Sally was talking to the doctor in his room while he was still unconscious.
"It appears to just be a mild concussion, and he should be fine."
"That's good. I'll need to call our parents about this. I'm so relieved that he's okay."
"We've talked to them already and if he has anymore issues make sure he's brought back right away."
"Yes sir, if I gotta drag him kicking and screaming."
"From what the EMTs explained; Charlie is quite the hero, saving the life of that girl. I'm sure she's more than thankful."
"Yeah… she should be."
"I'll let you have some time with him," he stepped out.
Sally sighed and finally let herself cry.
Back in the waiting room Frieda, Schroeder and Peppermint Patty arrived.
"Hey yall," Peppermint Patty greeted.
"How are you two doing, how's Charlie," Frieda asked.
"We're just waiting on Sally and we're holding up," Linus answered.
"Why is she here and looks like she's on death's door," Schroeder pointed at Violet.
"He saved her life," Lucy finally spoke.
"No shit," Peppermint Patty was surprised.
"I'm not surprised he's in the hospital for saving somebody, even Violet," Schroeder stated.
"What happened," Frieda asked.
"We were going to get pizza and there was a commotion across the street, a lot of screaming and yelling. The next thing we knew; Violet was running through traffic, she barely missed being hit by one car before a huge pickup was seconds away," Patty explained.
"She was being chased by Molly, Charlotte and Delores. Charlie ran out to grab her, getting hit by the mirror," Lucy finished.
"They threw a trash can at me," Violet added.
"Still… why is she here," he repeated.
Patty sighed, "she's our ride."
"Really‽ I'm surprised you all accepted it."
'Trish it was either that, or walk… or the bus," Linus said.
"She was too messed up to drive… so I got to drive it."
"Want me to get rid of her since we're here now?"
"She's just crying and eating," Patty answered.
"Just… let her be," Lucy answered.
"Speaking of eating; I could use something myself," Peppermint Patty spoke.
"Here… get something from the vending machine," Violet pulled out her card.
"I was thinking the cafeteria."
She just waved the card and Peppermint Patty cautiously took it.
"There's actually money on this?"
"Like almost two thousand dollars."
"Noice!"
Charlie placed a hand on Sally's head and she looked up with a sniff.
"I'm fine Sal, helluva headache but fine," he smiled.
"We thought you were going to die," she hugged him.
"Not that easy, Lucy might get mad."
"This is no time for jokes."
"How're the girls?"
"Worried sick."
"How's Violet, is she okay?"
Sally scoffed and looked away.
"Sally. How is she," there was a bite to his voice.
"Why did you save her?"
He just gave her a look.
"She… she's not okay-"
"What‽"
"Let me finish… she has been crying the whole time over you, more than Patty and Lucy, but she's okay, you did save her."
"Is she here?"
"She is."
"I want to see her, you understand? This is not the time to be mean to her. If she's that shaken up and distraught, then treat her with kindness, at least for right now. Understand?"
"I understand. Your girlfriends will kill me if I don't send them first, though," she walked out.
Sally walked back to the waiting room catching everybody's attention.
"He's okay, and he's fine. When did you three get here?"
"Not that long ago," Schroeder answered.
"Sally, I'm going to the cafeteria, ya want something, Violet's treat," she waved the card.
Sally looked at Violet.
"I don't mind," her voice was nearly a whisper.
She closed her eyes with a huff, "thank you Violet, but I'm okay," she turned to Lucy and Patty, "room eight, girlfriends."
They walked in while he was being checked over, he could tell they had been crying.
"Hey ladies."
"Is he okay," Patty asked.
"He's fine."
"We thought you were going to die," Lucy started crying.
"No, not me… you would be mad and beat me to life."
They couldn't help but giggle.
"I just have a headache, a bit of bruising. The important thing is that Violet is okay."
"The big crybaby," Lucy pouted.
"Sally said she had been crying… a lot."
"Almost nonstop," Patty added.
"You're too good for her, Charlie," Lucy narrowed her eyes.
"I know how you girls feel, but I'll tell you what I told Sally; right now, with all that's happened, she needs kindness. We don't know what she's gone through since she's been gone, with this piled on top of it. Please don't be too hard on her."
They both looked at each other trying to figure out if he was begging or demanding.
"Sure… we will try our best," Patty spoke for them both.
"She offered to pay for everybody's food. Trish may have ran off with her card, never to be seen again."
Charlie just sighed.
The girls walked back to the waiting room as Linus was escorting Peppermint Patty back in.
"She said she didn't care," she huffed with a bag.
"It doesn't matter, don't take advantage of her kindness, now give it back to her."
"I was gonna… eventually."
'Now," he growled.
"Here… thank you Violet," she handed the card back.
"Any time, Trish."
"What's with you, why are you being nice all of a sudden?"
"It's… the right thing to do."
"That near death experience really changed you, huh?"
She shook her head, "I don't think he should've saved me, I've just had time to think."
"Hnh… I still don't like you. I can't stand you."
"That's fine, you can all hate me but I will do my best to not be another problem in your lives."
"...okaaayyy… honestly… I probably would've saved you, too, but only because I couldn't live with myse- oh, I get it."
"Okay… who's next," Frieda asked.
"We're going to head out, we both have practice. See you all at school tomorrow," Schroeder said.
Linus and Peppermint Patty went back, and it felt like they were back there for a while. She wanted to see him, but wasn't sure if he wanted to see her. Violet started playing conversations in her head of what she would say, if she could muster the nerve to open up. She didn't realize Peppermint Patty and Linus came back, while she munched on a candy bar.
"Violet… earth to Violet," Sally waves at her.
She snapped her head up.
"Go see Charlie."