Page 20 of All Your Tomorrows

“Not your fault,” he assured me.

I reached under the sheet and covered his hand with mine. Then, I reached over and held his hand beside me. If he couldn’t touch his own body, I’d somehow find a way to connect them.

“Am I cold?” he asked.

“No. You feel the same,” I said, brushing my thumbs over the backs of both of his hands.

A long silence passed as we both stared at Kyler in the bed.

“This isn’t my room,” he finally said, breaking the silence. “Mine’s upstairs.”

“Maybe they wanted you closer to them during the day,” I offered.

He released my hand, leaving it bereft of his warmth. “I’m gonna head upstairs and see if they changed anything.” And though he said it like it was no big deal, I could sense he didn’t like seeing himself lifeless and hollow. I didn’t blame him.

Once he disappeared from the room, I spoke to his other self, wondering if I could somehow break through to him. “You in there?” I asked, not really expecting a response. “Maybe you could just wake up and all of this could be over. I know he’d appreciate it.” I paused, but again there was no response. I glanced at the screen on the machine beside him. His heart rate was steady. That had to mean there was still hope, right? “Where have you gone? You’ve gotta be in there somewhere…” I stared at the tube in his mouth and the rise and fall of his chest, hating that this was what had become of such a fun-loving guy. “I would’ve loved to know you before your accident. I know you would’ve been the center of attention—at least all the girls would’ve been watching you even if you didn’t realize it…”

“Who areyou?” a voice demanded from the doorway.

I glanced over my shoulder.

A girl with long blonde hair and perfect makeup glared at me.

“Oh…I…”

She walked in and her eyes shot to my hand holding Kyler’s under the sheet.

I slipped my hand free and fixed the sheet, trying to make the gesture look innocent.

“I asked you a question,” she clipped.

“I’m Nora. A friend of Kyler’s.” I stood from the chair.

She was a few inches shorter than me and swiftly slid into my newly vacated seat. “I know all of his friends,” she said, her eyes drifting over my jeans and hoodie. “How do you know him?”

I swallowed. “School.”

Her eyes narrowed, not buying my story. “He never mentioned you,” she said as she slid her own hand under the sheet so she could hold his hand.

“I didn’t catch your name.”

“Melanie.”

I shook my head. “Can’t say he ever mentioned you either.”

Anger grabbed hold of her features, her face growing taut and on the verge of bursting. “Well, I’m here now. You can run along.” Her gaze moved from mine to Kyler in bed.

“Ugh, she’s back?” Kyler said as he returned to the room.

I glanced to him in the doorway.

“Ask her about the accident. Maybe it’ll help me remember,” he said.

“You were in the car that night?” I said as she continued to stare at him.

“So?” she said.

“How did you manage to get out unscathed?”

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