No Air
Artie's Point Of View
***************************************Chapter 14***************************************
I have no clue what time it is when I wake up again. The sun isn't up yet so I'm assuming that it's before six but how much before, I have no idea. I close my eyes and try to go back to sleep but I hear my door open.
Opening my eyes and looking to the doorway, I can vaguely make out the shape of my parents. I want to reach for my glasses but Tina is lying on my arm and I don't want to wake her.
"Hey Sport," my dad says as my mom notices my situation and gets my glasses for me. "We didn't think that you would be awake.
I smile sheepishly at them. They move the chairs closer to the bed and sit down, noting Tina on my arm and the notebook on my left side.
"How are you feeling now?" my mom asks and I grab the pen she offers me and begin to write. It's a little bit messy since it's with my left but it's readable.
Better. Just can't wait til I can talk again
My parents laugh quietly then look worriedly at Tina. "She doesn't wake up easily does she?" and I shake my head no.
She went out pretty fast I write and my parents get the hint that she was tired.
"Ben, do you think we should wake her and bring her home?" My mom asks my dad who thinks for a little.
Just leave her. She's exhausted, I write after getting their attention. I don't want to wake her
"Alright," my dad says and my mom nods in agreement.
Suddenly my mom just begins to cry. "I feel so bad," she cried trying not to make any noise. I look at her confused. Why would she feel bad? "If I hadn't convinced you to come with me to Mimi's house this whole situation would have never happened."
I look at her with eyes pleading her to not start his. It wasn't her fault. In actuality I had been the one wanting to go to Mimi's house for a while, it just so happened that we went that day. It wasn't her fault… it was the drunk driver who was going about 100 MPH when he hit us. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me," my mom finished wiping tears from her eyes.
I know
"It's not your fault and you just keep telling that to yourself, okay?" my dad says putting his hand on my shoulder.
Ok
"We just wanted to stop in and drop a few things off. We'll be back in the morning." My mom says placing the bag she had over her shoulder to the ground.
I think I'm going back to sleep too
"Take care, Sport," my dad says standing up and giving me a kiss on the forehead.
Ok I'll see you tomorrow
"Love you," my mom said following suit.
Love you too
After my parents leave, I lie there for a while. It's funny how even though people should be happy that I'm alive, I'm still causing so much pain. I close my eyes but memories of the accident keep replaying in my head like a broken record player. I don't want them to because I know the question that I always ask myself after the loop finally ends. 'What if I just died?'
I shake my head, clearing all of the horrible thoughts from it. If I had died my parents would be really upset. I couldn't even begin to imagine what my mom would be like. I would have never been in Glee Club and I would have never met Tina.
I sigh and let my mind doze off, hoping that I don't have any nightmares about the accident and that my dreams are just pleasant. I would really hate to see Tina if I woke her up while she was catching up on her beauty sleep.
It's a while later that I wake up again but this time it's different. I look around and notice that my parents haven't been back since last night and Tina is awake. She looks like she is deep in though and she doesn't even notice me and I simply run my fingers through her hair. I've always wanted to do this.
She shivers and I laugh softly. Tina turns her head to look at me and I look her in the eyes then back to my hand in her hair. "What are you doing?" She asks completely confused. I hold up a piece of her blue hair in front of her face and twist it between my fingers. "Why?"
I shrug and grab the notebook. Tina moves so I can write with my right hand and I turn to a clean page and begin to write. I always wondered if the blue feels different than the black. It doesn't
"You're really weird," She says laughing and I smile. "Good morning."
Morning. Feeling better?
"Much. You?"
Fantastic other than I feel like an idiot writing everything out like this
Tina laughs. "Oh c'mon, it's not that bad," She says and I raise my eyebrow with a look that says 'really?' "Well at least now that you're fully conscious I can read your handwriting. And I don't have to correct your spelling every other word." I roll my eyes but she's true. I do like the fact that I don't have to rewrite more than half the things I've already written. "So your parents came by again last night?"
