Behind This Smile

I don't remember much after getting into the ambulance. All I remember is one of the paramedics telling me my head was busted open and I would need stitches. I was rushed into the hospital and my dad wasn't far behind. The nurse gave me some medicine and she counted backwards from five and I guess I was asleep.

When I woke up, Mikey, my dad, and Frank were there staring at me. I felt extremely numb and I blinked a few times to get adjusted to the light. "Dad?" I croaked. He glanced at me and ran over to the bed I was in.

"Syd? Syd? Are you okay?" he asked worriedly. He held my hand and stroked it.

I nodded and looked over to my left. There, was an IV in my arm. I had to use all the little strength I had not pull it out. I looked at Mikey who semi smiled at me and Frank was grinning.

"What?" I asked.

"I like your hair," Frank replied. Mikey smiled a little bigger.

"My hair...?" I tucked some stray hair behind my ear.

"Now, Syd, they had to cut off some of your hair for the stitches. Luckily, where your head was busted open wasn't as high up your scalp as they thought it was, so they didn't shave your hair or anything," my dad began glaring at Frank for bringing it up.

"It's just shorter, and..." he stopped. "the nurse who cut you hair, she wasn't very good, so it looks-"

"Dude," Frank interrupted, "it looks pretty fucking-" my dad glared. "fudging. Pretty fudging bad." he chuckled. Then Mikey started laughing and that caused Frank to fall out of the chair that he was in. Mikey was getting close to that point, too.

I groaned. "I'm going to get it fixed, right?" I asked my dad hopefully.

He nodded. "First thing on out to-do list after you get out of the hospital." My dad's face hardened. "What is your sister's problem?" he growled. I was slightly worried. My dad has never growled. Either he woke up on the wrong side of the bed, or his hate for my sister has now finally taken over him.

I glanced at Mikey who was staring at the dirty floor. "She was being really rude to Mikey when he was at home yesterday, so when he left, I threw a rock in her windshield..." I smiled sheepishly.

"She said Mikey did that, but i haven't managed to ask him, yet," he replied, a smirk on his face. "You're in big trouble, though," he said trying to keep a straight face. He finally grinned. "But I'll let it slide."

--

My dad went outside to talk to Dr. H and Frank was hungry, so he left and I was stuck with Mikey. "Thanks," I whispered.

He shook his head. "They should've come after me," he mumbled to his hands. "I shouldn't have done that, Syd. I'm so sorry." He frowned, and I removed the IV from my arm. I winced and I got out of the hospital bed and stumbled towards Mikey.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and he seemed taken aback. He slowly put his arms around me and I hugged him tighter. "I was going to do to it sooner or later," I told him. "Was it fun?" I asked, pulling myself away from him I could see his face.

"Hell, yes. More than you know." He smiled and I laughed. Mikey glanced at the clock that was by the door. 9:30. "Thank God it's Friday," he sighed.

I smiled and a nurse came into the room. "You're going to need to get back in the bed and stay in it." she smiled; obviously irritated. She probably had to deal with people who do that all day.

I nodded and climbed back in the bed, nearly tripping over my feet. God, I probably looked like my mom when she came home from "work".

The nurse put the IV back in my arm, and she pointed her finger at me. "Stay in the bed," she demanded. "Or I'll get your doctor in here to scold you." I rolled my eyes. Was she serious?

"Okay," I sighed. "When do I get out?" I asked her before she left.

"Tomorrow," she replied. She mumbled something and I couldn't hear it clearly, but I'm pretty sure she said, "hopefully".

I looked at Mikey who was trying to touch his nose with his tongue. "Um, Mikey?"

He put his tongue back in his mouth and grinned. "It's harder than it looks, you know."

I nodded. "Does my hair look that bad?" I asked him.

He laughed. "Your hair makes zombies' look really good. How 'bout that?" he raised his eyebrows.

I clicked my tongue. "Like, it's sticking up in all directions, or it's just really uneven?"

Mikey cocked his head one way, then cocked his head the other way. "Umm.... A little bit of both. But more of the uneven thing. I know what that nurse isn't going to be."

I chuckled lightly and I felt my eyelids get heavier. I closed them but refused to sleep. I heard the door open and close and I heard Frank say, "They had Cheetos, Doritos, M&Ms, Starbursts, and everything else, but no fucking skittles!"

Mikey and Frank erupted in laughter, and that was the last thing I heard before I drifted away.