All I Can Do

Farren glanced at Jon, the unknown man who was sitting next to her hospital bed, holding her hand. He had pretty much made himself at home next to her and was sitting rather close, watching the TV in her room, resting his head on her bed, one hundred percent at ease. Yet, she didn’t recall his face anywhere in her memory, she didn’t know him. He was a blank, a question mark, a total stranger.

Her eyes widened and she inhaled sharply, “Who the hell are you?”

Jonathan frowned, backing up enough to give her the space she needed, “My name’s Jonathan Toews.”

Her hands clenched and she pushed herself further into the cushions, “I have no idea who the fuck you are, and where the FUCK am I?”

Jonathan glanced behind him; nobody could hear her raised voice. He turned back to her, noticing her panic, her fear. He sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. She was beginning to get frantic, looking for any source of familiarity, just to reassure her that she was safe.

“You’re in the hospital,” He said calmly, wanting to reach for her- but knew it was a bad idea, “You’ve been out for a few days, we got into an accident.”

She froze, still breathing heavy, her dark blue eyes locked on his, “Accident? We? I don’t even know you.”

Jonathan rolled his eyes and nodded, “I know that. I hit you. You were turning left; I didn’t hit the brakes fast enough and... I slammed into you.”

He winced at the memory and she watched in fascination. This man, whom she didn’t know the slightest, seemed torn because he’d injured her. How could somebody possibly care so much about putting a person they’d never met before in the hospital? Wounding them? It’s better than sending a loved one here- but the way he sat there... his expression, it was like he’d known her his entire life.

“Where’s my family?”

He looked up, he no longer saw fear, and “They went out for something to eat... I wanted to be here in case you woke up.”

She frowned, raising an eyebrow slightly, “You don’t even know me, Jacob.”

“Jonathan,” He corrected her, but let it pass, “I know I don’t, but I wanted to make sure you were okay. I couldn’t sleep, or even think without the thought of you... lying here, running through my head. It was fucking chaos. I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Farren watched him nearly fall apart again, her heart swelled, “Why do you care so much?”

Jonathan was caught off guard by the question. He thought it was rather personal. He cared because he could’ve ended her life; he could’ve cut her life incredibly short- she had so much going for her. He could tell already and he didn’t even know her. He cared because she deserved a second chance, another chance to live life to the fullest.

“I could’ve killed you,” he said bluntly, “I feel like I owe you something.”

Farren, on the other hand, didn’t understand this concept. All she saw was a man, who drove into her, nearly took her life, and was now sucking up at her bedside. She didn’t know her and he really had no right to claim they now had some stupid connection- which is what it felt like. He was only easing his guilt- he didn’t care two shits about her.

“You don’t,” Farren said harshly, staring him dead in the eye, “Except maybe paying some hospital bills for my parents, other than that you can leave, Jonathan.”

Jonathan stared at her, mouth hanging open in shock, “Oh... um, yea of course. Tell- uh, tell your parents to send me the bills. I’ll take care of them right away.”

“Good,” she said sharply, crossing her arms.

Making it obvious, she glanced at the door and then back at Jonathan. He nodded, clearing his throat, feeling like he just got kneed in the balls. He gripped the wheels of the chair and spun himself around, heading out of the door. He didn’t even look back, or say goodbye, it was clear that what he thought should happen- happened. She hated him.

He nearly killed her- he didn’t expect anything but hatred.