Just Friends (5 page)

It’s 10:50pm, we’ve been here around an hour and thirty-five minutes, and it’s already time to leave. Nevertheless, I’ve had a wonderful time, even after spending most of the night babysitting. Max and I decided it was time to take Ethan home. We woke him up and helped him to his feet. He managed to stand on his own, so it would only be bundling up the stairs instead of horrendous bundling up the stairs. I said goodbye to Verity’s friends while Max helped Ethan upstairs. I asked if they’d tell Verity we had a good time, but had to leave to take Ethan home. “Bye
Breakfast
!” They all shouted over my shoulder as Max and Ethan stumbled up the stairs. I found it hard to grasp how many admirers Ethan had. They seemed to increase by the day. Max and Ethan had made it to the top of the staircase as I left Verity’s friends. I think Ethan tried to make conversation, but all that came out was moans and groans, and the occasional random giggle. Max opened the back door to the truck while I held Ethan. I could barely hold myself when I’m sober, never mind trying to help a drunk Ethan remain standing. We stuck him in the back seat, promoting me to front passenger. I didn’t fancy sitting in the back with Ethan in case he threw up, which would have also made me throw up. Max decided Ethan should stay at his. It wouldn’t be fair to dump him at home on his own. The truck was silent throughout the first couple of minutes of our journey back home. I kept looking back and checking if the sleeping Ethan was ok. “August?” Max said, holding the steering wheel with one arm as if he was in a rap video.

“Yes?” I replied.

“What are your plans for when this is all over?”

“You mean college or tonight?” I said with a puzzled face.

He nodded, keeping his focus on the road. I hate when people do that. You ask them a question with an optional answer and they reply with
yes
. How on Earth am I supposed to figure out what you meant? I’m not telepathic.

“Well I suppose, if we don’t go to university or whatever you will pursue your journalism career, and I’ll pursue my big break in my acting career. If that doesn’t work out I’d like to open a florist. As for tonight I’m going straight to sleep when I get home.”

He had a concerned look upon his face as he stared into the rear view mirror, “What do you think he’ll do?”

I turned around to check on Ethan, “I’m not sure Max, I’m sure he’ll pursue his magic career. He mentioned that he would like to open up his own bar when he retired. He may have to fetch it forward a decade or two if it doesn’t work out.”

Ethan must’ve heard our discussion coming from the front since a new lease of life came about him. “Hey guys, how are we, I love you, you know that right? Can we get pizza? I want a pizza.”

I turned around to him and put my hand on his knee and smiled. He tried to force one in return, but struggled. “Do you want me to tell you how I did the apple trick, August?” He closed his eyes and put his head back. My response was like lightning. “You already did?”

“Remember when I said you need two identical apples to perform the trick, well you need three… and a little varnish. The first apple I took a bite out of, varnished it so it wouldn’t go off. It was in your lunch container before you even got to first period. The second you took a bite out of. The third was a simple whole unbitten apple to replace the second. Clever, huh?”

It did amaze me. First, he explained it drunk. Second, he pulled the trick off without me noticing. Ethan slipped back off into his sleep. We then pulled up at a set of red lights. Max stuck on the handbrake. “I’m so tired, I cannot wait to climb in to bed.” His tiredness must’ve been contagious because I yawned straight after. The traffic lights switched to green. Max removed the handbrake and pressed the accelerator. At that moment, a huge bright light on my side of the truck came out of nowhere, blinding us. The light got closer, and closer, and closer until something slammed straight into us. There was a deafening sound of metal scraping on metal, the truck jolted, I couldn’t tell if we had flipped over or spun. There wasn’t time to say anything or protect myself. I had my eyes closed and kept them closed, hoping we’d be ok. It lasted no longer than a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Everything seemed to pass by in slow motion, the thudding beat of my heart echoed throughout my body as I was tugged and thrown in all directions. My life flashed before my eyes, I saw Madeline and Ethan making their friendship bracelets again. I saw my parents cuddling on the sofa while I platted Madeline’s hair in front of the television. I saw myself spitting the blackcurrant juice all over Ethan at his seventh birthday party. Then everything came to a halt. I tried to compose myself and gather my bearings. My vision blurred, my head shaken and numb. I got a tiny glimpse of Max turning around and saying, “Oh my God, is everyone ok?” Then everything went black.

