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Beat just couldn't believe it.
It didn't seem that bad at first. His arm just stung a lot after failing to land the trick, that was all. But then the stinging didn't go away and his arm got harder to move, so Rhyme insisted that he go to the hospital to get it checked. Knowing that his little sister would continue to worry if he didn't, and wanting his arm to stop (Ow!) hurting, he gave in and went.
It took them forever to treat him. He shouldn't have been surprised. His arm hurt, but he wasn't (Ow!) dying or anything. Still, he kinda wished they would hurry up. He wished they had let Rhyme stay with him too. It would have made the long pauses between (Ow) treatment more bearable.
…Then again, maybe it was a good thing. He was glad Rhyme wasn't there while they took x-rays and made his arm turn in ways it didn't want to (OwOwOwOw!). That would have been…embarrassing.
They diagnosed him with a cracked elbow. Not sprained, cracked. And he would have to wear a cast and a sling for six weeks. Six weeks.
So much for skateboarding this weekend. So much for skateboarding, period. For six weeks.
Sometime in-between the x-rays, he asked for a glass of water. He got more x-rays, pain medication, advise to rest, and of course a cast and sling for his arm, but he never did get that glass of water.
IIIIII
It took Beat less than a day to learn that life with only one useable arm was…frustrating. Infuriating, actually.
He never realized how many activities required two hands. His poor skateboard would have to be content with the limited view of his room and closet, because skateboarding was out (for six weeks!). Also rendered impossible was pulling heavy doors, unzipping his wallet, tearing open chip bags (well sometimes his teeth worked), and unscrewing anything with a tight cap. This included toothpaste bottles, pain medicine bottles, water bottles…
His sling wasn't very useful. Whenever he tried to use it, his arm would (Ow!) drop down too low and start hurting like hell. So instead he gingerly carried his hurt arm with the other arm, wincing whenever he had to sit up (Ow), sit down (Ow), go down steps (Ow, Ow, Ow), or pick something off the floor (Naturally he had to be extra clumsy and knock stuff onto the floor constantly…Ow) And then his other arm would start hurting from holding up the hurt one for so long. (Ooow…)
Beat was glad that Rhyme was usually around to help. He couldn't say that he didn't need it, and he knew he couldn't depend on his always-working parents to be of much assistance (they seemed more interested in lecturing him on the recklessness and uselessness of skateboarding, as he stood there holding his hurting arm…Ow…) Still, he couldn't help but feel…well, kinda pathetic as he had to ask his little sister again and again to open water bottles for him. Besides, she couldn't be there for him all the time.
"It's not your fault," she said with a smile, as they strolled down the street.
"I know it ain't," he replied, as his hurt arm slipped out of place slightly (Ow). "…But it still hurts, yo."
"I know. Just take it easy, okay?"
"…I'll try."
IIIIII
Beat hadn't told his friends about it yet. He didn't want to drag down their fun by asking them to open bottles of water for him. Nor did he want their pity. He got enough of that from Rhyme. Besides, the pain was supposed to get better in a few days. Then maybe he wouldn't have to carry his arm all the time and let the sling do its job. He wouldn't be such a burden then.
So he was heading home on his own (Rhyme had after-school activities) when he stopped by a vending machine. He inserted the money, ordered a bottle of water, bent down to pick it up (Ow), realized he couldn't open it by himself, threw it onto the ground with his good arm…which caused the hurt arm to drop down from the sudden lack of support.
"Yow!" yelped Beat, quickly grabbing the hurt arm and rapidly sucking air between his teeth.
The bottle rolled away. He glared at it.
…It wasn't fair. All he wanted was a drink.
"Beat?"
He jumped (a spasm going through the hurt arm of course) and looked up.
Neku was there, his expression somewhere between concern and confusion. The bottle of water was stopped by his foot.
"What happened to your arm?" he asked.
Beat straightened, though he still held his arm.
"Busted it."
"How?"
"Skateboardin'."
"When?"
"Yesterday," Beat answered, wincing despite himself. "…Hurts like hell."
"I can imagine," said Neku, picking up the bottle of water. "Your sling's all wrong."
"Wha?" asked Beat, giving Neku a blank stare. "But this is how they put it on at the hospital."
"…You serious?"
"Yeah, man."
Neku was quiet.
"…Well, they obviously didn't know what they were doing. Have you been holding your arm like that all day?"
"Yeah."
You can't do anything like that," stated Neku, slipping the water bottle into his pocket. "Go sit on that bench over there. I'll fix it."
"Fix it?" Beat asked. "What do you know about slings Neku?"
"Quite a bit," the other replied. "I broke my arm when I was twelve."
"You serious?"
"Serious as death. Or the Game. Or…well, whatever, I'm serious."
"How'd you do it?" asked Beat.
"Skateboarding."
"Yo, you can skateboard?!"
"Not really. That's why I broke my arm," answered Neku. "Never messed with it much after that. This the first time you broke something?"
"Yeah. I mean, I've gotten lotsa bruises and sprains, but this is the first time I actually broke something."
"You're braver than me then," Neku said with a smirk. "Now, you going to sit down or what?"
"Gimme a sec," replied Beat, walking over and carefully sitting on the bench. His arm stung despite his caution.
"Okay, lemme see…" muttered Neku, walking over for a closer look. "…Geez, this thing's all screwed up. It should cover your hand, arm, everything. It's like it's only half-on…Beat, can you lift your arm?"
"…Ow!"
"…I'll take that as a no. Can you hold it up with your other arm?"
"Yeah…"
"…Okay, gotta take this thing off and start over. Hold onto your arm."
"A'ight ."
"…Okay, now the velcro thing should be up here…main part should be around your arm like-"
"Ow!"
"Hold still!"
"I am holding still!"
"No you're not!"
"It's the stupid arm's fault!"
"Look I'm almost done, okay?" Neku growled, as he did final adjustments to the sling's strap. "…Doesn't look very stable. Lemme try something."
Neku dug through one of his pockets, pulling out a red pin with an orange tattoo flame in the middle. He poked the pin through the strap and fastened it in place.
"Dude, ain't that your Pyri…Pyra…that pin you use to set Noise on fire?" asked Beat, staring down at the somewhat scratched-up pin. "…You sure you ain't gonna need this later or somethin'?"
"You kidding? I have the Black Mars pin," Neku answered with a smirk. "Anyway, that should do it."
Beat looked down past the pin and to the rest of the sling. It did look more professional than…the professionals.
"Let go of your arm. Can't tell if it'll hold right unless you do."
Warily Beat lowered his arm, and then released it. The sling held…and it didn't hurt!
"Looks like it's holding," said Neku.
"Yeah…" Beat echoed, almost in wonder. "…Yeah! Thanks, man! You're a lifesaver!"
"I dunno about a lifesaver," answered Neku. "But it'll make life easier anyway."
"Yeah…Well, I gotta get back home," said Beat, standing up. "Rhyme's probably wonderin' where I'm at. 'Sides, I need to…hey Neku, how am I supposed to take a shower like this?"
"…Get along with your folks for once."
"Huh? What do my folks have to do with it?"
Neku stayed silent on the matter.
"…What?"
"…Nothing," Neku replied, bringing out the water bottle, unscrewing the top, and offering it to Beat. "Want a drink?"