Chapter 8: Female

As it had numerous times before, the blinding lights made my eyes twitch in my attempt to open them. It was then that I realized I just had a nightmare which jolted me awake. What? Anyone would have screamed in despair had the world's largest chocolate factory burnt in flames.

I think I would've had to be locked up in an asylum. That was, of course, taking into consideration the small possibility they would be able to stop me from committing suicide first.

Haha?

Oh God, will someone switch the goddamn lights off already? Where was I anyway? I groaned when I recognized the smell of sterilizers and the all-too-familiar smell of medicine. With a little greater effort,I forced my eyes open and shook the headaches off as they came within the next few seconds.

After another few seconds, I tried to figure out what could've happened that led to my ending up in that godforsaken place once again without having to take a car. Honestly, I think I probably went to the hospital on a stretcher more than I went in a car.

Oh right, I remembered, I collapsed in school. But who found me? Forte? And why isn't anyone in this room?

Just as I thought that, the door burst open and my doctor, whom had taken care of me since my first visit, walked in. Doctor Nathan saw me and said, "Ahh, awake already, I see." Then he frowned, "You've certainly been naughty this week. What did I say about regular exercise and healthy eating? If it's not practiced, you can't go around running with all your strength at one time. That's detrimental to your body and mind."

"What happened? Heart attack? Exhaustion?"

"It was a seizure this time. A minor one, though. It was due to your sudden overexertion on your body. You were running, I gather?"

"Blame my school teacher. He made me run three floors up and down again for pure entertainment," I said, with a drawl. "Where's my mom and Forte? Shouldn't they be here?"

"Your brother went to make a very urgent call and Paula is still on her way from work. Your friend went back to your house to pick up some stuff. Very generous-looking lad too," said Doctor Nathan, looking down at his notes and then checking my pulse.

My mind was all in a jumbled mess because I thought I heard it wrong. "What friend? Last I remembered, I didn't have any," I said. "Wasn't For the one who brought me down here?"

"You were undermining yourself then, when you said you didn't have any friends. He was definitely concerned for you. Plus, Forte didn't know until I called the school later for him to be given permission to come here."

Beyond shock, I slumped on the upright pillow I put leaning against the wall, my mouth hanging open. Who in their right minds would associate themselves with me... on purpose? Checked the clock that hung just above my room door and gawped wider. It was already four o'clock.

The ice-cream man would've left even if I went back to school now.

I sulked just as the door flung open and Forte walked in. He saw I was awake and rushed to the bedside. "Dawn, you're feeling better now?"

Truthfully, I felt a little guilty for making him worry so much. I mean, he was a jackass half of the time, but when he worried about me, he genuinely worried about me.

He was sweet that way.

"Yeah, I'm alright now. Sorry," I said, as he pulled a chair up to sit beside me. I stayed silent as he sighed with his head hanging down. Recalling what Doctor Nathan told me earlier, I asked, "Who brought me here, by the way?"

Before he could answer, the door opened once more and three people walked in. I was too surprised for words when I saw Ansel and his best friend, Lucas, whom both shone the brightest in terms of looks in Mort HIGH, standing at the entrance of the room, panting. The other man looked in his mid forties and was unfamiliar, but that wasn't what I was confused about.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, glaring at Ansel, who growled back.

"You tell me. First, I see you and you're fine. Next, I see you in a hospital after hearing you had a seizure. Is there something wrong with you?" he asked, with no hint of sensitivity in the least, which made me hate him all the more.

"Hey, buzz off, alright?" Forte immediately said. "Her condition is none of your beeswax. We appreciate the fact that you brought Lucas here, but if the only thing you're going to do is start criticizing her, I'll be more than happy to send you off."

That was my brother, as defensive of me as ever. Ansel deserved it too, the little git that he was.

The stranger walked up to me and said, in the most gentle voice I'd ever heard an adult manage to me apart from Mom, "Are you alright, Miss? I hope you didn't injure yourself when you fell."

"I'm quite alright, thank you," I smiled. It was then that my arm throbbed. I tried my best to mask the pain by grabbing it inconspicuously and massaging it where it hurt. "I'm guessing Lucas sent me here?"

"Yeah," Forte said. "He called 911 and they brought you to this hospital when they found you had their appointment card in your wallet."

With a look that expressed a little shame, I turned to Lucas and said, "Err, thanks. Sorry you had to go through all that."

"Don't be silly," his smile was godlike and his voice sang like a canary's. He was my savior and I wouldn't have had it any other way. Better him than some dude who would've instead left me there to rot. "I was actually walking back from the restrooms when I saw you fall. I tried to wake you, but I noticed the signs of a seizure, so I called the ambulance instead."

Smart, too. Quite the opposite of Ansel, wasn't he?

"Dad, you'd better hurry and switch the engines off. Otherwise I don't think we'll have enough fuel for our ride back home," Ansel said to the stranger.

That was his dad? How could someone so arse-like come from someone as caring as that?

"Oh, you're absolutely right. Well, Ans and I will be off for the time being. Little Miss, take care of your health and it was a pleasure meeting you. I hear you're Ans' partner for the Latin sessions he's been instructed to have. We'll look forward to your next visit," said Mr Saint James, before dragging his son and himself out of the room.

"I'll give Mom another call to find out if she's anywhere near the hospital. Stay here with her, will you, Lucas?" Forte said, getting up.

"No problem."

Just like that, I watched in horror as my trusty brother left me alone with the school's second-most handsome and popular guy in Mort HIGH.