Push Girl by Chelsie Hill, Jessica Love Page A

himself. He’d always been pretty enthusiastic about things, much more than the average guy, but I could tell he was laying it on extra thick today for my benefit.
    He pointed at the bag. “Books—”
    “Trashy ones. Romance novels, not schoolbooks,” Amanda was quick to clarify.
    “Magazines, a crossword puzzle book, some snacks.”
    “I was thinking I could paint your nails right now. If you wanted me to.”
    “I’d help, but that would be weird.” Jack smiled. “But I can read to you from this trashy magazine. I hear it says in here that stars are just like us.”
    The unease I’d felt when I woke up and saw Jack and Amanda sitting there next to me was ridiculous. These two people from my past—the best friend I was growing away from and the ex-boyfriend who was still a friend—nothing was weird with them, and I always seemed to forget that.
    I couldn’t stop thinking about Curt’s conspicuous absence, though. I didn’t know why he hadn’t come, or why anyone else hadn’t come, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask. There weren’t many things more pathetic than asking someone to find out if my boyfriend was going to bother to show up to visit me in the hospital.
    “Thanks, you guys,” I said, forcing a smile back at them. “Really.”
    Amanda smiled, too, as she rustled through the tote bag. “So, hot pink? Lavender? Or black?”
    “Let’s do the black,” I said. “It matches my face.”
     
HEY CURT. I’M AWAKE NOW AND I’D LOVE TO SEE YOU. CAN YOU COME BY THE HOSPITAL? 6TH FLOOR, ROOM 6750.
     
SOME PEOPLE FROM SCHOOL CAME BY TO VISIT TODAY. I WAS HOPING IT WOULD BE YOU. MISS YOU.
     
YOU DIDN’T FORGET ABOUT ME, DID YOU? LOL
    *   *   *
    “Do me a favor,” I asked Amanda the following day as she sat next to my bed, reading my horoscope from another trashy celeb magazine. (“Changes are afoot for you, Aries.” Interesting choice of words.)
    “Sure. Anything.”
    “Can you walk around and tell me who all these flowers and things are from? I feel bad that I don’t know.”
    “Oh, yeah.” She bounced up from the chair and walked up to the first arrangement, a small and delicate vase full of Stargazer lilies. “This is pretty,” she said. She grabbed the card and read it in a dramatic voice. “‘Dear Kara, Wishing you a speedy recovery. Our thoughts are with you. Best, Dr. Alexander and everyone at Pacific Coastal High School.’ Aww, the principal sent you flowers. That’s sweet.”
    “I’m sure it wasn’t actually Dr. Alexander. I bet anything it was Mrs. Mehta in the front office. You know she does everything for him.”
    “Fair enough,” Amanda said. “Moving on. Here we have a tasteful arrangement of yellow roses in a clear glass vase.” She moved her hands up and down in front of the flowers like she was presenting them on a game show. “And the card. ‘Dearest Kara, We are praying for your quick recovery. Hope you are back on your feet soon.’” Amanda made a face and shoved the card back into the flowers. “Ouch.”
    “Who was that from?”
    “Your dad’s office.”
    “I guess they haven’t heard the latest,” I said.
    “Well, these flowers are looking a little wilted. Maybe they sent them when you first got in the accident.”
    “Yeah, but they didn’t even know if I would live at that point. Much less be back on my feet.”
    “Maybe they are just a bunch of douche bags?”
    “That’s much more likely. Douche bags who send wilted flowers. Boo on them.”
    “Next!”
    “Next we have this beautiful vase of colorful gerbera daisies, which I can already tell you is from me and Jack and does not have a jerky card attached to it.”
    “Those are pretty,” I said.
    Amanda smiled. “Jack picked them out.”
    I couldn’t help but remember the long conversations Jack and I used to have about our favorite things. I told him about so many of the little joys in life that never failed to bring a smile to my face. My jazz shoes with the hole in the toe,