May 24
th

M
y ears woke up before my eyes, there was a strange beeping noise I couldn’t comprehend. My eyes took a few forced blinks to respond. I tried to sit up, but a huge stinging pain shot through my head. I placed my hand on it, hoping the pain would decrease. Then I realised I was lying in a hospital bed. I’ve no idea how I got here. I was just happy to be alive. I couldn’t see any other patients as I was hidden behind a large white curtain. The unmistakable smell of hand sanitiser filled my nostrils. My arm had a small plastic tube running from it into a little clear bag, held up by a thin metal rod. A middle-aged black woman wearing a long white coat approached my bed after appearing from behind a curtain.

“Hi August. Good to see you coming around. How are you?”

My mouth felt so dry I could barely speak. I glanced to my side to see a bottle of water on the shelf. She must have noticed me looking at it as she grabbed it and poured me some into a small cup. Never had water tasted so good.

“My name’s Angela. I’m a doctor here at Samuel’s Hospital. You were involved in a car crash last night. You hit your head pretty hard. You suffered a mild concussion and a little cut to your head, which luckily for you, didn’t need stitches. We kept you sedated until the morning to be on the safe side of things. How do you feel, dear?”

It’s a lot to take in after waking up from a car crash, but as soon as she said
dea
r I immediately thought of Ethan.

“I’m fine, my head hurts. How are my friends? Are they ok? Where are they? Are they dead?”

I needed to know they’re ok. I began to panic, and breathing became a struggle. Angela crouched alongside my bed. “Relax, deep breaths in and out. Do you remember what happened last night?” I nodded as I followed her instructions. She held my hand as I maintained my breathing. “One of your friends is sat in the waiting room with your parents. Do you want me to send them in?” I nodded and wiped my eyes. She gave me a comforting smile before disappearing behind the curtain. My parents worried if I’m a minute late home, especially my Mum. I remember when I was younger I had an ear infection. One night they had to take me to the kid’s hospital because the pain had become unbearable. I was only a kid so I may have empthasised it a little. My Mum was crying because I was crying. After a little medicine I was as good as new. But I’ll never forget how worried my Mum was. It was like the world was ending… over an ear infection. I can’t even begin to imagine what my parents are currently going through. Mum won’t have eaten, drank, or slept since hearing the news. I just wanted them to hug me, and tell me everything would be ok. Mum appeared from behind the curtain first, she’d been crying.

“Oh August, we’ve been so worried, are you ok my baby?”

She crouched beside my bed and stroked my head. Her eyes filled with tears. I hated to see my Mum cry. There’s nothing worse, it’s the most stomach churning feeling in the world.

“I’m fine. My head hurts a little, but it’s nothing to worry about.”

Dad and Max then appeared from behind the curtain. I smiled at them and waited for Ethan to follow. Then I remembered Angela saying,
one of your friends is sat in the waiting room with your parents
. It kept repeating in my head over and over – one, one, one, one, one, one, one. I started to cry. My Dad crouched alongside my Mum and grabbed my hand. “We’re here August don’t worry.”

I wiped my eyes. “Where’s Ethan? Is he ok? Please tell me he’s ok.”

I changed my focus to Max, who’d stood at the end of my bed. He had a small black brace on his right wrist and a plaster above his right eyebrow. He rubbed his nose before sticking his head out of the curtain. I assumed he called Ethan, he must’ve held back, waiting to see how I am. I calmed down, wiped my eyes again and sniffled my nose. I smiled over at my teary eyed parents.

