"How are you feeling, Abby?"
Seth sat down softly in the chair next to his sisters' hospital bed. He looked at her attentively. If there was one thing that Seth had taught her about life, it was that people's eyes were windows to their soul. She could sense fear and sadness in his eyes. She was still a little woozy from the medication they had given her.
"I'm fine, Seth." She smiled weakly. He didn't seem convinced.
"So I picked this up for you at the gift shop." He held up a stuffed monkey that held a red heart which read, "Get Well Soon".
"Oh, it's cute. But I stopped collecting those a long time ago. You know that."
"I know, but it just reminded me of when we were younger and things were easier. I remember almost every weekend you'd come home with a new stuffed animal. And for your twelfth birthday I bought you Senior Stripy-pants. You loved that crazy pantaloon elephant. We used to have fun like that. What happened?"
"I grew up. Things change, Seth." She answered matter-of-factly.
"I know, but sometimes I wish my little sister would not be so---not little."
"I think maybe I can add him to the collection; just this one." She pointed at the monkey he held. He smiled and handed the marsupial to her. "Thanks Seth."
"You're welcome, Abby. I love you." He stood up, and bent over the bed giving her a gentle hug. "I'll see you later, okay?"
"Bye, Seth." She replied smiling as he left. Her parents were waiting outside the door and entered as he left.
-----
"So how is she?"
"She's okay, Summer. The doctors said it was a concussion. She got in when she got into the accident in the car, and they didn't notice it. She'll be fine though with some rest. She's gonna stay her till tomorrow though." For once Summer actually showed so emotion other than disgust. She looked relieved and Seth was surprised to see it. "Were you guy's really good friends?" He asked.
"I don't know. We were okay. It's sort of a long story." Summer replied.
"Listen, do you maybe want to go get a--- a cup of coffee? Unless you have something else to do, then go ahead." He asked.
"Ah---no I don't have anywhere to be. I guess we can get a cup of coffee. Sure." Summer smiled a little. What was she doing? She was getting coffee with Cohen---willingly? He's sad about his sister. She told herself that that was why she was doing it. Think of it as charity.
-----
"Abby, are you all right?" Her father asked in his usual tone.
"Yes, I'm fine." She replied.
"Good. Because what I'm gonna say to you isn't gonna be easy to hear." He looked at his wife. She nodded in disapproval. He continued anyway. "Abby, what's going on with you lately? You've been sneaking off to parties, stealing cars and hurting yourself whether it was intentional or unintentional is beside the point. Ryan barely got into this much trouble. The only thing he's done that you haven't is burn down a house. And on top of it all your school work is slipping significantly. Do you mind explaining yourself?"
"I don't really wanna talk about it." She replied crossing her arms.
"See, that's what I'm talking about. My sweet little daughter is gone." Sandy replied exasperated.
"Well maybe if you paid a little bit more attention to your kids, instead of your job so much, I wouldn't have to go get drunk and party all the time." Sandy was taken aback. They were both silent. "I'm sorry, Dad. Really, I don't know what's been going on lately, but these people are my friends. It seems like I've been getting into trouble a lot lately, but really I've been hanging out with these people since I was like twelve. I guess it just caught up with me. If it means so much to you, I can not hang out with them for a while at least."
"You are way too young to be going to these parties, you know that. Now, promise me you are gonna focus on school. You are a bright young girl, especially when you apply yourself." Sandy touched his daughters face. "I just don't wanna see you ruin your life. Trust me; I've seen enough of those kids."
"I'll focus, Dad." She nodded.
"We're glad you're all right, sweetie." Kirsten added. "We'll see you in the morning, okay?" Abby nodded. Her parents were leaving her alone again. Well at least she had the T.V.
-----
"So there's a long story about my sister and you?" Seth asked handing Summer her cup of java.
"Well, I don't remember you know, exactly where I met her, but somehow for the past few years she's just been there. I had no idea she was your sister."
"Just figured the major resemblance and last name similarities were a fluke accident?" He asked sarcastically.
"Till a few months ago, I hardly knew what your name was. Now I use it only when I have to."
"I have noticed that." He replied. "So why are you bumming around with me, when you could be sunbathing on the beach, Summer?" He asked taking a sip of his coffee. She wondered that herself.
"You want the truth?" She asked.
"Of course."
"I feel sorry for you. I mean you are such a loner and now all this stuff is happening to your sister. It kinda sucks."
"So pity dating. I can deal with that." He smiled a little. She noticed. He was kind of cute in a stupid, dopey sort of way when he smiled.
-----
There was a knock on the door, which woke Abby from her nap. The T.V. was roaring some infomercial, and she turned it off quickly.
"Come in." She replied. The door opened slightly and Ryan slowly entered. He walked to her bed. She was surprised to say the least and fiddled with her hair nervously. After a great deal of time, he decided to speak.
"I know that I haven't gotten to know you as well as Seth, and seeing as I haven't been her that long, I suppose I shouldn't feel obligated to do this, but I thought I'd come and see you since I guess we're sorta related-- -but not really." He fumbled with his words.
"Ah---it's quite a surprise." She replied smiling.
"So---ah---how are you?" He glanced down at the bed, and back up at her.
