Worst Impressions

Chapter Ten

Given the extenuating circumstances, and the fact that Jenny regained consciousness long enough to tell her mother the truth of what had happened when she rushed to the hospital to be with her, I was spared punishment. Technically, I should've been pulled up on lying to a teacher, but Jenny's mother liked me enough that she talked them out of sending me to detention. It helped to have friends with important parents sometimes, even if I didn't capitalise on the advantage often.

Her mother even got me some time off my afternoon classes so that I could visit Jenny during her stay in the hospital.

'I feel like some terminally ill patient,' Jenny complained a few days later.

I closed the book I'd been reading aloud, a copy of A Room with A View, and reached out to flick her cheek gently. She pouted. I said, 'You're fine. Before you know it, you'll be back at school, and seeing Charlie again.'

'I know.' She spared a blush. 'But I meant because you keep coming to read for me. It's like you think I'm never getting out of here. Don't you have anything better to do? What about your music exams?'

'Nope. Like I keep telling you, you're stuck with me. Besides, the exams aren't for ages. I can catch up on the practice.'

Jenny reached out to take my hand. 'I'm sorry that you were almost in trouble because of me.'

'You should be sorry for getting so bloody sick in the first place.'

'Well, I am,' she said. 'Hospital food is disgusting.'

'I mean, I meant for making me worry and all that, but whatever. Besides, I doubt it's that bad...'

Jenny was in a private room with highly paid doctors and nurses checking on her almost hourly. Nothing was disgusting or cheap about anything that happened in the hospital. Had she been in the care of an underfunded and overworked government institution, she might have been forced to suffer some very questionable meals indeed. As it was, she was being treated like a princess.

'Could you do me a favour?' she asked.

'Depends on what it is.'

'Can you smuggle me some chocolate from the vending machine, please?'

'I think I can manage that,' I laughed. 'But if I get caught, it was your idea.'

I didn't like leaving her, but what was I meant to do?

She was the one sick in bed and I was at her command until I headed back to school. I set the book down in my chair once I'd vacated it and left the room. I thought that she might get bored on her own, but it wasn't worth bringing in hundreds of things for her to do, not when she wouldn't be there for more than a week. Besides, she was supposed to be resting.

I glanced at the clock on the way to the nearest waiting room. Classes would have concluded. Usually, Jenny and I would be chatting on my bed by now, or I would be teasing her about her feelings for Charlie. Well, so long as she wasn't off with Chantelle anywhere. I didn't like that she'd let Jenny go off on her own in the rain. I blamed her for the whole incident. She'd invited the girls out in the first place even though the weather was going to be foul. It wasn't like it was difficult to check the weather forecast online before making plans.

She was so bloody stupid.

'Beth!' Charlie greeted as he crossed the waiting room.

I turned away from the vending machine and ceased pondering which lump of sugar Jenny would prefer. I looked him up and down, and asked, 'What are you doing here?'

My question must have come off as rude or abrupt because he faltered and replied, 'I - I thought that I would check up on Jenny. How is she?'

'She's a little better,' I said in a kinder tone. 'But I think it'll be a few more days before she's back. Are you here on your own?'