If I Stay

Several of Mia’s friends and family members have arrived at the hospital and sit in the waiting room with her grandparents. While Adam has still not arrived, Kim, Mia’s best has, much to Mia’s relief. 

Kim, who is from a Jewish family, arrives with her mother. According to Mia, there are not many Jewish people in Oregon, so Kim’s family is a rarity. While Kim and Mia come from completely different families and religious backgrounds, they both share a droll and sarcastic sense of humor. 

Kim is noticeably annoyed at all the sobbing and grieving around her, and scolds her tearful mother: “I’m not crying…there is no way you are…allowed to” (65). Impatient with her mother’s tears, Kim leaves her behind in the waiting room and heads to the ICU to see Mia.

Kim’s characteristic sarcasm is on display, as she pokes fun at Oregon’s idea of a non-denominational chapel, which includes a Star of David and a Cross and ignores virtually all the other world religions. While all the medical personnel talk about Mia, Kim actually talks to her, treating this visit just as if it were just another conversation between two close friends.