One foot in front of the other. It should be easy.
"You can do it," Mara, the physical therapist says, urging me to continue.
I take another tiny step forward, grasping the steel bars on either side of me tightly.
I shake my head. "No, I can't," I say, out of breath.
Mara comes up behind me with a wheel chair, helping me sit.
"You did good today Emma," she says, smiling and pushes a blue strand of hair behind her ear. Mara is my favourite doctor here. She light hearted, but determined to push me.
I roll my eyes, scoffing. "I can barely walk a few steps."
"And before you know it, you'll be running," she says, stepping behind the wheelchair and begins to push me down the hall. We make twists and turns, passing by doctors and nurses that greet Mara.
"Are you allowed to do that?" I ask as we stop at an elevator and Mara presses the up arrow.
"Allowed to do what?"
"Give false hope," I say. Mara backs me into the elevator before pushing the floor my room is at.
She sighs, the door closing. "A positive attitude can go a long way," she says.
We are silent for the ride and the doors open, Mara pushing me out. We travel down the hall, and a few nurses smile at me. They're nice, most of them at least. Some of them seem to have a stick up their ass but I guess dealing with patients like me, who are sarcastic and disengaged from the world, can't be easy.
We turn down the final hallway to my room. Waiting outside is Jude, Austin, and Andrea.
Andrea smiles, striding towards me. "Emma!"
I've only seen my best friend a few times since the incident, my mind groggy.
She leans down, hugging me.
I smile. "Its great to see you."
"What are we, chopped liver?"
Austin and Jude come up behind Andrea.
"This is the first time I've seen Emma smile all day," Mara says, walking to stand beside Jude, her eyes on me.
"I'm sorry I'm not a rolling ball of sunshine and rainbows, with magical unicorns floating around me and sparkles spouting out my finger tips," I say, huffing.
Jude chuckles, shaking his head. "Come on, let's go to lunch."
"I can't walk," I say, rolling my eyes.
"Last time I checked, you ate with your hands, not your feet," Austin says, speaking up. Andrea nudges him in the ribs.
"Dr. Graham has approved for a day out Emma. It'll be good for you," she says. "Plus, you'll be going home in a few days, so this will be a test run of how your body handles exposure to outside the hospital."
Mara wheels me into my room, Jude, Austin, and Andrea right behind us.
"What if something happens?" I ask, sighing.
"I'll be going with you," Mara says, smiling.
I nod, my eyes catching on my brother. His eyes are on Mara, checking her out as she turns her back to us and fills out a chart.
I groan mentally and kick out my good foot, nailing him in the shin. He sucks in his breath, turning to glare. Andrea and Austin snivel in a laugh.
"Are we all set?" Mars asks, turning.
Jude grins, his attention back on the physical therapist. "Yes, of course!"
"What do you want to eat?" Austin asks, taking the handles of my chair.
"Food is wise," I say, smirking at my own sarcasm. Austin wheels me out of the room, Andrea walking beside me.
Jude and Mara walk behind us, chattering to themselves.
I roll my eyes, focusing on Austin and Andrea, relieved to be leaving the hospital, even if it is only for a few hours.
***
"You have something on your lip," Austin says, placing his finger on his own lip.
I sigh, figuring its a piece of lettuce and try to reach it with my tongue.
"Did I get it?" I ask.
Austin smile, shaking his head. "No, right here," he says, and points to his upper lip on the left side. I try again, but by Austins growing smile, I know I've missed it. "Here, let me get it."
He leans forward, reaching up with his hand to my lip. He swipes, it off, showing me a drop of dressing.
Before I can say thank you, he leans in more, kissing me.
I grin against his mouth, kissing him back.
"Hey, break it up," Jude's voice says.
Austin jumps back, smirking. Jude narrows his eyes.
"No kissing," he snaps, crossing his arms. I forgot how much he doesn't like Austin.
I wonder why?
I roll my eyes, dismissing my older brother. "Okay, whatever Jude."
Andrea laughs. "Come on guys, don't bicker," she says. A waitress comes around the table, asking if we're finished and if we want dessert.
I order a small piece of butterscotch pie, even though I'm full but keeping in mind the hospital food is horrid.
Mara, who sits beside Jude, speaks up. "Emma, are you interested in any sports?"
I scrunch up my nose. "No, I'm too clumsy to play sports. Why?"
Mara smiles. "Recovering from this sort of injury, people usually have a goal in mind when they are healed and have full use of their legs again. Do you run or walk?"
I nod. "Yeah, usually to get out of the house, or away from my brooding brothers when they are driving me crazy," I say, smirking at Jude.
Mara laughs. "Okay then, how about doing a marathon? Or walkathon?"
I shrug. "I would like to just be able to walk first," I say, looking at Austin.
Mara nods. "That's understandable."
The waitress comes back, our desserts in hand, the topic changing.
Austin wraps his arm around me and I snuggle into his shoulder, soaking in his warmth.
***
"Sweetheart, is that all your going to eat?" Mom asks, gesturing to the tray of food.
The pale pasta with tomato sauce is probably cold by now, the meatballs tasting like week old mystery meat that they serve after the weekends.
I set my fork down, the medal clanging on the plate.
"I'm not really hungry mom," I say, leaning back into the pillows.
My parents came to visit today after they forced every one of my brothers to school and work. Daniel, who is still in University in Toronto called last night. Mom said not to fly home, that she will call if anything changed while I was in the coma. He's in the middle of writing exams, so its probably best if he stayed there anyway.
Dad sits on the other side of the bed, a tablet in his hand. He squints his eyes to see the screen, grunting.
"What is it, James?" Mom asks, her focus switching to Dad.
"Liam Vaughn will not be charged in the incident involving local sixteen year old," my dad reads from an online news article. "Instead of being charged, he is instructed to do sixty hours of community service, ordered by a court judge."
Mom gasps, standing up and moving behind my dad, reading the tablet over his shoulder.
"This is impossible," my mom mutters, shaking her head. "They did a breathalyzer test, how is he getting away with this?"
"Is that it? He just gets away with hitting me, injuring me?" I ask. "How is that possible?"
Dad stands, determination and anger masking his features. "I don't know, but I will find out."
He storms out, leaving Mom and I behind.
"What happened to the person who hit Tyler?" I ask, trying to remember what happened. I can't even remember who the person hit him when he ran out into the street.
Mom smiles sadly. "Don't worry about it sweetheart," she says, sitting on the edge of the bed. She kisses my forehead. "We'll figure everything out, or God help that poor man."
***
So, how do you like the story so far?
Maybe you might say Mr. Vaughn can't get away with drunk driving and hitting Emma, but if you have enough influence and know people, you can make anything go away.
What will happen? A trial? Who is Mr. Liam Vaughn anyway?
Thanks for reading!
Vote and comment XD