Synthetic Love

I stared blankly at Ricky's unconscious body. He was laying in a hospital bed, tubes in his chest and mouth, oxygen tank, and a heart monitor was beaping faintly beside him. His arms and face was covered in cuts and a bandage was around his head.

"What happened?" I asked blankly.

Chris sighed. "He left from my house to go home. An eighteen wheeler ran a red light and hit the driver's side. He flew out of the windshield."

I ran my hands across my face. I felt a tear slip down my cheek. "Does his mom know yet?"

"She's on her way."

"When are we gonna know something?"

"Tonight. They don't know why he hasn't woken up."

I didn't know how to reply. Of course I wanted them to find out but that was obvious. Chris and I hadn't really had a good start as friends, small talk was all I could think of.

Vannah was with Balz in the waiting room. She was trying her best to comfort him but he was worst than any if the guys. They were the closest.

The door opened, Mrs. Olson coming in and immediately began to sob. I got up and hugged her. She sat down on the couch in his room beside me after about half an hour, she had cried out.

It was late that night that the doctor came in. "We have to run some more tests. We know he hit his head but from what we saw, nothing was wrong. We want to make sure."

We all nodded.

"When do you think he'll wake up?" His mother questioned, her voice muffled from her stuffy nose.

"I'd say either tomorrow morning or tonight." We don't think he's gonna fall into a coma or anything."

"That's good."

"He is lucky to be alive. That's why we want to make sure everything's working okay. We're gonna run more tests on his chest, also. We will be late so you can go home and if he wakes up, we will call."

We all nodded and made our way out. All the other guys and Vannah were gone by now. I got in the car with Ricky's mom. She drove home. Neither of us said anything.

When we made it to the house, I didn't even bother to change from my clothes before I fell into bed, ready for sleep to take me.

0o0o0

I was woken he next morning by a knock on my door. I sat up. "Come in."

Ricky's mom peeked in. "I made pancakes. If you want any."

I nodded. "Thanks. I'll be down in a minute." I got up, stripping my clothes from yesterday off and I put in a pair of sweatpants and a tank top. I pulled on my vans and made my way down.

We ate in silence. Normally things weren't awkward between us but today it was.

I had no clue what to say. I didn't feel like I belonged here. Especially with Ricky gone. I mean, he was the reason I'm living here in the first place.

She took my plate when I was finished. She began to clean the dirty dishes. She did it slowly, I noticed. She wanted to get this all off her mind.

The phone rang, bringing me from my silent observance. I picked it up. "Hello?"

"Yes, this hospital calling to tell you that Richard Olson has woken up and you can come down whenever."

"Thank you. We will be there soon."

"You're welcome. See you then. Thank you."

Mrs. Olson already had her purse and keys by the time I had hung up the phone.

0o0o0

We arrived faster then I thought possible. We were led into a new room today. Apparently they had moved Ricky into a private room.

His mom went in first. He smiled. "Hey, mom."

"How are you feeling?"

"Okay. Just a little sore." He replied.

"Someone else is here to see you." She said, smiling.

He gave her a questioning gaze and I walked around the corner. "Hey, Ricky." I have him a smile. I was happy to see him awake.

He scrunched his eyebrows together and looked from his mom to me then back to his mom.

"What's wrong, sweetie?"

Ricky glanced at me once more before answering. "I don't know who that is."

0o0o0

"He may never remember what he lost. He doesn't remember the last year of his life." The doctor stated, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

"He may never remember?" Ricky's mother shouted.

"No. He could, though. The human mind is an enigma and it can't be predicted. He could remember tomorrow or never remember."

"Is there any way to help him?"

"Normally i'd say yes. Doing his daily routine, show him pictures or videos but this is a severe concussion we found. We didn't think it would make his memory change but in this case, you could confuse him to a point of no return. It either has to come back or not on it's own, his memory, I mean."

I had sat in the back. My head hung low, listening. My brain finally put the pieces together.

Ricky doesn't know me. He may never know me.

I had to get out. I stood up and walked out of his office to the hall. I pulled out my phone, going to the contacts until I found the one I wanted and called it.

If Ricky didn't know me, I had no reason to stay.