Though it seemed to Josh only minutes later that he awoke, in truth it was almost a whole day. When he woke, his mother was sitting in a chair next to his bed, holding his hand. "Oh Josh," She crooned, "What have you gotten into this time?"
"Mom... I..."
"Mom... I..."
"Oh Josh... When we moved here, you promised me." His mom questioned.
"Mom, I--"
"Honey, we can talk about this later. How are you feeling?"
"Like shit mom."
"Baby please don't talk that way."
"Sorry mom."
"It's alright."
"I feel... awful. I hurt everywhere. How bad am I, really? Nobody would tell me anything."
"Honey, we can talk about this later. How are you feeling?"
"Like shit mom."
"Baby please don't talk that way."
"Sorry mom."
"It's alright."
"I feel... awful. I hurt everywhere. How bad am I, really? Nobody would tell me anything."
"Well, the doctor is going to talk to me in a few minutes about the particulars... but basically you had to get stitches in your jaw and forearm. Your nose is broken, and you have a concussion. I'm not sure how bad it is. That's one of the things that the doctor will talk to me about. You're going to have to have an X-ray on your shoulder in a while. And you're covered in bruises. They are thinking that you should stay here in the hospital for another day at least."
Josh sighed.
Josh sighed.
"Look, I know you're not happy about it. But they need you to stay so that they can determine the extent of your head injuries. You can have a good attitude about it, or a bad one. The time can go quickly, or drag on. It's your choice. You're not going to be alone. Josh, look at me. Some of your friends have been calling. They're going to come visit you tomorrow, alright?"
Josh looked at his mom. "Okay mom. I'll try."
"Thanks Josh. Look, I was thinking of heading out for a few minutes and getting some dinner. Will you be alright?"
"Yea mom." Josh replied, feeling a little upset that his mom would leave so soon after he had awakened.
Josh looked at his mom. "Okay mom. I'll try."
"Thanks Josh. Look, I was thinking of heading out for a few minutes and getting some dinner. Will you be alright?"
"Yea mom." Josh replied, feeling a little upset that his mom would leave so soon after he had awakened.
"Is there anything you want me to pick up for you? I know how awful hospital food can be..."
"Sure mom. Could you bring me a ranch and bacon burger, and a swiss cheese and mushroom burger?"
"Sure mom. Could you bring me a ranch and bacon burger, and a swiss cheese and mushroom burger?"
"That'll be fine. If the doctor comes in to talk to me, just let him know I'll be back in a bit."
Josh watched his mother as she walked out the door of his room in the hospital.
Josh watched his mother as she walked out the door of his room in the hospital.
Why is it that whenever I need her, she leaves? He thought. It's not like there's anything I can do to change her...
Josh sighed, and looked around himself. There was nothing in the room that interested him. He lifted his hand to his face and realized for the first time that he was hooked up to an oxygen machine. He had always thought they would be awkward and noticeable. I guess I was wrong about that... He thought. I wish I could see what I look like now. I must be an awful sight... A black eye for sure...
Josh's thoughts were interrupted by someone coming into his room.
"What the HELL do you want?" He said before he looked to see who was entering his room. When he looked up, he saw another nurse, and he glared at her. She simply handed him an envelope and said "A girl asked me to deliver this to you." She walked out as soon as he took the envelope into his hands.
Josh felt a little bad for yelling at the nurse, but his guilt was short lived, and quickly disappeared as his curiosity for the contents of the envelope began to come into play.
He turned it over in his hands and inspected it. His name was handwritten on the face of the envelope in neat cursive penmanship. There were no other markings on the envelope. Josh carefully broke the seal of the envelope and pulled out of it a sheet of folded paper, upon which one side was filled with the same cursive writing as was on the face of the envelope. He unfolded the paper, and read it.
'Dear Josh,' It began. 'I just wanted to... apologize.... for how I was... well, am... I'm sorry about the letters I've been sending you. It's none of my business what happened last summer, and I've been jealous all along. When I was in the middle of that crowd, the jeering and the mocking, I was terrified. I knew that nobody would come for me. Nobody's ever cared about me, or what happens in my life. This would be no different. Fists were at the ready, and I was screaming, all hope of rescue had abandoned me. But then, I saw you. You jumped in front of me, just as the first fist flew. And I ran. Out of the crowd. Out of sight, out of mind. Nobody paid me a second thought after they saw you.
I wanted to help you, but I couldn't. They were too absorbed in their task; hurting you.
Look, I really am sorry. All this time I have hated you. I judged you. I thought you were only being nice to me for popularity's sake. I never believed a word of anything you said.
Thank you for doing what you did. You deserve a lot more than an apology and a thank you but that's all that I can give you.
Please accept it.
E. B.'
"What the HELL do you want?" He said before he looked to see who was entering his room. When he looked up, he saw another nurse, and he glared at her. She simply handed him an envelope and said "A girl asked me to deliver this to you." She walked out as soon as he took the envelope into his hands.
Josh felt a little bad for yelling at the nurse, but his guilt was short lived, and quickly disappeared as his curiosity for the contents of the envelope began to come into play.
He turned it over in his hands and inspected it. His name was handwritten on the face of the envelope in neat cursive penmanship. There were no other markings on the envelope. Josh carefully broke the seal of the envelope and pulled out of it a sheet of folded paper, upon which one side was filled with the same cursive writing as was on the face of the envelope. He unfolded the paper, and read it.
'Dear Josh,' It began. 'I just wanted to... apologize.... for how I was... well, am... I'm sorry about the letters I've been sending you. It's none of my business what happened last summer, and I've been jealous all along. When I was in the middle of that crowd, the jeering and the mocking, I was terrified. I knew that nobody would come for me. Nobody's ever cared about me, or what happens in my life. This would be no different. Fists were at the ready, and I was screaming, all hope of rescue had abandoned me. But then, I saw you. You jumped in front of me, just as the first fist flew. And I ran. Out of the crowd. Out of sight, out of mind. Nobody paid me a second thought after they saw you.
I wanted to help you, but I couldn't. They were too absorbed in their task; hurting you.
Look, I really am sorry. All this time I have hated you. I judged you. I thought you were only being nice to me for popularity's sake. I never believed a word of anything you said.
Thank you for doing what you did. You deserve a lot more than an apology and a thank you but that's all that I can give you.
Please accept it.
E. B.'
