What It Seems | Wattys 2023

Chapter 10

Once Baylor and I arrived at the local hospital in Shady Grove, luckily, there was a room vacant for Baylor in this small yet busy hospital. The medical assistant done the usual. She checked Baylor's height and weight, blood pressure, body temperature and such. Once the medical assistant was done checking up on Baylor's health, she sent Baylor to a room and ordered Baylor to rest on the hospital bed. An hour or so later, the doctor concluded that Baylor had three broken ribs and two fractured ones. He was fine, but now he's in surgery.

I was waiting in the waiting room with a dead phone, listening to newly born babies screaming at the top of their lungs and watching nurses and doctors run back and forth, up, and down hallways.

"There you are." Aiden turned from a corner and rushed over to me. I stood quickly, wrapping my arms tightly around my brother's torso.

"Let me see your hands," I demanded. I grabbed one of my brother's large hands. I scoped over his bloody and scratched up knuckles. They were bruised as well.

"Did you kill him or something?" I turned his hand over and glanced at the bruises, scratches, the redness, and the dried-up blood from his hands.

"No." I lowered my head and stared at the glossy, tiled floor. I felt my brother's hand rub my upper back.

We sat in the waiting room for what seemed like hour after hour. Aiden told me about the tournament in New York; how they came in fourth place. He told me how the city is so beautiful at night - all the bright lights and nonstop traffic. The busy roads and highways. The atmosphere of the cliché, large, populated city. Aiden said he wanted to take me there one day. He said I'd love it, possibly more than he enjoyed it.

"I made a new friend at school yesterday," I began the conversation while we waited patiently for the doctors to finish Baylor's surgery.

"Really? What's her name?" As always, he hopes it's a girl. He'd kill me if I said it was a boy that I made friends with.

"Jo Collins. I'm going to invite her over so don't be rude or cocky when I do."

He laughed. "Does she even know who I am?" he asked.

"She's new, she doesn't know anyone. She came from Georgia - well, she's originally from California," I informed my already cocky brother. He believes that everyone knows him, rather they live here in Shady Grove or in China.

Baylor's hospital room door opened and exited three doctors. The surgeon informed us that his surgery went well and he's still resting, and he won't be waking up anytime soon. He said the closest time he would be waking up would be about nine in the morning and the latest would be noon since he's on anesthesia they gave him.

"Okay kiddo, you have school tomorrow. It's way past your bedtime, missy," Aiden teased.

"It's only," I turned my head to find a clock hanging up on a wall anywhere. I spotted one and read the time. "2AM," I giggled.

"Yeah, 2AM. It's past your bedtime. You can see Baylor tomorrow."

***

The next day at school, I met up with Jo. I told her what had happened yesterday. Not the part about last night and how Baylor and I slept in the same bed, however.

"So, Baylor's in out-of-school-suspension then?"

Jo and I were at lunch, discussing Baylor again. Luckily, nothing has been off, nor have I gotten any trouble from anyone around. Derek and his crew were in out-of-school-suspension as well, and I haven't seen Nicole and her snobby posy around all day.

Lying, I nodded. Baylor's spending his suspension in the hospital.

"You should've been here yesterday. Wait, where were you anyway?" Jo asked.