Leah Archer was just 12 years old when she hit her head on a rock and fell into a coma, one that doctors weren't sure she'd ever come back from. But when she wakes up four years later, she faces the struggle of recovery and fights to regain any hint...
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CALEB AND I walk out of the hospital side by side, his parents a few steps in front of us. I look over at his face, but it's hard to read what he's feeling. After what he just went through, seeing his little sister for the first time in four years, there's no telling what thoughts are running through his head.
Caleb catches my eye on him and I raise an eyebrow in question. He answers with a grin, and a feel some of the tension leave my body. "You good?"
He lets out a chuckle. "I'm fucking great, man." He opens his mouth to say something else but seems to rethink and closes it. We walk in silence for a few more seconds before he speaks again, much quieter than before. "I used to think that I would never see her like that again. Laughing, smiling, being herself."
I nod my head but don't say anything in return. I know there's nothing I could say to make the situation better, and I have no idea what he's going through. If our roles had been reversed and I had nearly lost Bree, I would be going out of my mind right now. Still, I want to make sure he's okay.
"Look, if you-"
"Noah," Caleb snaps, and his tone shocks me. "I'm fine. I don't want to talk about it anymore. Just leave it alone."
I walk a few steps behind him all the way to the car, not knowing what's going on and not wanting to upset him. The ride back to town was quiet, with Caleb lost in his thoughts as I tried not to set him off. Whatever he was dealing with, I needed to let him try to sort it out in my head before I tried to help him through it. After knowing him for years, I knew he preferred to solve things on his own rather than others interfering.
He drops me off at my house with just a quiet 'see you later' before his car speeds off down the street. I let out a sigh, turning around to walk up to the door before stopping in my tracks when I notice a strange car in the driveway. Both my parents were off at some event with their friends, so it should only be Bree home unless she has a friend over.
I pull my lanyard from my pocket and slip the black key into the lock, hearing the click before pushing the door open.
My lanyard slips from my fingers and onto the floor as soon as I see my sister on the couch, making out with some teenage guy.
They jump apart as soon as my keys hit the floor, both their eyes wide with shock. The guy has short-ish black hair, and I think I recognize him from the varsity soccer team, though it's hard to tell because he looks like he's about to shit his pants right now.
"Noah!" Bree cries out, and I'm not sure if she's trying to pretend I didn't catch this guy with his hands up her shirt or if she's just too embarrassed. "I thought you were going over to Caleb's after visiting Leah?"
I let out a chuckle. I can't handle their faces, it's too much. "Nah, Caleb wasn't feeling too happy afterward, so he just dropped me here before going home."
