Wheelchair Accessible

Part Fifteen

                Thomas narrowed his eyes at us, "No hanky-panky, got it? I'll be telling the nurses to keep an eye on you two."

                "Dad," Shawna groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're seriously embarrassing."

He laughed as his wife grabbed onto his arm and pulled him out of the room, closing the door most of the way out. 

                "Geez," she sighed, shaking her head. "They're dorks."

                I laughed, twisting so that I could intertwine our fingers, "Says you."

                She let out a soft laugh and looked over at me, her eyes shining. My heart picked up again. I thought I had been relieved from it since she hugged me, but every time she looked at me it would start up again and there was nothing I could do to control it. Just being with her was driving me crazy.

                "Oh please," she rolled her eyes, playfully. "I'm way cooler than them."

                "Whatever helps you sleep at night, weirdo," I chuckled, running my thumb over her knuckles. I could hear her heart rate speed up just slightly, the beeping on the monitor going faster. It gave me a little swell of happiness to know that I had even the smallest effect on Shawna. But I was very glad I wasn't the one hooked up to the machine, my heart was going way too fast to even pretend to be normal.

That would've been way more embarrassing. 

"You kind of scared the heck out of me, you know." I kept my eyes down, feeling heat rise up the back of my neck. She would never know how crazy it drove me in that waiting room, not knowing how she was doing. Not being able to do anything.

"I'm sorry," she made a face. Then she was quiet for a while, thinking. "We totally should've gotten a picture of that bruise, though. It was sweet."

"I was a little preoccupied."

"But it was cool, right?" she looked at me expectantly. 

"Sure," I rolled my eyes. "It looked cool." She grinned at me and I huffed, resting my elbows on the edge of her bed. "I won't be able to get it out of my head, though."

She reached over and brushed away some of the hair across my forehead. "One time Allison went paintballing with some of our friends from school and she got shot in the leg from close range... her bruise was sick. Like, so good. It was huge and colorful. I've got a picture of that one, I'll have to show you." 

"So you've got a thing for bruises?" I chuckled, sending her a bizarre look.

                She shrugged, "I kind of like those things. Scars, bruises—"

                "You like when people get injured?"

                "No," she chuckled. "I just think they're... sort of mini battle scars. You know? Like, physical proof that you were brave."

"Hm," I hummed thoughtfully. "You know... I've got a couple of scars."                Shawna held back a smile, and wiggled her eyebrows, "You do, do you?"

Shawna held back a smile, "Oh you do, do you?"

"Yeah, I mean, I have been in a couple of fights here or there..."

"Wow. You must be really brave."

"Or very stupid."

"Nah. You're smart. You're friends with me, after all." Her smile softened after a moment. "And I really do think you are one of the bravest people I know."