Indifference (boyxboy)

31. Bobbing Balloon

Elijah

"Please say I can go home today!" I whined at my mum.

I hated being in hospital. It was so boring. And the food tasted awful.

"The doctor is going to do some more checks on you today and if she's satisfied she said you can go home tomorrow."

I groaned in annoyance, but I supposed tomorrow was better than next week.

"Anyway, you've got a visitor coming later," my mum said, grabbing my attention.

My mind immediately flew to Ryan, but I quickly realised that was unlikely since I hadn't heard from him all week.

This was my 6th day in hospital. The impact to my head had caused a major concussion and swelling which had left me unconscious for 10 hours and rather vacant for the next two days. I'd had endless x-rays and scans, and they were constantly asking me questions to test my brain function and memory. It was exhausting.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Alicia."

"Oh," I said.

I think it was my lack of enthusiasm that made my mum frown.

"That will be nice won't it?" she said. "Having someone talk to you about school and things?"

"Yeah, I suppose," I said, trying but failing to smile.

I hadn't really felt like smiling recently. It was hard to describe, but it was like a light had been switched off somewhere inside me.

I'd totally forgotten about it when Alicia came in later that afternoon. She brought a selection of chocolate bars and a helium balloon that said 'Get Well Soon' on.

"Hey," she said, looking slightly awkward to be here. I wondered whether her mum had made her come.

"Hi, thanks for those," I said, pointing at the balloon and chocolate bars that she'd placed on the table next to my bed.

She grimaced. "My mum insisted on the balloon."

I stared at it, watching it bob about lightly from the slight draught that was always blowing through here.

"I like it," I said, thinking it would give me something to look at later.

"Each to their own," she said with a shrug, before sitting on the chair that was near the bottom of my bed.

"How's school?" I asked. Not because I was interested, more because it was expected of me.

Alicia let out a long breath.

"Different!" she said.

That finally got my attention.

"Different? Why?"

"Well, the day after you were admitted to hospital Mr Phillips disappeared. Rumour is, he's been sacked. Anyway, we have this new head teacher now, Mrs Roberts."

"Roberts? As in-"

"Yes!! As in Mr Roberts's wife!!! How crazy is that!!"

"Wow, yeah," I said, quite surprised by this news. "Why do people think he's been sacked?"

She looked at me a little confused. "Why do you think! Because of everything that happened that day!"

"Really?" I said, not quite sure I was hearing right. "Nothing's ever happened before when someone got beat up. I suppose I was hurt quite badly, but still-"