The Graduate (Glee - Sam Evans Fan Fiction)

Chapter Twelve ~ "You Look Awful"

Not even a minute has passed before a small knock sounds at the door of the stall. I wince slightly at the sound and when I open my mouth to respond, I feel my stomach erupt once more.

"Teegan?" A surprisingly familiar voice sounds and I lift my head slightly when my sickness begins to subside.

When I lean across to release the latch on the door Sam's eyes widen at the sight of me and I dip my head back over the bowl.

"Are you okay?" He asks a little more frantically than anticipated. In complete honesty, I shake my head once and rest it down on my forearm. 

I'm more than surprised when I feel a hand on the small of my back and Sam crouches closely beside me.

What is this? I don't need comforting from the guy who wasn't even polite enough to say "hello" twenty minutes ago.

I lean away from the toilet bowl in an attempt to seem at least a little more aloof and Sam's soothing hand makes its way around my waist to steady me. When I lean away it fastens itself even more. 

"Look, I'm fine. Just go back to class." I groan and allow my eyes to fall closed. My mind is still booming and I prop my elbow on the toilet seat to rest my head against my palm.

"No way, you look awful." He calmly responds, regardless of my regrettable attitude.

"Thank you." I say all too spitefully.

"No, I mean-" he fumbles for words and his hand traces my waist. 

"Teegs?!" Another voice appears and I don't even turn to respond, I know any sudden movement can only end badly at this moment in time.

"I'm okay, Marley." I say, only a little more politely than when I'd spoken to Sam.

My gut appears to have calmed a little and so I do my best to rise without the help of Sam, but have no such luck. His arm is locked around my waist and when I try to wriggle away he voluntarily props me against his wide torso.

Marley's anxious eyes settle when I offer a reassuring smile and she soothingly rubs my free arm. 

"I need to go to the nurse." I sigh, Marley nods in approval and I try to step away from Sam.

"I'll go with you." He says willingly.

"No. I can go alone." My tone is blunt but why shouldn't I return the treatment that he's been giving me lately? It only seems fair. 

"Then I'll go." Marley says quickly.

 "I'm fine." I say sternly. My tone is a little to harsh for my personal liking but I don't need attention, I need pills. Stat. 

"You're not fine." Sam says with an ever so polite smirk. If only I could find it as alluring as I usually would; instead of reciprocating, I nudge away from him and am quick to get past Marley before she can object as well. My vision fuzzes when I reach the hall and Ryder appears in front of me. Brilliant.

He is quick to tuck an arm around my waist as an attempt to steady me; I presume I look far worse than I am currently estimating. 

"Teegan, you look awful." His tone is caring but a little too annoyingly similar to Sam's attempt to comfort me.

"Let's get you to the nurse." He offers as he begins to walk us in the correct direction. I am a little too quick to move away from him and my vision begins to blur once again. 

"I can go by myself. " I keep my tone stern and stubborn, despite my current need to collapse in a heap. 

"But T-"

"Just leave me alone." I snap, "All of you." 

I do my best to avoid the hurt in Marley's eyes when I turn to walk down the hall, my anger will never be towards her but I don't need to be swarmed and smothered like this. Especially not by Ryder. It's all too much. 

I am relieved when I don't hear footsteps behind me. The halls are purely vacant although the air feels far too warm. Way too warm. The next thing I feel is the pound in my head as I hit the floor. 

~~

"Everybody out of the way, please." I hear. 

"Is she going to be okay?" A familiar voice adds.

I feel a cool hand on my forehead and it brushes the hair away from my eyes after I am rolled from my side on to my back. 

"Teegan, Teegan. Can you hear me?" A new voice asks. I try hard to respond, to say 'Yes, I hear you. What's happening?' but my mouth does not allow me. I feel a tug on my eyelid and a vibrant beam of light shines through, my head begins to pound. 

The shuffling around me continues and the same voice speaks up again.

"We need to take her in now. She's in a critical condition."

What?

Critical? What's happening to me?

SAM'S POV:

The crowd begins to grow as more students flee their classes to witness the havoc that is occuring. Teegan is still out cold, the only movement being the steady rise and fall of her chest. 

A teary Brittany moves the hair from around her eyes and wipes vigorously at her dampening cheeks. 

"Teegan, Teegan. Can you hear me?" One of the three paramedics asks. No response.

She lifts each of Teegan's eyelids in turn and shines a small torch in to each. No response.

"We need to take her in now. She's in a critical condition." The same paramedic informs Miss Gaberi, who is knelt beside both myself and Ryder. I don't have the energy to find him even remotely irritating at this moment. What if Teegan is seriously sick? What will happen?

Students continue to swarm and shuffle around us and after what seems like decades Sue's voice booms throughout the halls.

"Everybody back to class! Now!" Every unknown student has fleed within minutes and Sue follows us out to where the ambulance sits in the parking lot. 

When I glance over to the other side of the stretcher, Brittany is forced to release her clasp on Teegan's hand when the back of the ambulance opens up and a ramp is lowered. Her cheeks are now glossy with tears and she covers her mouth with one hand as Teegan is wheeled inside the ambulance.

"Is anybody here a relative?" The paramedic who I presume to be the driver speaks up as she steps out of the back of the ambulance. Brittany is quick to respond.

"I'm her best friend." She stutters and wipes her eyes again.

"Okay." The lady nods, "Go ahead." She gestures to the vehicle and Brittany immediately climbs in, taking a seat directly beside Teegan and re-claiming one of her hands.

"You?" The paramedic gestures to me and I freeze. I must have looked truly concerned if she expects me to be a relative. I suppose I was asking a lot of questions and I was more panicked than I had been in a long time.

Instead of labelling myself, I simply nod and step past the woman and in to the ambulance, seating myself in the spare seat beside Brittany. She doesn't look away from Teegans's frail state and I do my best not to allow myself to get any more upset. 

The last thing I see before they close the doors is Ryder's exasperated expression.