Troubled -A Part of Dark like Me.-

*7* Screams

Even though, my eyes are closed and my breathing is loud in my ears, I can still hear the doctors and nurses coming in and out of my room. Soon enough, everything sounds and smells come too. An annoying beeping is what wakes me up, I do not open my eyes, but the smell is very familiar. The hospital, I wake up anxiously. The machine annoyingly beeps faster, and two nurses run into my room to quickly calm me.

Sitting up is slightly painful, I have no clue what is going on. As the nurses are checking my vitals, I ask, "Why am I here?"

They look at me as if I am from another planet or from another country. Either way they are looking as if they did not understand a word, I had just said to them. So I ask again, a little more slowly this time so they can comprehend it. "Why....am...I...here?" I am losing my patience.

"You fell out at a diner yesterday and they brought you there." The nurse with light blue scrubs on tells me. "You were badly dehydrated and had a lot of other issues as well. The doctor, Mr. Mason will fill you in when he gets done talking with your parents."

My parents? My mind rang. "They both are here?"

"Yes, they are." The nurses leave.

I sigh, no...no! This is NOT good. I look at my arms; self-inflicted wounds still show. Running all down my arms and some on my thighs.

I do not want my parents especially my father to see this; I hate to disappoint him. My mother, on the other hand, sometimes I could care less about disappointing her or stressing her out for all she did was give birth to me and nothing much else. Drinking is her own pride and joy, not I or my siblings.

I see my parents walking towards my room; there is no way to hide my hurt that shows on my arms and thighs. Thinking quickly, I snatch the covers and lazily throw them across my body. Also making sure that nothing shows.

They walk in and my mother hugs me all cheerful like, I scrunch up my face. She smells of booze and it is not even, noon, causing me to hold my breath until she let me go. I breathe easily not.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" She asks me putting on a cheerful façade.

I can usually tell if her concern for my other siblings' well-being or me is fake, normally. However, today is very hard to tell, I guess it is due to the distractions of the commotion or the dizziness still lingering around my eyes. Either way, I am not fond of the fake care my mother is trying to act out in front of my father.

"I am okay." I still have to be respectable towards her.

"You gave us quite a scare." My father chimes in giving me a kiss on the forehead.

I smile so delightfully about his affection because it does not come very often. A heat itch begins to form under the sheets, under my armpits. I fidget to try to itch the scratch; these hospital sheets are extra hot.

Nevertheless, I would rather sweat than let my parents know the truth about what I do when I am in pain. I want them to leave so I can feel the cool air on my skin, but I know they are not going to leave for a while. Therefore, I would have to try to brave it out for now.

"Where is Bradly?"