Page 15 of When Ben Loved Tim

Tim shrugs. “It sucked not knowing anyone here. I didn’t have any friends to hang out with.”

“Well you do now,” I say, flashing him a hokey smile. Which makes him laugh. “Do want me to be your emergency contact?” I ask after consulting the form again. “I mean, it would obviously be your parents if they were in town. But until then?”

Tim sighs. “They’re going to kill me.”

“Hey, none of this is your fault.”

He shakes his head. “Doesn’t matter. If their trip gets cut short, they’ll be pissed.”

“But only in the concerned and overbearing kind of way, right?”

Tim eyes me like I’m not making sense. Then he studies his sandaled feet, wiggling his toes. “I got a really bad flu when I was fourteen. Like the high fever kind that makes you feel kinda crazy. I cried so much that my parents had to fly home early. And I wish they hadn’t bothered, because I was feeling better by the time they got back. They probably thought I was faking it. My dad was in a shitty mood because of some business deal I messed up. I don’t know exactly, but it’s the same situation. Right now they’re traveling with another couple who have connections my dad needs. It’s a wining and dining type thing.” Tim scowls. “I’d rather be a gimp for the next two weeks than to have him hate me more than he already does.” He clenches his jaw as he turns his head away.

“I’m sure he doesn’t hate you,” I try.

Tim doesn’t respond.

“What about your mom?” I ask.

He looks at me again, his features softening. “She’ll be mad that I didn’t tell her sooner. So I guess I’m in trouble either way.”

“What if they never find out?”

“What do you mean?”

I don’t get a chance to explain. A nurse calls Tim’s name. I follow him down a hall, where he’s weighed and measured (six feet tall and a hundred and seventy pounds) before we’re shown to an exam room. I try to keep his spirits high while we wait. When the doctor shows up to examine him, the sprain is severe enough that we’re told he’ll be there through the night.

“I can pick you up in the morning,” I say during a brief moment when we’re alone.

“Yeah, all right,” Tim says, gnawing on a thumbnail.

“I’m really sorry,” I tell him. “I didn’t mean for any of this to happen. I’ll make it up to you.”

He perks up. “Will you walk home instead of taking my car?”

“Nope! But I do have a really great plan. So you don’t get in trouble.”

Which might land me in hot water, but I figure it’s the least I can do. Before I can explain, a nurse arrives with a wheelchair to take him to his room for the night. I walk with them to the elevators, but he’s going up while I’m going down. (If only.)

“Everything is going to be fine,” I tell him as he’s rolled into the elevator. “Don’t worry. Okay?”

The last thing I see before the doors close are concerned silver eyes. It’ll be fine. I’m going to take good care of him. Like a bird with a broken wing, I’ll nurse him back to health before releasing him into the wild. Or in this case, back into the clutches of the popular kids. I’ll need help though. Lucky for me, I’ve got the greatest friend a guy could ever wish for.

* * * * *

I call Allison in the morning, a minute after her alarm is set to go off. Yes, we know each other that well.

“I’m giving you a ride to school,” I tell her.

“Really?” she asks. “Is your mom driving us?”

“Nope! I’ll be there as soon as your dad leaves. I need your help.”

“Of course you do,” she says around a yawn.

Allison is much more alert when I pull up in a brand-new sports car and climb out.

“I can’t believe it!” she says when leaping down the steps to the driveway. “Is this an early birthday present? Wait… It’s the same car that Tim has! Is that why you chose it?”