-----
Seth sat down softly in the chair next to his sisters' hospital bed. He looked at her attentively. If there was one thing that Seth had taught her about life, it was that people's eyes were windows to their soul. She could sense fear and sadness in his eyes. She was still a little woozy from the medication they had given her.
"I'm fine, Seth." She smiled weakly. He didn't seem convinced.
"So I picked this up for you at the gift shop." He held up a stuffed monkey that held a red heart which read, "Get Well Soon".
"Oh, it's cute. But I stopped collecting those a long time ago. You know that."
"I know, but it just reminded me of when we were younger and things were easier. I remember almost every weekend you'd come home with a new stuffed animal. And for your twelfth birthday I bought you Senior Stripy-pants. You loved that crazy pantaloon elephant. We used to have fun like that. What happened?"
"I grew up. Things change, Seth." She answered matter-of-factly.
"I know, but sometimes I wish my little sister would not be so---not little."
"I think maybe I can add him to the collection; just this one." She pointed at the monkey he held. He smiled and handed the marsupial to her. "Thanks Seth."
"You're welcome, Abby. I love you." He stood up, and bent over the bed giving her a gentle hug. "I'll see you later, okay?"
"Bye, Seth." She replied smiling as he left. Her parents were waiting outside the door and entered as he left.
-----
"So how is she?"
"She's okay, Summer. The doctors said it was a concussion. She got in when she got into the accident in the car, and they didn't notice it. She'll be fine though with some rest. She's gonna stay her till tomorrow though." For once Summer actually showed so emotion other than disgust. She looked relieved and Seth was surprised to see it. "Were you guy's really good friends?" He asked.
"I don't know. We were okay. It's sort of a long story." Summer replied.
"Listen, do you maybe want to go get a--- a cup of coffee? Unless you have something else to do, then go ahead." He asked.
"Ah---no I don't have anywhere to be. I guess we can get a cup of coffee. Sure." Summer smiled a little. What was she doing? She was getting coffee with Cohen---willingly? He's sad about his sister. She told herself that that was why she was doing it. Think of it as charity.
-----
"Abby, are you all right?" Her father asked in his usual tone.
"Yes, I'm fine." She replied.
"Good. Because what I'm gonna say to you isn't gonna be easy to hear." He looked at his wife. She nodded in disapproval. He continued anyway. "Abby, what's going on with you lately? You've been sneaking off to parties, stealing cars and hurting yourself whether it was intentional or unintentional is beside the point. Ryan barely got into this much trouble. The only thing he's done that you haven't is burn down a house. And on top of it all your school work is slipping significantly. Do you mind explaining yourself?"
"I don't really wanna talk about it." She replied crossing her arms.
"See, that's what I'm talking about. My sweet little daughter is gone." Sandy replied exasperated.
"Well maybe if you paid a little bit more attention to your kids, instead of your job so much, I wouldn't have to go get drunk and party all the time." Sandy was taken aback. They were both silent. "I'm sorry, Dad. Really, I don't know what's been going on lately, but these people are my friends. It seems like I've been getting into trouble a lot lately, but really I've been hanging out with these people since I was like twelve. I guess it just caught up with me. If it means so much to you, I can not hang out with them for a while at least."
"You are way too young to be going to these parties, you know that. Now, promise me you are gonna focus on school. You are a bright young girl, especially when you apply yourself." Sandy touched his daughters face. "I just don't wanna see you ruin your life. Trust me; I've seen enough of those kids."
"I'll focus, Dad." She nodded.
"We're glad you're all right, sweetie." Kirsten added. "We'll see you in the morning, okay?" Abby nodded. Her parents were leaving her alone again. Well at least she had the T.V.
-----
"So there's a long story about my sister and you?" Seth asked handing Summer her cup of java.
"Well, I don't remember you know, exactly where I met her, but somehow for the past few years she's just been there. I had no idea she was your sister."
"Just figured the major resemblance and last name similarities were a fluke accident?" He asked sarcastically.
"Till a few months ago, I hardly knew what your name was. Now I use it only when I have to."
"I have noticed that." He replied. "So why are you bumming around with me, when you could be sunbathing on the beach, Summer?" He asked taking a sip of his coffee. She wondered that herself.
"You want the truth?" She asked.
"Of course."
"I feel sorry for you. I mean you are such a loner and now all this stuff is happening to your sister. It kinda sucks."
"So pity dating. I can deal with that." He smiled a little. She noticed. He was kind of cute in a stupid, dopey sort of way when he smiled.
-----
There was a knock on the door, which woke Abby from her nap. The T.V. was roaring some infomercial, and she turned it off quickly.
"Come in." She replied. The door opened slightly and Ryan slowly entered. He walked to her bed. She was surprised to say the least and fiddled with her hair nervously. After a great deal of time, he decided to speak.
"I know that I haven't gotten to know you as well as Seth, and seeing as I haven't been her that long, I suppose I shouldn't feel obligated to do this, but I thought I'd come and see you since I guess we're sorta related-- -but not really." He fumbled with his words.
"Ah---it's quite a surprise." She replied smiling.
"So---ah---how are you?" He glanced down at the bed, and back up at her.
-----