Beep

Beep...

Beep...

Beep...

...WaitWhat was that? It was like the sound the fridge makes when someone left it open for too long. But I wasn't in the kitchen, I was lying down... somewhere. There was muffled talking and heels clicking and a child crying in the distance. I didn't want to open my eyes, so I just kept listening.

"...Probably stress...""...Low blood pressure..."There were people talking right next to me. I could only here a bit of what they were saying. Low blood pressure? Are they talking about me?

The last thing I remembered was math class. Algebra, I think. I remember having a really bad headache. We were meant to be taking notes, but I wasn't — not really. I was too busy watching my best friend, Leafy, pull ridiculous faces every time the teacher turned his back to write on the board. I tried so hard not to laugh. I really did. But then the teacher caught us.

"What is it that is so hilarious, young ladies?", he had boomed.

Leafy looked like she wanted to cry. She never gets into trouble. So of course, I had to cover for her.

"I'm so sorry Mr Cadhan, sir. I was being distracting", I said. I was trying so hard to look earnest, but I must not have been convincing enough, because he just glared at the both of us.

"This is the third time, ladies. Office. Now".

We both got up and left the room, heads down. I was so angry. He was such a jerk, always picking on us. The principal was going to call my parents, and then I'd be done for. My head felt worse, and I didn't know why. I stopped walking. Things started to blur out.

"Uhm...Scarlet? You good?" Leafy asked.

And I don't remember after that.

A sharp click- heels, again, louder this time- snapped me out of it.I finally decided to open my eyes, blinking furiously. Everything was white. Bright. Blinding. I looked down and realised I was in bed. Not mine, though. This one was stark white and blue, and felt like cardboard. Someone was standing at the foot of the bed, tapping away on a tablet. They had dark hair, glasses, and was wearing a blue shirt.Not Leafy. Definitely not Leafy.I wanted to ask where I was, what happened, why I couldn't feel my legs.

But all that came out was,"What... day is it?"My voice sounded like gravel.

The woman looked up, startled. Then she smiled.

"Oh, good morning, sunshine," she said brightly, setting the tablet aside. "You gave us a little scare."

She walked over, flipping some kind of monitor screen so she could glance at it."You're in the hospital. My name's Maggie. I'm one of the nurses here. Can you tell me your name?"

"Scarlet," I said quietly. 

"Perfect. That's what we've got on the chart," she said. "Do you remember what happened?"

I shook my head, barely. I didn't want to move.

Maggie nodded, still smiling like the sun. "That's okay. You fainted at school. You've been here a little over a day. We've been running some tests, keeping an eye on you."

A day?

A DAY?!

"What's wrong with me?"

Maggie paused. Not long enough to panic me, but long enough to notice. 

"Your blood pressure was really low, and your heart rate's been acting a little funny," she said carefully. "We're still figuring things out. But the important part is that you're awake now. That's a very good sign."

I knew she was trying not to scare me, but I was already scared.

She poured a cup of water from the bedside table and held it out. "Try some sips for me?"

I nodded and took the cup with shaky hands, pouring the whole thing down my throat in one go. It made everything hurt a little less.

"You'll have a few visitors soon—your family's been in and out, a few friends, too", Maggie said, taking the now-empty water cup from my hand. "Your mom made sure we knew exactly what to do if you woke up while she was gone."

Of course she did.

"She's probably just grabbing a coffee downstairs. I'll go call them up now, okay?"

I nodded slowly , and Maggie slipped out the door. A few minutes passed. Long enough for me to blink at the too-bright ceiling and wonder if this was some kind of fever dream.

Heart problems?

Low blood pressure?

Why did this have to happen to me?

Why Why Why?

Suddenly, the door burst open like someone had kicked it.

"Oh thank goodness," Mom said, rushing in with a purse, a coffee, and at least three jackets tied around her arms. "Scarlet, my baby!"

She was at my bedside in half a second, smothering me with hugs and kisses and so much tearful affection I felt like disappearing from embarrassment. Maggie just watched me, beaming.

"I told them you were going to wake up today, I knew it, didn't I say that, Mark?"

Dad followed behind her. He looked tired. "You did," he said, walking over to the opposite side of the bed. "Hey, honey." He smiled at me, and I smiled back.

"I'm okay," I murmured. Even though I wasn't sure I was. I just wanted Mom to calm down.

"You scared the life out of us," she said, brushing my red hair back from my face. "You just collapsed! They said it was your blood pressure, but your teacher thought it was a seizure and—ugh, I knew something was wrong that morning. You looked pale. Didn't she look pale, Mark?"

Dad blinked. "...I think so?"

"I said she was pale. You never listen to me."

They went back and forth, and my mind wandered off. Where's June? Probably at school. I hoped I'd see her soon.....wait. So, I'd just collapsed on the floor? What did people do? Who brought me here?

The door opened again, and I heard a familiar voice.

"Oh my gosh, you're awake!"

Leafy.

She was holding a squashed bouquet of grocery store flowers, a glittery balloon that said 'GET WELL!!', and her school bag. Her face lit up like a sunrise when she saw me, and she squealed.

"I brought snacks! And tissues! And I wrote two poems! And I talked to your mom while we were waiting and OMG you gave me a heart attack, Scarlet!"

She rushed forward, hugging me over the blanket before my mom could stop her.

"Careful! She's got IVs!" Mom scolded, like Leafy was going to snap one off.

"She's okay, Mrs. Walten. I checked." Leafy grinned and winked at me.

...huh? That didn't even make sense.

Mom beamed. "She's just the sweetest thing, isn't she? Honestly, Scarlet, you are so lucky to have this girl. She was practically pacing the halls like a worried puppy."

"Oh my gosh, stop," Leafy said, covering her face dramatically. "Don't make me cry again."

"Again?" Dad asked.

"I sobbed all the way here."

"Leafy!", I swatted at her arm, and she laughed.

We talked for a while—about school, about my friends, about anything that wasn't this. Leafy bounced between stories and read out her poems, which were actually pretty good, while Mom hovered and Dad just looked quietly relieved. No one mentioned the collapse. No one said the word "hospital." Eventually, Mom and Dad had to leave to pick up June, and Leafy headed home to help her mom with dinner.

As soon as they left the room, I ducked under the thin covers and fell asleep.

(1237 words)

Hi! This is my first fanfic and it's so cringe I'm literally about to die 😭 

Uhh... hope you enjoyed and I'll see you in the next chapter!!!

~ Blue <3