The Dating Game

Chapter Fifty

Justin

Ian had been in the hospital for about two weeks now.

He was awake and on his way to being his typical cheery self. He hasn't made enough progress to begin walking yet considering his left arm, hip and leg were broken (as well as his right hip). The doctor said they don't want to rush his recovery so in about four weeks or so, they'll begin the walking process.

Every spare time I got, I managed to spend it with Juliet and Ian in the hospital. Mom was actually quite compassionate with the whole ordeal so she allowed my frequent absence at home. Even Jazmyn had bought some books from the shop she worked in and gave them to me to give to both Ian and Juliet so they could read. One of Ian's favourites so far was a book about the haunted areas in the United Kingdom.

"It's quite fascinating, you know," he said to Juliet who was whining incessantly about the book being a load of nonsense. "It's realistic. You should read it instead of your silly teenage romance books."

"These are more realistic than yours," she remarked.

The doctors had even brought in another tatted armchair with a similar pattern so I could sit next to Juliet. Sometimes she sat on the end of Ian's bed, but whenever I came, she sat down in the chairs.

And as much as she abhorred having to go to school and leaving Ian all day in the hospital room, she had to but that did consequentially mean she preferred to do all of her homework and revision (which the teachers were beginning to set for mini tests in lessons) in the room with Ian. He read whenever she did this, but it also meant that I had to do it, too.

With Ian in the hospital, it left virtually no time for Juliet and I to focus on our relationship. We'd been together for nearly two months now and she wasn't at all bothered. Granted, yes, she was worrying ceaselessly about Ian and it was understandable, but whenever he suggested for Juliet and I to go on a walk around the gardens together on our own, she always declined. He'd glance at me and shrug as if to say at least I tried.

I had just come back from the hospital and collapsed on my bed. I was shattered. Being in that hospital room consistently was overwhelming. It was tampering with my mind psychologically and I abhorred it. I don't understand how Juliet can still be in there; even Ian was beginning to be driven insane by the same four white walls.

And to make matters worse, I still hadn't informed Juliet about my dad suddenly making an appearance and actually acting as a father for me. He'd gone back to his girlfriend now, but he was phoning every other night to talk to all of us. Sometimes he even spoke to Dawson but that was sporadic.

Jazmyn was reading her book in her own room, and Mom and Dawson had gone out on a date tonight. My eyes wandered aimlessly around my room before being transfixed on my shelf. There was a vast layer of dust on some medium-sized book. Curiosity piqued, I got up from my bed and ambled towards it. I picked the book up and blew the dust away, wiping the remains on my jeans that were going to be put for the wash tonight.

It was the book that Dad got me: Do You Understand Your Girlfriend? Apparently Not! Taking the book back to my bed, I slouched down on the bed with my shoulders against the headboard and opened the door. I guess my dad was right. I would need to read it soon.

Juliet was being distant, but I guess it was for a reasonable explanation. Still, it didn't dispute the evident deniability when it came to not wanting to spend some alone time with me that could have been ten minutes... fifteen at the most, perhaps. We were barely kissing or hugging, either. Occasionally we held hands, but that was about it. And the other stuff were non-existent, too.