That Kid: Noah Pryce

Chapter 27

[JENNY]

"Yes.. Thank you... Will do..."

Waking up, I heard Noah's mom talking to someone. As soon as I opened my eyes I caught her putting her phone back in her hand bag.

I adjusted my position on the black sofa inside a hospital room where Noah had been confined.

"Who were you talking to?" My voice was still raspy since I just woke up after dozing off for what seemed like hours.

Mrs. Emily smiled half-heartedly while rubbing her eye with her fingers. "That was Dr. Osborne," she sighed.

"He's Noah's psychiatrist..." she grated her throat. "...Was," she added.

"Was?" I reiterated, wanting to get a broader explanation.

Mrs. Emily gawked at Noah unconscious in the hospital bed in front of her before opening her mouth to give an answer.

"Noah stopped seeing him two weeks before we came back to Forks. At first I protested against it, but my son begged," she sniggered corrosively.

"He promised me that if we come back, he'll get better. He assured me that he really was getting better. That he needed no more medication, that there was no need for a psychiatrist. So when he stopped taking his medicines, I no longer said anything about it," she added, her voice filled with dismay. "Turns out I was wrong."

I stood up, thinking of reaching out to her for a hug. She was holding back her tears, I noted, and I wanted to help her take it all out.

I walked around the hospital bed until I got to the other side where Mrs. Emily was standing. I spread my arms but before I got to embrace it around her, Noah made a subtle groan.

Quickly, I turned around, whelming in a rush of joy seeing him opening his eyes.

His mom and I smiled at the same time whilst huddling to each side of the bed. Mrs. Emily held his son's hand gently like she was holding a baby's hand.

"Noah," I smiled, blinking back the tears that were about to drop from my eyes.

He didn't answer. His eyes were glued to the ceiling. I could see his adam's apple bobbing up and down like he was gulping a huge lump stuck in his throat; his chest falling up then down like he just let out a gigantic breath entrapped in his lungs.

Then, his eyes rained with tears.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled in a muffled tone.

"What was that?" Mrs. Emily muttered, unsure if she heard it right.

"I..." Noah's voice was shakey which was probably because of his crying. "Why am I here?" He suddenly changed the subject.

I was in awe with the fact that he was asking that question. He doesn't remember what he did, I guess.

Mrs. Emily went silence so the burden of answering him was left on me.

"Y..," I paused, wanting to compose myself first before I spit the words out. "Y--you just stabbed yourself," tears were forming in the corners of my eyes as I remembered the knife piercing to his stomach-- blood staining the shirt covering it.

Noah didn't seem to be shocked. His face went stoic whilst still glued towards the ceiling.

Mrs. Emily wiped Noah's tears on the cheek with her thumb. She smiled, aiming to lighten the mood... A complete failure honestly.

"I've called for an appointment with Dr. Osborne," she declared.

Noah's face changed from being expressionless into something appalling. His disheartened eyes fixed to his mother.