“Is Madeline ok?” I asked.

“She’s fine. She stayed over at her friends last night. When we got the call we thought she would be better staying there instead of sitting in the hospital. It’s not always the nicest place for little girls. We didn’t want her to get upset.”

I glanced over at Max. “Are you ok Max?”

He kept his eyes to the floor. “I’m good August.”

Angela then returned from behind the curtain. When she reappeared my tears continued. “Where’s Ethan? Is he dead? Please tell me he’s ok.” I couldn’t catch my breath. I could slowly feel my world around me closing in on me. “No, no.” Mum hushed. She looked over at Angela for help. She held a clipboard by her side with Ethan’s name written at the top of it. “Ethan, is still sedated – don’t worry he’ll be fine. He’d been hit pretty hard. A fractured radius and ulna in his lower left arm and a fractured collarbone. These fractures thankfully weren’t compound fractures, meaning the bone didn’t penetrate the skin. And a few bruised ribs, but that will be the least of his worries.” She paused for a second, flicking onto the next page of her clipboard. “As Mr. Knight was sat in the front passenger seat, his side of the vehicle took the full force of the impact.”

Angela’s voice trailed off. My sight immediately switched to Max as Angela paused to write something on her report. His eyes didn’t shift from the floor. I remember little about the crash. But if there’s one thing I can remember… it’s that Ethan wasn’t sitting in the passenger seat next to Max. He was most definitely sat in the back because I put him there. Didn’t I? What am I saying of course I did.
What is going on
?

“If the impact would have been stronger it could have possibly killed him. Thankfully, the reinforced sides of the truck absorbed most of the impact… August, you’ll feel as good as new in the next two to three hours. Your parents can sign you out then. If you want to see Ethan before you go, I’m around until five. I’d be more than willing to take you to visit him.”

I smiled, which she did in return. My parents thanked her for taking care of me, and once again, Angela vanished behind the curtain. Everyone gave sighs of relief, but there was only one thing on my mind.

“Can I have a minute alone with Max, please?”

I rolled my head over to my parents. “Of course,” My Dad said. “Victoria, lets go to the café we saw earlier. You need a coffee and something to eat my love.” He put his hand on Mum’s shoulder. They both looked so tired and run down. Mum put my hand on her cheek and kissed it. Dad leaned over and kissed my forehead. Max walked over and sat on the edge of my bed as they left.

“Hey, rough night huh?”

I wasn’t in the mood for laughing about our situation as this moment.

“What happened?” I asked. I needed to get straight to the point.

“Well, two idiotic guys had broken into the local jewellers. They’d stolen over four hundred thousand pounds worth of money, diamonds and jewellery. The police were supposed to be right behind their 4x4. Although, I don’t recall seeing any flashing lights. Anyway, they took a shortcut through the car park of a grocery store. Hit a curb and lost control – which lead to them smashing into us. But on the bright side, we stopped a burglary last night.”

We sat silently for a second while I processed everything he said. Only one thing replayed in my mind. The one thing I needed to speak to Max about.

“Max,” I couldn’t have said his name anymore seriously.

“Please tell me you remember that I sat in the passenger seat, not Ethan.”

It took a moment for him to open his mouth. “I know August, I know. I can’t get my head around it. I don’t know how he did it. No one here will believe us when we tell them. What can I say? He loves you August. I hope you understand that. He didn’t want you to be in the condition he is in now, and that’s why he did it, I have no doubt.”

My mind went blank. Mainly because 1) Switching seats in a matter of nanoseconds is impossible. 2) He was severely drunk and shouldn’t have been capable of completing the so called impossible.

“Are you ok?” I decided to change the subject. Over thinking the current situation won’t help.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Only a sprained wrist, nothing serious. I asked the hospital for a brace to wear for a week in case I catch my wrist on anything.”

My head became heavy to hold as I listened to Max. I felt so weak. I tucked my fist under my chin to keep my head upright.