USUK: Loving You From Afar

Chapter 6 | Alfred's P.O.V | Languishing For You

After I told Arthur last night that I was his friend, it was as if the words were a stab in the chest for him. At least, that was how it seemed for me. Like, straight after I told him, his replies became really short and... I dunno, man, I just had a really strong feeling that he was in pain. Not to mention that his reply to me was nothing other than just "That's wonderful", which I know sounds like a good thing, but... I dunno, he just seemed troubled, okay?!

So, all day at school, I could do nothing but think about how he was doing. Around, like, midday? I got this stabbing pain in my chest. It felt as though I'd been shot in the heart. My chest tensed up as I clutched it with my hands — the heck was happening?
"Dude, are you okay?!" I heard my friend shout to me, immediately grabbing the attention of my entire class. However, he received no response off of me. Not because I didn't want to, but because I couldn't.
Tears started to stream down my face, though I didn't notice until I replaced one of my hands from my chest to my face. They ran all over my fingers, not that I cared at that point.
I started to breathe heavily as my vision gradually went white. The last thing I saw before I went entirely blind was my friend looking right at me with his mouth wide open. I guess that was because he'd never seen me cry before.

~Time Skip~

 Gradually opening my eyelids, my eyeballs scanned the room, whizzing from one side to the other. This room seemed familiar, but not too familiar. I've definitely been here before, but probably not that often - once or twice.
As my vision became more clear, I could slightly start to make out the posters on the walls. There were a few posters on healthy eating, a few on healthy lifestyle and a what-to-do poster about CPR.
Oh right.
The nurse's office.
I remember now — my chest started to hurt in the middle of class and then I went blank... what? Why? Oh well, I guess I'd find out soon enough, right...?

My head immediately turned round at the sound of a door opening. I knew straight away that it would be the nurse, so I don't know why I got shocked, nor excited.
As the nurse stepped into the room, her face lit up when she saw me. I guess she wasn't expecting me to be awake.
"Ah, Alfred! How are you feeling?" She asked me before pulling over a chair and taking a seat next to me.
"I-I'm okay.." I struggled to get out, a slight tug in my chest, "My chest hurts only a little bit, I'll be cool and ready to go in no time!" I gave a thumbs up, trying to give my happiest expression. I tried to remain positive and happy both for everyone else's sake and for my own.
"That's lovely to hear, Alfred, but the problem is... we don't know why this happened. According to your health records, as much as your diet is appalling, that should have no effect on you right now, this young." My head tilted as I didn't exactly know what she was saying. "It wasn't a heart attack or heart failure... I'm not sure what it is, or why it happened."