How Everything Began

Part Four

Let me just say that Ella was nothing like I thought she would be and nothing like her older sister. Unlike Madeline, Ella was quiet and refused to talk about anything important, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

Ella was walking with her head down. I could tell it was her by the picture that Paul had shown me and also the one Maddie had in her bedroom. I had learned that Ella was only ten and therefore six years younger than me or Maddie.

"You must be Ella." I said, as she got in the car.

"Yes."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jackson."

"Cool."

"I need to make a quick call. Is that okay?" I asked, as I remembered that I had yet to call Madeline's boyfriend. Ella didn't seem to hear as she had put in a pair of headphone. I dialed the number that Paul had given me before backing out of the parking space I was in.

"Hello? Who the hell is this?"

"Hi. Um... I'm Jackson and I'm calling for Paul, Madeline's dad... Madeline is in the hospital again and they say that things don't look good. You might want to head there."

"Bro. I still have no idea who you are. And also... Who is Madeline?"

"Um... Your girlfriend. Ya know, Maddie."

"Wait you mean Madison is in the hospital, again?"

"Well that's not her-" I started, but he cut me off.

"She needs to stop doing stupid shit that ends her up in the hospital. Although I guess it is a little badass, right man?"

"Well no, but-" I was cut off again.

"Yeah I know she did something bad and whatever, but I am not going to the hospital again. She is in there way too much and needs to figure things out for herself. Bye." He hung up even before I could say another word.

"Jason's a dick." She said so quiet that I thought I imagined it.

"What did you just say?"

"What? You were thinking it, I just said it aloud." Ella shrugged.

"I guess, but don't say that." I scolded.

"Fine." She sighed.

We were both silent for the majority of the ride to the hospital.

"I'm a good kid."

"What?" I questioned, looking at her in the mirror.

"What I said earlier. About Jason. It's rare. Only when he is mean to Maddie. I really am actually a good kid. Please don't tell my dad. He thinks I am always good. Only you and Madeline know about my anger problems when it comes to Jason."

"Don't worry, he brings out the worst in all of us. I won't tell anyone." She said as we climbed out of the car.

"Good. I like you, Jackson. Would you date my sister?" She asked. It was cute. She was so innocent and little in that moment and she reminded me of my brother. I didn't want to cry so I laughed.

"Ella, me and Maddie are just friends right now."

"But- Wait you said 'right now'. Does that mean you would consider it in the future?"

"I mean sure. She's great, but-"

"You think she's gonna die..." Her face sank and it took my heart down with it.

"I didn't say that." I tried correcting my mistake.

"But you're thinking it. Everyone is, but I have faith that she will be okay."

I was silent and because it felt like the right thing to do I hugged Ella. It was weird I cried, but she just frowned. It was as if she knew something that I didn't know about her sister. Which, let's be honest, she definitely did because they were sisters and everything.

We then walked into the hospital waiting room hand in hand. Her dad took her other hand and we walked down to Maddie's room like that. Ella went in to talk to her sister, but she was talking at Maddie rather than talking to her because Maddie was in another very deep sleep. Paul and I stood outside the room and watched the interaction.

"She coded four times while you were gone to get Ella. The doctors think it would be best to put her in a medically induced coma for a while so they can get her vitals stable and see what is causing for her to code. It's like clockwork. Every ten minutes while you were gone." He stated under his breath so that Ella couldn't hear.

"How long has it been since she last coded?" I asked, just as soft.

"Seven minutes. That's why there are so many nurses. What do I do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Should I let them put her in the coma?"

"I can't help you there. Why would you ask me?"

"Your brother? If it were him? What would you do if it was your brother?"

"Wait and see if he coded again and if he did then put him under." I stated. It was rather easy to answer because me and my parents had talked about this with him (my brother) right after he was diagnosed with the tumor.

"That's what we'll do then. Go in and send Ella out. She can't see that. I want you to be the one with Madeline when it happens."

"Okay. I won't let you down."

"Hurry. You only have two minutes left to get Ella out of there." Surprisingly it wasn't hard to convince Ella to go out of Madeline's room.

I sat by Maddie's side. Two minutes passed and nothing happened. She didn't code. Absolutely nothing changed. After a few hours of no change many of the nurses and doctors left the room and once again it was only me and Madeline. She still hadn't coded or anything.

I found it a little strange that she only coded while I was gone so I was terrified to leave her again, but I had to go to school even though I had only got like two hours of sleep that night at the hospital.

If you thinking changing schools is hard you should try doing it my way. In order for you to understand you have to change to a different side of the country in the middle of your Senior year of high school. The you have to have met a very ill girl with no cure to the tumor that killed your brother and is slowly killing your first friend in this new town. Next you have to only get two hours of sleep before facing the aforementioned girl's jealous boyfriend who happens to be the richest most popular ass in the whole town.

Yeah. What you are going through could be worse...

Well I totally almost forgot to post again, but luckily I didn't forget this week.