Sorry this has taken me ages to update but i had a ton of homework that was just piling up and piling up! my desk was literally covered in it! i hate my english teacher coz i wrote my firstest novel and she hasn't even given it back to me like after a month! anyhoo, enjoy!

Tommy's eyes flickered slowly open and he looked blearily around the room, blinking rapidly to adjust his pupils. Sunlight streamed in through the open window by his bed side and he heard a bird chirp somewhere outside. Tommy sat up slightly and propped on his elbows to get a better look. He saw cars parked on the road along the street by the hospital, their hoods shining in the bright light. People were walking down the side walk, completely engrossed in whatever they were doing. He spotted two women pushing strollers next to each other chatting leisurely, ignoring the squawking toddler who was tottering along behind, trying to keep up. A boy rolled past on his skateboard, baggy pants hanging halfway down his bottom. Some dogs barked excitedly as their owners passed each other, straining on their leash to get a good sniff.

The fourteen year old in the hospital bed sighed wearily and slumped back on his pillows. He wished so much to be out there, enjoying the sunshine on a lovely Chicago day, but he had to be cooped up in a boring hospital ward, confined to his bed and only allowed to leave it when he was to practice walking with one of the doctors. He even had to pee in a container.The days were so dull and uneventful. He lay in bed and read, though he'd finished all his books ages ago or watched t.v., but there was only so much Friends a person could take. He knew most of the scenes by heart. What he lived for were the times his friends came to the hospital to visit him. Mom and Dad were okay, but they weren't as much fun. Last time Dom, Myles, James, and Alfie came, Tommy had ended up with tears in his eyes from laughing so much and Dom had ended up with a two litre bottle of cola down his neck. This had led to Alfie being chased around the room by the furious boy and using a chair to defend herself.Tommy smiled at the memory and hoped they would come back soon so he didn't decide to top himself to put himself out of his misery.

Suddenly a small blue bird landed on the window sill by the vase of fake, plastic flowers. It was electric blue on its head and crest, but on its chest were creamy white feathers. A black ring around its neck made it quite distinctive, somewhat like a necklace. A slightly darker hue of blue feathers lined its wings and back with a single white line emblazoned across the middle of the wing. Tommy recognised it as a blue jay even though there weren't usually many birds except pigeons in Chicago. He couldn't tell whether it was male or female because both sexes were very similar. He decided on it being a male and named it Jed.

"Hey there, little guy," Tommy smiled and carefully leaned out of bed so he could reach the window. The bird eyed him beadily, as if deciding if he was a threat or not. It hopped forward towards Tommy's outstretched palm and then immediately darted away, chirping.

"What's the matter? I don't smell too bad, do I? The nurse gave me a bed bath a couple of hours ago." The bird cocked its tiny head to one side and studied the person before him.

"How 'bout I give you this?" Tommy slowly reached to his side table, anxious not to startle the bird and scare it away. He reached out a few seconds later with a piece of popcorn, "I know it's not what you usually eat, but the guys left it in here when they came last time and you never know, you might just like it."

Tommy didn't have any idea why he was talking to the bird; must be something to do with having no one visiting him and making him go mad.

Jed shuffled cautiously forward and then snatched the morsel from Tommy. His soft feathers tickled the boy's palm and he had to stifle a chuckle. Once Jed had eaten the popcorn, Tommy handed him some more, soon he had Jed in his hand pecking impatiently for the next bit.

"Ouch!" Tommy yelped as Jed pecked him harder, "I get your point for crying out loud!" The bird looked up at him and Tommy swore he was feeling guilty. Another sharp poke swept that idea away. "If you do that one more time…"

"Tommo!" the door to the hospital room swung open with an almighty bang. Jed jumped, startled, and fluttered frantically out of the open window and away.

Tommy looked up and grinned at his friends as they burst into the room. They tumbled over one another and finally ended up by his bed.

"Yo!" Myles grinned down at him.

"Hey," Tommy replied.

"We've come for a party! School's out for the holidays and we thought you'd wanna celebrate even though…well…you haven't even been to school in weeks, but who gives a damn!" James shouted.

"Geez!" Tommy winced, "Keep it down or you'll get half the people in here chucking you out."

"Sorry," James said and then stage whispered, "Boring bugger."

"Hey!"

"Oh, did you hear that? Whoops!" he smirked.

"All right, break it up," Alfie stepped in.

"Break what up?" James asked innocently, "It's not like I'm gonna start a fight with a lame guy."

"Who you calling lame?!" Tommy retorted.

"The guy in the hospital bed."

"Huh?" Myles looked confused for a second and then finally understood.

"Man, you're slow today," Alfie laughed and then turned her attention to the other two, "Now play nice or I'll smack you."

"How someone would love to have you as their mom," Myles said sarcastically and then put on a high pitched voice, "Go tidy your room or I'll beat you up and throw you in front of a train." The boys laughed, but Alfie did not look amused.

"Do you want a taste of that then?" she raised herself onto the balls of her feet and raised her fists.

"Er…I think I'll pass. Thanks, but no thanks," Myles spoke quickly, eyeing her warily.

"Good. Good."

"Anyhoo, let's crack open the cola and chips," James rubbed his hands together.

"No, no, no way!" Dom yelped, "No more cola!" He caught the mischievous glint in Alfie's eye, "In fact, no liquids whatsoever."

"Aw, is lickle Dominic worried?" Alfie cooed.

"Dominic?! Never call me Dominic!" Dom shouted.

"Now this should be funny," Tommy whispered to James and Myles as they watched the events unfold, "Personally I hope they use the ice cream this time."

"Why?"

"'Cause I wanna see Dom with Ben and Jerry's in his hair."

"What makes you so sure it won't be Alfie with stuff all over her?"

"Do you wanna bet?"

"Sure. Ten bucks on Dom to win and Alfie to get covered in crap!"

"Done."


"Piss off, Morris," Ray shoved the annoying attending away and walked into the doctor's lounge.

"But what do I do?"

"Um…be yourself?" Ray shrugged, "Actually scratch that, be as far from yourself as possible. Then maybe she won't run a mile."

"Thanks a lot, Barnett," Morris frowned, "You may be married to a beautiful woman and have a kid, but I got squat. Remember that." Morris turned to leave the room. Ray watched him and then sighed, knowing he was being harsh.

"Ok, Morris," Morris span round, beaming.

"You'll help me?"

"Sure," Ray conceded reluctantly, "But don't keep asking me what to do or I'll change my mind."

"Fine! What do I wear?"


What do you think? Do you like it? Or think its crap? please review!