Black

Part 12 Spellbound of Rain

He was lying on a bed, fragile and vulnerable under the blue sheets of hospital bed. IVs were inserted in his arms, gauze around the head and his right arm was in sling rested over his chest. Streaks of dusk light through the slits of curtains made his face appear much paler, hollowed eyes with dark circles and sunken cheeks due to excessive blood loss. His bosom rose and fell with his labored breathing. Monitor showed his pulse rate that had engrossed Denis into staring at the machine and to make sure Sam was alive; breathing and sound asleep that Denis had convinced himself into believing. Bouquets of flowers laid on the table next to his bed with wish card. Fria opted to stay when Ryan left after asking if he's needed there at the hospital. Denis could take care of Sam himself, he didn't need anyone's assistance. But Fria was mother hen in their group and their childhood friend since elementary school, he couldn't argue with her. The girl was the first one who had accepted their relation in the public. Sam was under Dr. Loyld, her father's treatment and it gave her a perfect excuse to stay without any objection. The notion that he could have taken care of him made him snicker. If he knew what was going on with Sam, he wouldn't have ended in the hospital. Denis spared his sleeping form a glance and dropped his head. Sam's grin, the accident flashed before his closed eyes. Did Sam... There's no way that Sam could think of overrunning him with his car. Maybe be was simply paranoid considering incidents of the last few days involving Sam.

-
Jennifer was lying lazily on her couch watching her favourite sitcom. Ironically, the laughter behind every comical dialogue and action made her question what's so funny about the situation to begin with. But irony, itself, was humorous in a bitter way. Her own miserable sulking state was laughable. Maybe the laughter was intended for her or must to bitter her mood why she's pretending to be normal when she wasn't. She jolted out if her jumbled thoughts when she heard the door bell. She strutted towards the door to answer it and met with Ryan on the other side.
"Can I come in?" Ryan simply asked pointing inside. She nodded and stepped aside letting him in.
"Who's it Tia?", her mother came out if the kitchen drying her hands with towel and eyed the boy from top to bottom.
"Ryan...classmate...I had told you before..."
"Hello, M'am", Ryan greeted, bowing down in courtesy that made her mother smile.
"I already like this boy", her mother winked at her own daughter making Ryan smirk in return.
"Can we study in peace?" She asked her mother in exasperation as she led Ryan to the couch and settled down with books on table.
"I'll bring you guys some snack to chew", Mrs. Smith went inside the kitchen. Jennifer pulled out her calculus book and glared in his direction.
"Are you waiting for an invitation?" Ryan blinked up at her before opening his book and notebook to practice. Her mother returned with potato chips and soft drinks placing them on table.
"Thanks" Jennifer silently told her mother with eyes to leave them.
"Have fun kids" Mrs. Smith bid them night and went upstairs before turning back to speak, " And don't do funny business"
"Mom!" Jennifer practically shouted at her mother who had to crack joke even when a person is dying. And tutoring Ryan was no better than a death.
"Your mother is sweet", Ryan complimented getting comfortable on sofa.
"Yeah sweet enough to rot teeth"
"What?"
 
They both studied, Jennifer taught him the basic concepts further elaborating them to him as he appeared to be a slow learner, opposite of what she had thought of him. No wonder he failed in his tests. Ryan showed her his answers and she sighed crossing them with her pen.

"That's not how you do it"

"It's easy when you solve"

Jennifer rolled her eyes at him for the umpteenth time and started solving questions herself.
"You're cute when you're angry" He told her boldly. Her patience was already wearing away and he's trying to hit on her. Couldn't he asked Haley for calculus? She sure would have taught him other stuff too along with the calculus in a very demonstrative way. After two hours of mentally cursing him, he started picking up and showed her solved sums that were unexpectedly had correct answers.
"Let's call it a night", Ryan's back hit the cushion releasing an audible sigh upon hearing her.
"Sam will be alright", Jennifer told him and she didn't know whether she's assuring him or convincing herself that there wouldn't be any death.
"He'll be", Ryan picked up his book and left for the door. It had already been drizzling for two hours, and Jennifer handed him umbrella.
"Thanks for the lessons, Brooke", he showed her his cocky grin that she seemed to hate.
"You were slow..."
"You would've kicked me sooner if I told you that I got them all in head". Jennifer stood there frozen in her place and stared at him who got inside his car and drove away.