Alex Carter: A Red Band Society Fanfiction

Choices

Leo stared across the crowded room, and his eyes locked on Emma, who sat at a lone table in the front. "B 7! N 31!" She called out, as the elderly men and women placed markers on their boards.

"Sorry I was AWOL for so long, I went back to the roof, but you'd already left."
Emma ignored his excuses, continuing to call out numbers.

Finally, she acknowledged his presence. "So, did you need something, or did you come to stare at me all night, like Mr. Wilson," she asked, gesturing towards the man who was staring at her unwaveringly.

"I just wanted to talk about us," he claimed. "I think we need to." Emma continued to call out letters, returning to pretending he didn't exist. "Are you seriously ignoring me right now?"

The game ended, and as the elderlies cleared the room, Emma turned to face Leo. "Since when are we an 'us'?"

"Since we kissed," Leo stated, as if it was obvious.

"You kissed me."

"You kissed me back," he claimed, somewhat smugly.

His tone made her mad, he always managed to get under her skin, more than anyone else. "Maybe, but then you left the roof with Kara."

"Because she went blind!" Emma's expression softened slightly, she wanted to believe him. She wanted to believe he liked her, wanted to be with her, and not Kara. But that was every girls' irrational dream. That they'd meet the guy, who'd only want to be with them. "I know, crazy, right? Kenji says it's some weird side-effect that can happen to patients with heart problems," Leo continued.

"There's always an excuse. Blindness, homecoming, if you want to be with her so bad, just do it, you don't need my permission."

Leo shook his head, and looked away. She didn't get it. She never got it. He couldn't understand how a smart, perceptive girl like her didn't pick up on how he felt. He often felt like it was written across his face for the whole world to see, and yet she missed it.

"Look, Emma, I've made my choice. I choose you. I don't care about Kara the way I do about you. And I know you're scared, but sometimes you have to take a risk. Its up to you."

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Kara walked by a parked ambulance, glad for the open air. She couldn't believe her mom had been too busy to come down to the hospital. Not just to hear about her potentially threatening surgery, but because her own daughter was going into surgery. She had to keep reminding herself that her mom actually didn't care about her. Neither of them did.

She looked across the garage and found a drop dead gorgeous guy leaning against the wall. He was dressed in dark colors, with equally dark boots, one prepped against the wall behind him. His firm, built arms crossed his chest, and a slight frown etched across his face. Finally, someone in my league, Kara thought. "Hey! Got a light?" He ignored her, turning his head to look down the street. "Oh I see, you're trying to kick the habit. Totes respect. I tried that once, it was the worst 48 minutes of my life." When she didn't get a response, Kara stared at him. There was no way he was immune to her amazing good looks, and charismatic small talk. "Hello? Are you deaf? Can you hear me," she called out speaking each word insanely slowly, as if he wasn't only deaf, but a child. But honestly, she was sick of his lack of interest. But as she looked again, there was no way she's passing up a gorgeous guy like him. "I mean, if you are, it's okay, I was blind once, I can relate."

"If there was a time when I ever wish I was deaf, it'd be now," the guy shot back, in a soft voice.

Something tugged at the back of Kara's mind, and suddenly it all made sense. "Wait a minute. I recognize that voice. You're the jerk who put me in the elevator!" A smirk made its way across his face. "Don't smile at me like that! And what you did wasn't cute, it was a super douche move, even if you look like that. In fact, I could report you."

"Be my guest."

"I'm serious. Have you met nurse Jackson yet? She'll take Shawshank to a whole new level. She will demolish you and your sorry a*s dimples."

The guy smirked, causing Kara to fume. "If I was actually a patient here, that might mean something. As it is, I'm just visiting," he claimed, turning to go.

Kara wasn't going to let him go without any information on him, or any way they might "run into" each other later. "Oh yeah? Who're you visiting, maybe I know them?"

The guy stopped, looking her up and down, as if deciding whether or not to say something. "My little brother. With cerebral palsy. Something was messed up when he was born. My mom felt so guilty about it, she took to the bottle. Last I heard, she was living out in Omaha. So, it looks like it's just the two of us."

Kara looked at him, attempting o hide the shock she felt. She actually felt a little bad for the guy, even if he was a jerk. "Oh my gosh, that's...awful."

He sat down next to her on the back of the ambulance. "He drools a lot, he can't walk, so I have to carry him around. I'd lay in front of a train for that kid. He's my whole world."
Kara stared at him, shocked.

"Kara!" Kenji's voice rang out.

"Do you mind, We were having a moment," Kara hissed.

"Kara Souders! You are supposed to be having surgery. You weren't supposed to leave your room. Shake your tail feather young lady. And Hunter, Dr. McAndrew wants you back on an IV."

Kara whipped around and glared at 'Hunter'. "Wait, you're a patient?!"
He just smirked at her, his dimples popping. "You're ten kinds of twisted, aren't you?"