It was a Friday afternoon, Amy just finished getting dressed and was about to go wait for Kyle in the living room, when her phone started to ring. She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was her best friend. She smiled knowing that her best friend wanted to wish her luck, so she happily answered the call.
“Hey Mandy!” her greeting was cut short by her best friend’s sobs.
“Mandy, what’s wrong?” She anxiously asked.
“It’s- it’s. It’s Kyle” Mandy hiccupped in between sobs.
“Mandy, what happened to Kyle?” Amy’s heart jumped at the mention of Kyle.
“He- he..”
“Mandy, try to breath” She said to her best friend, as she noticed Mandy was finding it difficult to breath. She wanted her best friend to calm down a bit and explain properly what happened to Kyle.
“Kyle was involved in a car accident” Mandy finally explained, still in tears.
“What?!” Amy screamed in shock.
“When? How? Where?” She confusedly asked.
Amy was in a complete daze. How did this happen? Kyle was supposed to come pick her up, so how did he end up in an accident?
“He was on his way to your place when a car that lost control of its brakes ran into his car”
Amy could hardly believe this. This is all her fault. If she had insisted that he should forget about the lunch date, none of this would’ve happened. She began to cry, knowing that Kyle was hurt because of her.
“Can I come see him?” She managed to ask, wiping her face with the back of her hand.
“Of course. I’m sure he’d want that” Mandy told her.
Amy said goodbye to her best friend and ended the call, rushing out of the house and into her car, to go visit Kyle at the hospital.
Amy got to the hospital and asked the nurse at the reception desk for Kyle’s room number. As soon as she was given the information, she hurried into an elevator and clicked on the button to the VIP floor. Amy kept praying in the elevator that Kyle isn’t badly hurt from the accident, because if he is, she will never forgive herself.
The minute the elevator doors opened, Amy ran out, looking for Kyle’s hospital room. Luckily for her, she sighted two figures in the hallway that looked like her best friend and her brother, Chase. So, she took quick steps towards them.
“Mandy” she quietly called her best friend’s name to get their attention the moment she got to them.
Mandy quickly engulfed her in a hug, crying into the hug.
“How is he?” Amy asked Chase, who was leaning on the wall with his arms folded against his chest.
“He’s unconscious at the moment… The doctor said he has a broken arm, some broken ribs and bruises on his head. Nothing major” Chase explained.
Amy sighed in relief. She was thankful that there was no major damage.
“But… Why is he still unconscious?” She didn’t understand. If there was no damage to his internal organs, why isn’t he waking up?
“The doctor said his body is still in shock, that is why he’s still unconscious” Amy nodded in understanding, still soothing her best friend.
“Let’s get you something to make you feel better” Amy then whispered to her best friend, guiding her to the hospital’s cafeteria so they would both have coffee, to help calm their nerves.
After twenty minutes, Amy returned with a now relaxed Mandy. Chase was currently sitting on one of the chairs outside Kyle’s room, tapping away on his phone.
“Here. I think you need one too” Amy said, handing Chase a cup of black coffee.
“Thanks” He replied, taking the cup from Amy.
The door to Kyle’s hospital room suddenly opened and out came Mr. and Mrs. Theodore, Kyle’s parents. Amy stood up from her seat and politely greeted the couple. Mrs. Theodore hugged her instead and thanked her for coming. She then told Amy that she can go see Kyle if she wants to, because they’ve all spent some time with him.
Amy didn’t need to be told twice. She hugged Mandy’s mom in appreciation and went into the room to see Kyle. He looked like he was asleep, if not for the bandages wrapped around his head, arm and torso. She slowly made her way to his side, sitting on the chair beside his bed.
“Forgive me, Kyle. This is all my fault” She began, taking his uninjured left hand in her hands.
“If I hadn’t acted like a brat and said a proper thank you for the lovely gifts you got for me, you wouldn’t feel compelled to make it up to me… I’m so sorry for causing you such misfortune” Amy let go of his hand and quickly covered her mouth to muffle her sobs. She thought she was strong enough to see him, but she was wrong.
Amy couldn’t bear to see Kyle in such condition, so she stood up from the chair and made her way to the door. When she reached the door, she tried to control her breathing and stop her sobs, wiping her face so it wouldn’t be obvious that she was crying.
“Amy?” Kyle’s croaked voice suddenly called just as Amy was about to turn the door knob, bringing her to an abrupt halt. She was so shocked to hear his voice.
“Oh my God! Kyle, you’re awake!” She exclaimed in surprise when she turned around and saw that he was indeed awake.
Kyle groaned in pain as he tried to sit up.
“Careful” Amy said, rushing to his side to help him sit up. She carefully placed the pillow behind him for support.
“Water, please” He croaked, trying to reach for the glass of water on his bedside table.
Amy wasted no second in assisting him to get the glass of water. She even held the glass for him, as he drank from the straw.
“Thanks” He said after emptying the glass.
Amy placed the empty glass back on the bedside table and began nervously twiddling her thumbs. There was a comfortable silence in the room, but Amy hated it. She wasn’t comfortable sitting beside him and acting like none of this is her fault.
Kyle’s big hand was suddenly in top of her two small ones, preventing her from fidgeting.
“What is it?” His deep calm voice asked, surprising Amy.
How could he tell that something was wrong?
“Something is bothering you, Amy. Talk to me”
“All of this is my fault” She eventually replied. There was hurt in her voice.
“Amy, why would you say that? You’re not the driver that accidentally ran into my car” Kyle pointed out.
“I know. It’s just… I’m the reason you got in an accident. If I hadn’t behaved like a brat and made you think that I was upset, none of this would’ve happened… I’m sorry”
Kyle wiped a stray tear from Amy’s cheek with his thumb.
“The last thing I remember is the accident. I don’t recall you being upset with me, nor did I think you were… I wanted to have lunch with you because I wanted to see you” He then said in a soothing voice, to help calm Amy.
He didn’t like the fact that she was blaming herself for something she didn’t do. He could tell she was scared that the accident could’ve been worse.
“I’m sorry if I scared you” He apologized, entwining their fingers.
Amy quietly nodded in reply, giving his hand a light squeeze to show that she accepts his apology. She didn’t want to stop him from apologizing or argue that she ought to be the one apologizing because she didn’t want to stress him even more. He has had enough for one day.
“I better go inform your family that you’re awake” She suddenly said when she realized that she’s the first person to see him conscious.
“Are you leaving?” There was disappointment in Kyle’s voice, making Amy feel guilty.
“No, no. I’ll be outside waiting if you need me. I just want you to spend some time with your family. They were all worried when you didn’t wake up” She explained.
“They’ll be fine for a couple more minutes”
Kyle wanted Amy to stay with him a bit longer because this is the first time in a long time they’re alone like this.
“I promise to visit every day until you get better”
“You’ll do that?” Kyle couldn’t hide the surprise in his voice at Amy’s statement.
Amy too couldn’t believe she just said that to Kyle who she was nervous of meeting again. She nodded with a warm smile and stood up from the chair beside Kyle’s bed.
“I’d like that. Thank you” Kyle returned the smile before slowly letting go of Amy hand.
“I’ll be outside” She said and headed towards the door, leaving the hospital room to go tell Kyle’s family the good news.