Chapter 8
�Serenity...she�s here? Now?� AJ asked with wide eyes.
�Yeah, she�s been here all day. I can tell her you can�t have any visitors if you want. But she really wants to see you.� Kevin told him. �No, no that�s okay. I want to see her.� He said looking at Kevin. �Okay. I�ll go and...�
�Hi. Brain told me it was okay to come.� Serenity said standing in the doorway as she held a teddy bear in her hands. �Yeah, come on in. I was just about to get you.� Kevin said waving her in.
�You know what? I�m going to go see what Brain is up to, I�ll be back.� Kevin said leaving the room. She smiled at him as he left.
�How...how are you?� She asked AJ looking down at the ground and then over at him.
�Well I can defiantly say I�ve been better. But I�m doing good. Just really tired, feel like I�ve done twenty concerts in one day.�
�That�s good. I mean... I didn't mean it that way. I mean I meant, I hope you feel better.� She said taking the seat Kevin had vacated by his bed side.
�I got you a teddy bear. Just kind of reminded me of you I guess. I was thinking about all the bears you use to give me when we were together. Whenever you had to go away for a long time or whenever we had an argument you�d give me a bear. I just figured maybe it was time for me to get you one.� She said placing it on the small table that set next to his bed.
�Yeah, well, that was my nick name, Teddy.� He said looking at the bear.
Teddy was the nick name Serenity had given him when they were together. In return AJ gave her the name Bear, because he always called her his little bear. Serenity looked down searching the floor with her eyes.
�Sorry, didn�t mean to bring that up. I was just thinking out loud for a minute. Wasn�t trying to bring back bad memories.�He told her.
�You know umm, when I got the message on my phone today about you being here, I kind of went into shock. you scared me...really bad.� She said choking on her words as she looked down. �Believe me, wasn�t trying to scare anyone. I think I do that enough already, don�t you?� He joked as he gave a slight smile. �Not funny. I�m just...I�m glad your okay.� She said as she looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
�Oh Serenity, I�m okay...really, I�m fine.� He said trying to gather enough strength to give her a big smile. �I know, I just...you just...� She said trying to hold back her tears.
�It�s okay.�
�I know, it�s just that I haven�t seen you in so long. And last night we had just talked. And I was thinking how I hadn�t talk to you in a long time and how I use to ignore your phone calls and how mean I must have been...� She said stoping to take a deep breath. �And I was just hoping I had another chance to tell you how sorry I was. How sorry I was for being so mean and for saying those things I said before I left. And how sorry I was for not calling you and telling you about my new life and what I�ve been doing. You use to be my best friend...and now it�s almost like we don�t know each other anymore. And I�m sorry for that.� She paused, as her eyes came up to look into his. �Even though were not together anymore doesn�t mean I don�t want you to be apart of my life. And I was just praying that God would give me the chance to tell you that. � She sniffed as tears strolled down her cheeks.
�Serenity it�s oaky, really, it is. Come here.� He said reaching out his arms for her.
She hugged him softly as he pulled her into an embrace. �It�s okay baby, I know. But it�s okay. I don�t care about any of that stuff you said, I know you just said it because of what I said. We were both really mad when you left. And I understand why you didn�t answer the calls. You were just trying to go on with your life. I don�t think I could ever hold a grudge with you. It�s okay, and I�m okay. I�m not going anywhere. I�m staying here...I�m staying right here with you. You got that?� He whispered in her ear.
�Un hu.� She breathed into his neck. She had forgotten how nice it felt to be in his arms. It was like whatever happened she would be safe there forever. Nothing could touch her there...nothing.
As she fell into the hug she closed her eyes. He smelled so good, she thought to herself. Being close to him again just made her feel like she was home, like that�s where she belonged. As he continued to hold her a sharp pain shot through his side and he jumped and winced from the pain.
�Ahh.� He let out. �Did I hurt you? I�m sorry.� She jumped, pulling away quickly. �I have a couple of bruised ribs, it�s okay, nothing major. I can give hugs, just not too tight.� He said looking down and then deep into her eyes.�You okay?�
�Yeah, I�m fine.� She told him as she wiped her eyes.
�Hey AJ, your mom keeps on insisting she talk to you.� Brain said as he walked in. He noticed the slight tension in the room. �Am I interrupting?� He asked, looking at the both of them.
�Naw.� AJ told him. �I told her that cell phones weren�t allowed in the room but she said if she couldn�t talk to you she was going to come.� Brian said handing him the phone.
AJ took the phone and started talking to his mother. As he tried to calm her fears about him he watched Serenity as she walked over to Brain. What was she telling him? �Talk to you later.� She mouthed to him as she started for the door.
�Un hu, un hu. Yeah mom I have to go.� AJ told his mother trying desperately to get her off the phone. �Yeah, un hu, I love you too. Yeah, yeah...I will. Okay, bye, love ya.� He said finally hanging up the phone.
�Where did she go?� AJ asked Brain.
�She said she was going home. She had a dinner date with Randy.�
�Oh.� AJ sighed.
�Something happen between you two? I got the feeling I was interrupting when I came in.�
�No, not really.�He said hitting his head against his pillow and closing his eyes.
�What happened?� Brain asked.
�She was just a little shook up about the accident. That�s all.�
�What she say?�
�She just apologized about our whole break up. That�s pretty much it. Said she wanted us to be friends.�
�Oh, well if that was it, what has you so tense?�
�I�m not tense. I�m fine. Sh!t, I was just in an accident. Wouldn�t you be tense too if you had been unconscious for five hours?�
�Your not getting off that easy. For real, what�s up?�
�Nothing...I mean I dunno. I guess I just... just missed her. That�s all. Not that I�m in love with her or want her back or anything. I just missed her, ya know?�
�Yeah, I know. I know.� Brain replied.