ahead. I can talk to her after." she replied. She then grabbed a magazine from the table next to her. My mom got lost in her business magazine which is probably five years old.

I then turned around and headed into Jessica's room. I found Jessica sitting up in her bed with a huge smile on her face. "I can't believe this is finally happening." I wiped away a tear that was forming in the corner of my eye.

Jessica's smile faded to a frown. "What's the matter?" She patted the bed next to her. She moved over to the other side to make more room.

I rolled myself to the other side of the bed and used my arms to pull myself up. Jessica also grabbed my hand and helped me up. Once I caught my breath, I said to Jessica, “Everything is falling apart. You're leaving today and Eric cheated on me yesterday."

Her eyes got big and her mouth hung open. Her hand went up to her mouth. "I can't believe Eric would ever do something like that to you." She told me.

I nodded my head and said, “I know. I just don't know what I should do about it." Really I don't know what to do. I've never had a boyfriend or especially one that cheated on me.

Jessica whipped her bangs to the side of her face and then turned so we were facing each other. "Eric is my friend, but if it happened to me. I would not talk to him. Let I'm suffer for a while and then he'll have to go out of his way to talk to you. Just don't fall for his charm again. When you think he has suffered enough, then talk to him."

A small smile appeared on my face. "You make it sound like I'm torturing him. Do you think it will work?"

Jessica smiles at me and says, “Yes, it will. If it wasn't Eric, I would have told you to find a super-hot guy and date him. So you can make him jealous."

Right after Jessica said that, Morgan walks into the room. "What are you guys laughing about?"

"Oh nothing." Jessica and I said in unison. Trying to hold back our laughter, but Morgan can still tell.

Morgan walks up to Jessica's bed and leans over the railing slightly. "So where's Eric?" she asked me.

I bite my bottom lip and said in a low voice, "Um... Eric and I are separated for right now." I looked down at my hands. "Let's not talk about it. We should talk about Jessica leaving."

"Nice subject change." Jessica whispered to me.

"Now that Jessica is leaving me, I'll have no one. You guys made me job so much more interesting and hopeful." Morgan leaned over the failing even more. Her arms wrapped around our wastes.

Suddenly Johnny, Jessica's little brother, ran into the room. "Ready to go home, Jessica. Jessica is going home!" Johnny is bouncing next to Jessica using the railing to make him go even higher.

"Johnny don't run!" Jessica's mom yelled down the hallway. Seconds later Jessica's mom and dad walked into the room. Her mom looks at us and says," Jessica we're planning on leaving pretty soon."

"Okay mom." Jessica then pulls her legs out from under the sheets. Then she grabbed her prosthetic leg that was next to the bed. Every time I see that leg, I'm shocked at how realistic it is. It has blue and lime green tie dye on its toe nails.

Once Jessica got her leg strapped on, she swung her legs over the railing and then jumped to the floor. Right when she landed, Johnny grabbed onto her lower legs and hugged them. Jessica rolled her eyes and said, “Johnny get off I have to go help Abby."

Johnny grabbed onto her legs even tighter. He is so cute. I wish I had younger siblings. I don't care if it was a boy or girl. I just want someone to fill the silence at my house.

"It's okay Jessica. I'll go help her." Morgan called.

Morgan walked around the bed to where I'm lying and picks me right up. For some people this would be very awkward, but I'm so use to it I don't even notice.

Once I got seated in my wheelchair and found my way to the other side if the bed, Johnny had let go of Jessica's legs. Jessica wiped her face with her arm. She leaned down to me and gave me a hug. "I'm going to miss you." she whispered in my ear.

Tears were starting to roll down my face. I wiped the tears away before anyone could see. Morgan and I followed Jessica's family to their car. When we walked past the waiting room, my mom joined us. Before we went outside, Morgan made Jessica get into a wheelchair. I guess that’s what you have to do when you leave a hospital. I wouldn't know because I'm always stuck in one.

When we got to her car which was parked in front of the hospital, Jessica hopped out of her wheelchair. She then gave Morgan a hug. Once the hug was over she said bye to everyone else and then took the wheelchair back inside.

My mom then goes up to her and hugs her. My mom whispered something in her ear. I couldn't hear what she said though, but after my mom let go of Jessica had tears rolling down her cheeks.

She wiped them away and then pushed towards me. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders. I wrapped my arms around her waist. I whispered in her ear, “I’m going to miss you so much. I'll come visit you soon. Text me daily."

We let go of each. Jessica still had tears rolling down her cheeks. Suddenly a car zoomed into the parking lot. I wasn't able to tell who's it was until it got closer. It was Eric's. I always knew that he drove too fast. He parked only a few feet away from us. My heart started pumping faster and my hands became sweaty. I don't want to confront him. I need to figure a way out of this.

I quickly said to Jessica, "Um... I have to go."

She gave me a quick hug. "I understand. I'll talk to him." She smiled at me. I turned around and started heading towards the car. Not leaving Eric any room to talk.

Jessica P.O.V

I looked out the car window. Building after building past us. I don't want to go home. It won't be the same. Being at the hospital was probably the best few months of my life.

Back home I was bullied because of my smallness. I had no friends. After school I would run home and go hide in my room.

Maybe now that I only have one leg, they may show more sympathy. I seriously doubt it though. They'll probably just pick on me even more. Right now I just know that I'm going to miss Abby.

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