"I have excellant news!"
Shaggy was nearly asleep and jerked awake at his mother's entrance, "Huh?"
"You get to come home!"
"Huh?"
"Now, don't worry, I've already hired the best phyiscal therapist so you don't have to come back here-"
"Mom, wait-"
"And I've enrolled you in the best school I could find!" she dropped a blue and gold brochure on his lap.
"I don't want to go to school here," he knocked the brochure to the floor, "I want to go to school with Christina"
"Honey, this is a much better school"
"Why, because it's private? Like, I don't do well in private school," he threw the blankets off and got to his feet with a scowl, "You know that"
"Where are you going?"
"To see Christina"
...
Aching still, Christina woke slowly, half of her wanted to slip back into dreamland but routine demanded she wake. Sitting up groggily she pushed her hair from her face and looked around with a yawn, finding Shaggy already there.
"Hello," she yawned.
"How was your nap, Christy?" he grabbed her hands.
"Too short, what's..what's wrong?"
"I'm going to be released from the hospital soon"
"That's a great thing!"
"But, I'll like, miss seeing you everyday"
"It's okay, you can always visit"
When the look on his face didn't change, Christina grew anxious. There was something he wasn't telling her.
"Shaggy? What's the matter?"
"My mom doesn't want me to come back"
"Why?"
"She finds the hospital like, depressing"
Shaggy hated to lie but it was at least somewhat true. And, it was much better than telling Christina he suspected his mother disproved of her.
"I understand," Christina smiled sweetly, "We can call and video chat"
"Everyday?"
"Every single day, I promise"
...
Two days later, Shaggy was wheeled out of the hospital to his father's waiting SUV. The day was cloudy and smelt like rain was coming. The plants on the front lawn drooped as if they were sad to see him go but go he had to.
"Hey!"
Christina wheeled beside him as he was about to get into the car.
"You shouldn't be out here Christy, it's going to rain soon,"
"A little rain isn't going to hurt me," Christina smiled, before giving him a weak hug.
Shaggy averted his eyes from his mother's glare, returning the hug, careful not to hurt Christina.
"Text me when you get home, okay?"
"Okay"
And just to spite his still glaring mother, Shaggy kissed Christina goodbye, "Like, get inside before it rains"
"Bye, Shaggy!"
"Bye, Christy"
He held her hand until distance pulled them apart.
...
In the time he'd been in the hospital, his family had smartly moved into the monster half of New Salem with plans to avoid Crystal Cove as long as they could or until everything finally died down. Opening the door to his new room Shaggy was dismayed to find most everything still in boxes. His TV wasn't hooked up and his switch lay on the floor, along with the computer boxes.
Did they think I was dead? Or dying?
The thought sent shivers down his spine. Hobbling to his bed he face planted on the bare mattress.
Some welcome home this was.
...
Three days later, crutches in hand Shaggy sourly walked into his new school, Cresent Prep. The midnight blue and royal gold color scheme of the building irritated him. Being stared at irritated him. The scratchy long long-sleeved dress shirt and slacks were maddening.
I want Christina.
He hadn't been able to talk to her since leaving the hospital. Every time he tried something happened to prevent it. Worse his mother followed him around like a shadow. Always right there. It was worse than when he'd had chicken pox at seven and she'd practically lived in his room to keep him from scratching.
"Norville Rogers?" a stern wolf in a crisp gray suit stepped from the crowd.
"Please just call me Shaggy"
Why did his parents always forget to mention that?
"Norville, I am Prinipal Blaine, if you'll follow me I'll take you on a tour of the school,"
Without waiting the principal disappeared into the crowd.
"Lean on Re, Raggy," Scooby rushed to help Shaggy follow the quickly disappearing adult since it was clear no one else would.
No they all pointed and stared open-mouthed at him, snickering behind their hands.
Everyone in the hall was a full-blooded werewolf.
And he wasn't.
...
One week later things were no easier, they were arguably worse. Still being stared at like an animal in the zoo, Shaggy tried to focus on fourth-period history.
Or was it literature class?
Either way, it was all Greek. Scooby was a steadfast comforting presence under the desk, nudging his leg every so often to break him out of the haze of thoughts.
"Norville!"
"AH!" Shaggy fell out of his desk, evidently Scooby had fallen asleep and he had drifted once more into la la land. Burning red from the negative attention he struggled to his feet, "yes?"
"It's your turn to read from the book"
definitely Literature.
Staring down at the beat-up class copy of some book with a title he didn't care to recall he couldn't find the page let alone the chapter.
"We're waiting"
"Um, Uh," sweat beaded his forehead as he flipped through the musty yellow pages, "I-"
"Nevermind! Next person please"
I really, really, want Christina.
But, like always his plans to get in touch were thwarted by the therapist waiting at home that day, making him go through rigorous exercises to rebuild his strength. After that therapist was the speech one, then the occupational one then the one who wanted to talk about feelings. After that, he struggled through an avalanche of homework before numbly eating dinner and face-planting into bed. Mornings were spent with his mother hovering over him while he ate breakfast, no phones at the table, before she drove him to school, bonding time. Phones were strictly prohibited at school and had to be left in lockers.
So the weeks went on blending one into another as he was forced into this routine.
Hating every minute of it.
...
In the dark of her hospital room, Christina cried. She wasn't sure why she was crying. Life happens. Friends would come and go throughout it. But, how cruel of the universe to give her one fake friend after another. What had she done to piss off the realms so badly? Not a single text. Not one. Not even an emoji, she was left on read. All phone calls go right to voicemail. All requests for video chat were ignored. The ghouls and guys were sweet to come visit but Christina had always felt they were more her cousins' friends than hers. All of her friends, or rather friends, were back in Ever After. Interrealm text had yet to be invented so she was alone.
All alone
...
Time kept marching on. With every day that passed Shaggy grew sadder and sadder, it became harder and harder to get through the day.
He was just numb.
Two and a half months had gone by but he'd lost track of this a long time ago as he struggled.
I want Christina.
Though she consumed his thoughts he had yet to be able to reach out to her. Just after school as lightning blazed across the sky warning of a storm that matched his mood the doors to the mansion slammed open.
"What the-!" Stacy exclaimed, eyes narrowing when she saw the reason.
Alissa, blazing fire on the verge of transformation stormed in flanked by Clawdeen and Duncan.
"Come with us! NOW!" Clawdeen grabbed Shaggy by the arm hauling him toward the doors away from the flabbergasted therapist.
"How dare you just burst in here and-"
" SILENCE YOU!" Alissa thundered, ripping Stacy's voice away from her.
"It's Christina," Duncan explained urgently, "She's dying"