It had already been three days since the incident. Fred had been discharged from the hospital. The doctor had warned him not to experience stress or anxiety because of his severe injuries. Now, he lay in bed, quiet and exhausted.
His eyes were fixed on the framed picture of his late father hanging on the wall. He stared at it as if the photo was trying to tell him something, but it just couldn't find the words.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed through the hallway, and the door opened. At that moment, his uncle Jack, whom he had despised since childhood, entered the room along with his daughter, Ashley. The truth was, Ashley had feelings for Fred, but he saw her as arrogant and spoiled, which made him resent her. However, here they were, standing side by side in front of him.
Jack approached, scanned him with an indifferent look, and then extended his hand for a handshake. When it was Ashley's turn, she greeted him with a fake smile. But Fred didn't miss the way Jack had practically forced his hand up.
"How are you feeling?" Jack asked.
"Thanks, Uncle. I'm feeling a little better now," Fred replied.
He was about to ask how they had found out about his injury when he suddenly remembered—he had been in his uncle's hospital.
Jack took a deep breath and asked again, "So, how did you fall?"
Fred told him everything—how he had fallen, how he had gotten injured, and everything surrounding the accident. After a while, Jack and Ashley left.
As soon as they were gone, Fred felt relieved. But then, Sheila crossed his mind. He picked up his phone and sent her a message. It didn't go through. After waiting a while with no response, he decided to text Orlich instead. Their houses were close to each other—maybe Orlich would know where she was.
Orlich's response was short: "I have no idea."
This made Fred even more uneasy. Just as he was lost in thought, there was a knock on the door. Richard, Ethan, Rima, and Victoria entered, greeting him warmly. The conversation quickly shifted to their upcoming graduation day, which was only a few days away. They talked for hours, one topic leading to another.
Eventually, night fell, and it was time to say goodbye. After everyone left, Fred checked his phone again—still nothing from Sheila.
He was exhausted. Pulling the blanket over himself, he let his body relax and slowly drifted off to sleep.