Brother.

Chapter XII

        Everything suddenly stopped. I didn’t hurt anymore, there was no floating, or fear and silence took place of the constant pounding of my heart. It was there, I was sure it was. I wasn’t dead, so that was a start. Now,  breathing. The rush of air felt like it was filled with knives and my instant reaction to it was to start coughing.  My eyes burned with tears and opening them, the world was distorted and blurry. I kept coughing, so hard and rough it was kind of like I was having a fit.

“Get her some water!” Danny ordered, as the coughing stopped and instead I was wheezing like a thirty year smoker. “Sarah, you okay?”

Turning left, Danny is there. My vision starts to clear and my arm feels like its made of lead as I try to wipe my eyes.

“No.” Was he blind?

“You’re right. Stupid question, here, have a drink.”

The cool edge of the glass is at my mouth and I do as he says. The water goes down in a rush and I’m so aware of it I literally feel the second it hits my stomach. Then I start to cough again.

“Should I get your Mum?” Rachelle whispers, and looking up at her, I realise I’m still on the floor.

“No.” Michael and Danny say at the same time.

I groan.

“Come on Sar, I’m going to help you up.” Danny tells me softly.

I barely register the fact he has lifted me until he takes a slow step away. My legs feel like they’re about to give out underneath me and instantly Danny is back, waiting for me to regain my balance.

“What happened?” As the seconds tick by, I feel like I just woke up and start to become more aware of everything around me. I can stand on my own now and instantly raise my arms, stretching as each bone feels like it’s returning to it’s right place. My neck cracks and I instantly I feel fine, like nothing had happened at all.

“Not really sure.”

I turn to Michael. “What about you then?”

“Hungry?” He answers instead.

“Well I want to know what the hell is going on!” Rachelle whispers as loudly as she can, daring a look downstairs. “Sarah, you fainted. I came out and you were just laying there. That dickhead practically climbed the whole staircase in one step and then Danny came out of his room to knock both of us out of the way, which then had you waking up.”

She grabs my hand and pulls me over to her side. “You two, sort out your shit. We’re going downstairs.”

I follow her so I don’t fall over again as the grip she has on my arm is lethal and she wasn’t letting go. Luckily everyone is outside, laughing and talking - completely unaware of what just went on upstairs. Well, almost. The second we step outside Mr. Blake looks at us, looks at me and frowns.

“You feeling better, Sarah?” He asked.

“I’m fine. Just a blood nose.” I laugh it off, yet Justin and Joe are staring at me with the same kind of careful judgement. “Mum, do you mind if Rach and I eat in front of the TV?”

“Not at all, there isn’t much room out here. Can you tell Danny and Mike dinners ready?”

“Sure!” I take the plate Rachelle has handed me, loaded up with the food that had been spread out all over the table and we go inside.  “Guys, dinners ready!”

I don’t need to yell, or even tell them that, but for Mums sake I do. We sit around the coffee table and Rachelle turns on the TV. She finds something to watch, and keeps the volume at a decent volume. Her head pops over the back of the sofa, looking around for a second before she sits beside me.