Song is  Hallelujah by Pentatonix.

If you are looking for a contest that is based on talent, not a popularity contest, come take a look at the MAJESTIC AWARDS!!!

https://www.wattpad.com/story/112499033-the-majestic-awards

The doors of the elevator parted with a distinctive ping. The long stretch of the ICU hallway was almost entirely vacant, save for someone manning the nurse's station.

My mom pushed me forward. I didn't anticipate the sudden jolt and groaned as my foot caught underneath the front wheel.

"Legs up next time," she said, patting my good shoulder in a conciliatory fashion. As far as I was concerned, there wouldn't be another next time in this damn chair. Okay maybe to return to my room later, but after that, never again.

Mom parked me beside the desk once she started talking to one of the nurses to get an update on the patient in room 303. When she caught me trying to listen in for details, she pointed to the far end of the hallway as a distraction. "That's Sarah."

Sitting in one of the oversized recliners, a woman with long sandy blond hair had her head buried in her hands. Even from twenty feet away, I watched as her body trembled and shuddered.

Thinking she'd succeeded in shifting my attention, my mom gestured to the nurse to move their discussion out of earshot from me. It didn't take too much guessing on my part to know exactly who they were "discussing."

It was only a couple of minutes already, but all this waiting around did nothing for me.

With my mom's back turned, I took it upon myself to wheel this damn chair down the hall. It took a little longer than expected, considering I had only one good arm. After I'd steered into the wall for the third time, Sarah noticed.

She bolted from her seat. "Here, let me help you." It took a little force on her part to yank the contraption backward by the handles to get it to move Well, I did weigh two-hundred and forty pounds, so it wasn't like I was a lightweight or anything. She continued pushing me down the remainder of the hall. "Where do you want to go?"

I had to bit my lower lip to keep from saying, "room 303." Manners were never my strongest suit, and I struggled to rein back the apparent impatience on my part.

Okay, this was her aunt. I had to ask nicely. Keep it together, Sebastian.

Instead, I placed a half-smile on my lips and glanced at her over my right shoulder. "I was actually coming to talk to you."

"Me?" she forced with a laugh. Sarah sniffed a few times, the after effects of all those tears she was attempting to wipe away. "Why would you want to talk to me?"

The wheelchair came to an abrupt stop, and Sarah perched herself on the armrest of the recliner. Eyes red and puffy, nose swollen and a hand full of Kleenex at her side; this woman looked as if this had been the first reprieve from the constant crying.

Usually, I'd try to manipulate the situation to get what I wanted(i.e.permission to see Shelby). But there was something about the way Sarah hauntingly peered at me. Those same hazel eyes and that deep expression reminded me of Tonya. And if she were here right now, she'd call me out first thing on what I was considering to do.

This would only work if I were genuine. Here goes nothing. I swallowed hard and said, "I was wondering if I could have your permission to see Shelby?"

She stared absently past me for a few moments. Maybe she didn't hear me? I was about to repeat the question when she finally said, "You're not Connor, are you?"

"No." My extension of that one syllable word, along with my definitive head shake was to alleviate any doubt. Hopefully, no one would ever confuse the two of us  again for that matter.

"Okay, good." Sarah's shoulders slumped as she exhaled deeply. "All I know is that my sister did not like that boy one bit, and I'm not in the mood to be chasing off any boys today."

I didn't care if I was banged up or not. If that prick, Connor Jacobs, even dared to show his face at this hospital to see Shelby, he'd end up in the ER for sure.

I held my hand out for my proper introduction. "I'm Sebastian. Sebastian Birch."

Sarah wiped a nervous hand down her face before shaking mine. "I'm Sarah. But I guess you already know that." Her head craned around me to take in my mother as she talked to the nurse still. "You're Brenda's son? She told me about you. Said you were in some accident, yourself?"

I gulped. "Yes." On both accounts. But more to my mother claiming me, even after my idiotic mistake of epic proportions that I made last night. At least she didn't look at me like she held my stupidity against me. Or maybe my mother didn't elaborate on any details. Please let it be the latter.

She placed a hand over her heart, patting it slightly. "You were Kyle's friend right?" The wavering in her voice melted away my resolve.

I didn't want to confront the fact that he was gone, yet. To me, it still wasn't real. With a clearing of my throat, I said, "He's my best friend."

