Living for the fat girl [Book 2]

Part 38

38. Arya

The screaming is too much. They're not listening to me! None of them are listening!

I can't believe what just happened here. What doctor picks a fight with his patients parents? Not that Seth's father doesn't deserve to get punched because he does. He more than deserves that. Actually, I wouldn't mind having a go at him myself. I'd probably get rid of some of that pent up anger and frustration. With Mr. Smith as my punching bag, I would have absolutely no remorse. But then here the doctor is, defending Seth's mother like they're in a soap opera and he needs to defend her honor.

Over the past few days I've been here in the hospital with Seth's mother, I've learned that she and the doctor went to the same high school together. Apparently he had a crush on her and she was too messed up most of the time to notice what was going on around her. Even now he looks at her like she's a celebrity. That's still not enough of a reason to start a brawl in a hospital room.

"Are you deaf? This is my son and I'm not leaving this room!" Mr. Smith shouts at the top of his lungs.

As if being a father ever mattered to him before. I honestly don't know where this paternal instinct is coming from. He sure has nerve!

When nobody seems to respond the way he does, Mr. Smith takes a couple steps towards Seth's bed. At that exact moment the two security guards take hold of him and put him in a death grip. He struggles against them and to my surprise, he manages to wriggle his way out of their grip and comes charging towards me and Seth. I jump up and try to shield Seth from his father.

Almost simultaneously the machines Seth's hooked up to start beeping uncontrollably.

My heart stops and all thoughts of my surroundings are wiped out. The beeping is loud and merciless but all I can see now is Seth. For the first time in days he doesn't look dead, no, he's moving now. Not just moving, but writhing in apparent agony. His face is twisted in a grimace of pain and his hands are clenched into fists by his sides, gripping onto bedsheets. The sight is so horrifying, I seem to lose control of myself. A blood curdling scream escapes my throat and then I throw myself at him, trying to hold him down.

On the other side of the bed, the doctor appears while security charges towards me from behind.

"Arya, step aside!" The doctor orders but I am desperately clutching to Seth, trying to hold onto him as he arches his back in pain.

"Help him! He's in pain! Help him!" I scream, panicking.

"Arya, get out of the way or I won't be able to!" The doctor shouts back, authority vibrating through his voice.

Stunned, I stumble away from Seth and bump into his father. When I turn, he glares down at me with nothing but frightening contempt. I can read in his eyes that no matter what I do now, he will use it against me. His glare is so intense, I have to step around him to escape his gaze. Feeling paralyzed, I stumble backwards until I find a spot to hide and watch as more people storm into the room, surrounding Seth's bed and frantically start working on him.

"He's going to be fine," a shaky voice whispers from beside me. When I turn, I see Seth's mother. She has her arms wrapped around her torso, desperately trying to keep it together. Her eyes are filled with crazed worry. Her mouth is slightly agape. "He's going to be fine, right?"

I choke down the lump in my throat. My hands shake by my sides. "I hope so."

"He's strong. My boy. He'll get through this," she whispers, more to herself than anyone else.

Then the doctor shouts something and everything goes ballistic. I stumble farther away from the bed as the doctor injects something into Seth's arm and a nurse pulls open his eyelids to check his eyes. My back hits a wall and I slide down it, my hand covering my mouth as a silent sob catches in my throat.