"All right! Got it!"
Courtney quickly stuffed the notebook back in his bag. Mark opened the car door and got in, jamming the wallet in his pocket.
"Anything stolen?" Courtney asked, trying not to let her voice show her nervousness.
"Yup, two bucks. Well, that's all I brought so... meh."
"See? You can't leave things like that lying around!" Courtney fake scolded. She ruffled Marks hair.
"Hey, you've got something in your hair," Mark said, reaching up to brush her hair with his hand. Courtney blushed from his soft touch.
"There, just a piece of lint!" he leaned back against his car seat and flicked the fuzzy lint off his fingers.
Courtney looked away from him, trying to disguise the blush across her face as the glare from the setting sun...
>> > > >
Courtney flinched. She could feel a presence beside her bed. She flinched a few more times before she let her eyes flutter open. Mark was leaning on his knees with his arm stretched out toward her shoulder.
"Is there some reason your watching me sleep?" she asked.
His cheeks grew deep red.
"I-I cam t-to wake y-you u-up," Mark stammered.
Courtney sat up. She fluffed her hair and looked at the clock.
"Why? Look at the time! It's so early!" she protested.
"Y-yeah, er, C-Courtney?" Mark stammered. This was too much. She could get being embarrassed that she said that he was watching her sleep but... something was up if he was still nervous.
"What is it, Mark?" Courtney asked.
"I-it's m-m-m-my m-m-m-mom... sh-she's a-a-a-at th-the h-ho-hospital..."
"What?!" Courtney gasped.
"Sh-she h-h-had an a-a-ac-accident. Sh-she f-f-fell w-walking d-d-down th-the s-st-stairs," Mark was in a panicky mood. His breathe was shaky and his hands shook aggressively.
Courtney put her hands on his shoulders, "It's going to be all right, Mark. Do you hear me? Everything is going to be fine. Can we get to the hospital?"
Mark nodded, "D-d-dodger's st-still h-here. H-he'll d-d-d-rive u-us."
"Okay, come on."