And nothing would ever change that fact.

I looked away quickly to keep her from noticing. There, on the wall, was a clock with its second hand ticking painlessly along. Tick. Tick. Tick. My eyes closed, damming the tears that congregated behind the lids and savored the expectancy of that lone sound.

When I reopened my eyes, they were met by her her solemn ones. "Why would you want to go in there?" She paused, turning toward the open doorway of room 303. The constant chiming of the monitors registering her heartbeat now serving as background music to my thoughts.

The better question was: why wouldn't I?

She continued, "The doctors say she won't be waking up for a couple of weeks since they had to induce a coma. So there's really no point in you sitting in there and doing nothing."

As if her words would sway me. My reasoning for seeing Shelby was selfish, and probably for all the wrong reasons. But I needed to see her, to just touch her hand or something and feel that she was alive. Hearing it, did nothing for me. I had to experience it for myself.

"Please? I promise I won't bother—" An alarm roared from the room, prompting two nurses dashing in to investigate.

Sarah's wide eyes fixed on the open glass wall, as did mine. Chris, Shelby's uncle, promptly exited as Mom rushed past him. None of us said another word—shit; I didn't even take a breath—until my mom huffed as she left the room a dozen or so of my racing heartbeats later.

"It was nothing. False alarm." Mom threw her arms up while forcing a half smile to seem convincing. Maybe it wasn't just a false alarm? "The pulse ox needed a little more tape to stay on is all."

"Oh." Sarah's face instantly regained a bit of coloring. Far better than the ghost white a few moments prior. "That happens a lot."

Mom glanced at me before returning to the nurse's station. Chris shuddered, undoubtedly scared to death of being in the room when something happened. Even if it was something as minute as the pulse ox as my mother claimed.

Chris stood there, staring at his watch. "We have a few minutes before we have to leave." He hesitated and motioned toward the elevators. "I'm going to get a cup of coffee."

It wasn't my place to judge, but by the looks of him, he needed it. Those dark crescents shadowing his bloodshot eyes were proof enough.

Sarah didn't say anything and nodded. We watched his retreating form, disappearing altogether. Now that I was positive of what room I needed to get to, nothing would stop me— even if Sarah told me no. I'd play nice with the nurses and act like I was there to see my mom if I ever got caught. Easy enough.

"So, back to what we were discussing." Sarah's voice pulled me from my plotting.

"Yeah. Umm." Shit! What was I saying before? I nervously raked a hand through my hair, cringing as my fingers brushed against a couple of open cuts on my scalp. From the accident no doubt.

Sarah smiled, half eyebrow cocked, the same way Kyle did. "Just a quick question."

I slumped back into the wheelchair. I hated to admit, but I was worn out already. And it wasn't even fifteen minutes that I'd been down here. "Okay?"

"Do you and Shelby get along?" By that glint in her eyes, I suspected she already knew the answer to that. Therefore, lying to her wouldn't help my case.

I chuckled once. Not because I considered anything about this awful situation funny or amusing in the least. I laughed at the absurdity of what I was about to say and anticipated Sarah's automatic "no" as a result.

"Actually, I think she hates me most of the time." There, it was out there. Full disclosure.

My hand lowered to the rubbered wheel of this chair to roll myself backward and leave. My plans of sneaking in to see Shelby served as enough of a backup to ensure I'd still get what I wanted. Maybe not the way I wanted, permission and all (to come and go as I pleased) but it was still something. Fingers crossed that she didn't get moved to another room.

I made it one rotation of the wheel backward when Sarah grasped the armrest to stop me.

"And you?" She raised a thin eyebrow, daring me.

Man, I could tell where Kyle got his tenacity from, and it wasn't Tom or Tonya. Both of them were too far easy going. Nope, that trait came straight from this woman right here.

"I'm the exact opposite," I admitted, wholeheartedly.

A teasing grin tugged at her lips. "Okay. All right. That's good enough for me." She rose from the chair and turned the wheelchair so she could push me again.

_________________________

Comment, vote and share!!!

Love FANTASY??? Then please go check out our other story: The Blood Reader ~ https://www.wattpad.com/story/110772104-the-blood-reader

See you on Tuesday!!! P.S. Bass gets to see Shelbz!!! :) 

XOXO