Title: Hospital Meetings & Good Friends
Author: Freeing Alys
Rating: K+
Summary: I heard your Converse sneakers squeaking on the floor as you rapidly approached my hospital room. I started to pick at the thin, white blanket as you walked into my room and stood by the door. I knew you were disappointed.

Hospital Meetings & Good Friends

I heard your Converse sneakers squeaking on the floor as you rapidly approached my hospital room. I started to pick at the thin, white blanket as you walked into my room and stood by the door. I knew you were disappointed. I know I'm better then this, but I couldn't help it. I was in the hospital for the third time that month. But I couldn't stop it.

"Hey Em." You stated and I turned my gaze up to you.

"Hi Craig." I greeted you and you stepped towards me more. "Where's Manny?" I asked him. They'd been connected at the hips since Craig had come back at the end of the school year.

"She's back at your place…she thought I should come see you." You answered me and I nodded my head.

"Oh, okay." I told you and you quickly shifted your weight from one foot to the other.

"I missed you Emma." You tell me and I'm sure it's just because you feel bad for me. And want me to be the same Emma you've always known. Just like everyone else.

"Yeah." I breathed out and you walked closer to the bed I was propped up in. "I missed you too." I tell you as I feel your fingers lightly brush my own.

"What happened?" You ask me, your eyes big and glossy with worry.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I don't know Craig. Just stuff. It got hard after awhile." I tell you and you sit in the chair sitting next to the bed, the one Mom always sat in. It was the home away from home for her lately.

"I'm sorry Em." You say squeaking back in the chair and you placed your hands in your lap like you were nervous. And I'm sure you are nervous. You've never seen me like this, no one has. I tilt my head as I stare at you and I try to figure out why I let you come here to see me when I wouldn't let anyone else from school come. "What?" You ask me taking in my expression with a crocked smile.

I shake my head at your question, bouncing my limp hair from side to side. "Nothing." I answer, ducking my head down towards the thin hospital blanket.

"How come we drifted apart?" You ask me and I look back up at you again.

"I don't know. The whole Manny thing I guess." I told you and you smiled with a far away gaze in your eyes.

"Yeah, that was stupid."

I nod my head in agreement and smiled a small smile. "It was."

"Hey!" You say sitting up in your chair and I could feel the ice melting away from our conversation. Things were getting like they were in the seventh grade.

I smiled back at you and you smiled an even brighter one at me. You pushed hair out of you face and I realized you had became a good friend to me and I couldn't replace you with anyone in the world. "You're not too bad Craig."

You smiled at me and let out a low chuckle as you gazed downward. "Yeah Em, you're not all that bad either." You say and I smile at you again.

"Thanks for being here Craig, it means a lot."

"I'd be anywhere for you Emma. We've known each other way too long for me to just drop you."

I nod my head and pick at the hospital blanket some more. "Thanks." I mumble as you reach for my hand and lightly squeeze it in your own hand.

"No problem." You smile at me and that was when I knew everything would be okay.