"Why hasn't she woken up yet? It's been over twenty-four hours!"

"With her injuries, it can be hard to tell, with the blow to her head and almost drowning we just don't know. It could be another couple of days or even a week. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful."

"No, I'm sorry I didn't mean to yell, I know you're just doing your job, I just can't wrap my head around the fact that I almost lost her!"

I can hear mum talking to someone but I don't recognise the other voice. She sounds really upset. As I slowly become more conscious of what's happening I start to notice the pain, my head and ankle are throbbing, my lungs feel like they are on fire and I'm so tired.

I don't want to open my eyes, I just feel like sleeping but I can remember the moments before I blacked out and I know I need to let mum know I'm awake. She must be so worried and so angry with me.

I consider for a moment to pretend I'm still sleeping as to avoid her wrath a bit longer but I couldn't do that to her, especially not after losing my dad in an accident.

It takes a ridiculous amount of extra energy to get my eyelids to go up and when I finally manage it I see mum pacing back and forward at the foot of the bed. When she doesn't notice I'm awake I try to talk, but I struggle with that too. Everything is just so sore and aches.

I manage to clear my throat and that gets her attention. She stops dead in her tracks and I can see the relief instantly wash over her, she bursts into tears and rushes over to me.

"Finally! You frightened the living daylights out of me! I was so scared I'd lost you."

She comes in for a hug which makes me wince in pain, my ribs are really tender too. She takes a step back and apologises.

"Are you in pain honey, do I need to call for the nurse?"

I nod my head, which was a terrible idea. The pain shoots down my neck to the tips of my toes. I close my eyes again waiting for it to dull down a bit. I thought I only banged my head, so why am I so freaking sore all over?

Then next minute I feel a warm soft hand wrap around mine, it's definitely not my mum's. I slowly open my eyes again to see Hunter standing right next to me with tears in his eyes too.

He's here!

I burst into tears as well, not caring about the pain this time because my best friend in the whole world is here.

"I'll just go find that nurse shall I?" Mum says. She squeezes my hand and exits the room.

Subtle mum!

"I have never been so scared in my life! What were you thinking? If Zoe hadn't of seen you run past the house I would have lost you forever and I'm sorry but that's just not an option!"

I give a slight smile, I knew he cared!

"Oh no, you don't! Don't you go smiling at me, I'm so furious with you. I haven't slept a wink since I had to pull your lifeless body from the water and then perform CPR on you. I don't want to close my eyes for fear of seeing you like that again!"

I burst into tears again and manage to finally get some words out.

"I'm so sorry!"

I sound funny, my voice sounds all dry and scratchy.

He sits on the bed next to me and carefully wraps his arms around me. It still really hurts but I let him because having his arms around me is the best feeling in the world.

I cry into his chest as he gently strokes my arm. I feel him gently kiss the top of my head and say,

"Don't you ever do that to me again Maddie! I love you too much, life without you would be miserable! And I've already had a taste of that so I know."

I snuggle in more despite the pain.

"Ok, ok, enough of that you two. This young lady needs rest and we need to do a few tests as well. How about you two go home and have something to eat and get cleaned up, then by the time you come back we will be finished and she will have had some more rest,"

The nurse says to mum and Hunter.

They both reluctantly agree, mum gives me a gentle hug and kiss on the cheek and as she's talking to the nurse before she leaves, with their backs turned, Hunter leans in for a gentle kiss on the lips, one isn't enough and he quickly comes back in for a second and third.

For a moment I forget all about the pain as my stomach does somersaults.

"We'll talk when I get back ok." He whispers in my ear.

I don't know what to say so I just nod.

Ouch!

Note to self, no more nodding!

After the Doctor runs a few tests I'm given the all-clear, I just need to rest and heal, but I will have to stay in the hospital for a few more days.

They gave me a full rundown on everything that's wrong. My ankle is broken, thanks to my leg strap that stayed tightly secured as my board bounced around and over the massive waves. I have ten stitches in the back of my head where my board hit me. I'm starting to think maybe that board had it in for me. Although it's probably long gone by now, if not by the waves, someone more than likely stole it. I'll have to repay Hunter's parents for it.

My lungs are sore from the water I swallowed, my ribs are sore from the CPR Hunter did to save my life and the rest is just a few scratches and bruises.

I'm very, very lucky I didn't drown!

When the nurse is finished giving me some more pain relief I drift back off to sleep. I wake later in the evening to the sound of muffled sobs. Mum is sitting in a chair next to my bed, holding my hand.

I'm such a horrible daughter, she must have been beside herself.

"I'm really sorry mum, it was a really stupid thing to do! I didn't mean to worry you like that."

She looks up at me and says,

"Promise me you'll never do anything like that again and from now on, no surfing alone."

"Ok mum I promise!"

"If I lost you......"

"I know mum, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry!"

"You're all I have left Maddie, all I have left of your father. You're so much like him you know, he lives on through you and that's what got me through the hard days after he died. Every time I saw his smile in you, the way you hold your knife weird like he did, the way you sing in the shower like he did, you're my whole life honey, you're my everything!"

She sees my tears, leans in for a big hug and then wipes them away.

"I just don't understand honey, why would you be so silly? What made you think you could go out in that storm?" She asks me.

"Did it have something to do with the night before?" She adds.

I nod.

"I thought I'd lost Hunter forever and I freaked out!"

"Why would you think that?" She asks.

"Emily rang me and said some really horrible things before telling me that Hunter was sick of my crap and had had enough and that he was done with me, so I should just stay away."

"What kind of horrible things? And why would she do that?"

I look down at my hands on my lap.

"Because I kissed Hunter and he must have told her. She called me a conniving slut and that it was just embarrassing throwing myself at him when he keeps rejecting me. Then she called me a prude, which is why Skylar dumped me, then she finished off by telling me she and Hunter have great sex so why would he want a virgin loser like me. Then every time I thought of Hunter not wanting anything to do with me I panicked! I just needed air, to get out in the open, but I kept having panic attacks so I grabbed an old board and just ran for the ocean!"

"What the fuck!"

My head jumps up to see Hunter standing in the doorway. He looks mad.

"Sorry Maddie, but I'll have to come back later," he says with barely contained anger.

He's about to turn and leave when I ask him where he's going.

"To have words with Emily, who I broke up with the night she rang you!"