Did we wake you? Tina shakes her head and suddenly I notice where the notebook was before I picked it up. You read off the notebook? Eavesdropper!
"I'm not quite sure that still qualifies as eavesdropping," she notes.
But it does still count as being nosy
She blushes. "Well, okay, maybe that." She glances at the clock. "Are they coming up again today?" I know that she means my parents.
Not until later this afternoon. Tina gives me a confused look. Church.
"You go to church?" She is completely surprised like I just won the lottery. She knew that my family was catholic but we never really talked about it that much. It just wasn't something to talk to a person who was from a family with Jewish and Buddhist religious views.
Only every once in a while. We aren't very consistent about it but they decided to go this week. Mom said they're both feeling pretty thankful.
"I can understand that," Tina says and the only response I can come up with is to write out a huge question mark on the notebook. "Since last week I think I've prayed to every type of god ever mentioned since the dawn of time." I smirk. I know that Tina doesn't really practice anything but just her praying is a sight that I really want to see. It's not that I care she doesn't practice it's just that I've never seen her do it.
Tina pulls her foot up and starts to play with the bandage. I watch as she unwraps it and after the last piece of bandage falls away I notice how much better it looks. It's the normal size now and the bruises are almost completely gone.
It looks a lot better
"It feels a lot better too," Tina says poking her ankle. She doesn't flinch or anything, so I take that as a good sign. "Should be good again this week." Tina adds as she rewraps it. "Artie, did your dad tell you that story about when he was on track in high school?"
I smile remembering the first time he told me it. Oh he told you that one did he? Tina nods and I try to stop myself from laughing. Ya I know that one. While we were fighting I didn't talk to anyone about why but after a while when I cooled out and wasn't so mad anymore I realized I missed you and was sort of confused about us. So I went to talk to my dad about it and he dropped that story in. I laugh as I think about what I am about to write. He tried to be really casual about it but he's about as subtle as a shotgun
Tina laughed and I watch her face carefully. Something tells me she is about to say something else. "It's good to know your dad's always got my back," she says, and I smile knowing that my dad would do just as much as I would do for her.
Why'd you ask?
"I was wondering if that's why you forgave me."
I begin to write very quickly, but my handwriting is so messy I might have to write it again. I forgave you because you're my best friend and we all make mistakes. I messed up just as bad as you. Dad didn't sway my decision, just sort of … accelerated it
"Remind me to thank him for that," Tina says as I put down the pen and stretch my fingers. "You okay?"
Not used to writing this much. Makes my hand tired I write, my fingers still aching.
"Thumbs of Steel gets tired over a little writing?"
I hit her with my shoulder. Don't be a brat. I play with the pen, twirling it between my fingers and then I realize what I really want. Talk to me T
"What about?" Tina asks like I didn't finish writing what I wanted.
I don't care, just talk about anything. I just wanna listen
"Wow, you just listening without talking?" I elbow her side and try not to laugh. "Okay, okay." She says as I put the notebook off to the side and lay my head back against the pillows. Tina puts her head on her hand, her elbow supporting her. She's quiet for a while, trying to think of something to talk about I figure.
"Have I ever told you about the time my dad took me back to Korea to meet my grandparents?" She asks finally. Now that is one that I've never heard before. I shake my head. "It was amazing. I'd never been to Korea before, but the place where my grandparents live is so beautiful. It was sort of scary meeting them for the first time though. My grandpa is one of those old guys who just looks naturally grumpy, like he's gonna swing his cane at you and chase you off his yard if you mess up his grass."
I smile thinking back to my grandparents. I really only know the ones on my moms side since my dad's live out in California. My grandfather died when I was about seven but my grandma's still alive. I keep her up to date on everything that's happening in the world. She's read my Harry Potter, knows Justin Timberlake, everything.
Tina continues just talking about what they did and how she tried to learn Korean but it was really hard. I can feel my eyes drooping but she just keeps on going.
I don't know how long she talked after I fell asleep but I'm sure it wasn't long. She was always good with noticing when people didn't pay attention to what she was saying.