Joining the Band

A Disaster of Epic Proportions

Elena stared at me in shock. I wasn't sure what to do. 

"What the hell, Jo?!" Tony yelled. He was passionate, and a bit overprotective. "You don't even know these guys! What about school? You can't just drop out!" 

"Tony... Slow down. I think that this might be my best option. I can't go back home, that's for sure." I gestured at my black eye. "And I can't just live with you forever. I'm broke, especially after hospital bills. My car is destroyed, and I have no money to buy a new one. Even if I just go with them for a few months, they can help me get back on my feet. And who knows, maybe a new city and a new life is just what I need! I've been suicidal since I was 13. I'm over it. I want to feel happy again. Maybe this will help." I started coughing after talking so much. I covered my mouth with my arm and then looked at my arm. It was speckled with blood. Uh-oh. 

"RONNIE?!" I called through coughs. He ran in and stared at me. 

"Are you ok? What's going on??" He looked at Tony and Elena frantically. Elena was still staring at me in shock. Tony just looked... confused. 

"Doctor..." I tried to talk through my coughing and showed him my bloody arm and lips. "Water." My mouth felt hot and tasted like metal. My lungs were searing with pain, and I couldn't stop coughing. 

"Oh, shit. DOCTOR!!" Ronnie ran out of the room, looking for a doctor. Elena finally started moving, looking for water. She found a bottle of water on a table and opened it for me. I tried to drink but was coughing too hard. 

"C'mon, Jo. You gotta hold it in at least for a second. At least swish some water around in your mouth for the blood. Then spit it in-" She looked around frantically until she found an empty cup and grabbed it. "This." 

I nodded and tried to hold in my coughing. I successfully got some water in my mouth and started swishing it around, and then started coughing again. I got most of the bloody water into the empty cup, but some got on my gown. I reached for the bottle and desperately held my breath to take a quick drink. I immediately felt a bit better. "Thank God." 

Ronnie ran back in with the doctor. "She's coughing up blood." Tony explained. 

"Well, that's not great. But it's also not a surprise. You broke multiple ribs and collapsed your lung. You're not coughing now. Try to drink a lot of water." I nodded and held up the bottle. 

"Yea, I tried a bit. I feel a little better now. Thank you." The doctor nodded and left. I looked back at Tony and Elena, and then at Ronnie. "I'll come back to Colorado after a bit. I just need a break..." Tony and Elena both looked upset, but nodded in agreement.

"We'll miss you." Elena finally talked and then leaned forward to lightly hug me. Tony followed suit. 

"I'll miss you guys, too. But I'll come back. And be famous." I wiggled my eyebrows at them. They both giggled, until I groaned in pain. "Fuck. Ribs." I muttered. "You okay?" Ronnie asked me. 

"Yea. Just a bit broken." I tried to smile at him. "Can you find out when I'm getting discharged, then get the guys in here please?" Ronnie nodded and marched out of the room. I turned back to Elena and Tony. "I love you guys. Thank you for taking care of me. I'll keep you guys updated. Go back to school. I'll stop by before I leave to say goodbye and grab some stuff." They nodded and gave me another hug. "We love you." With one last sympathetic and worried glance, Elena led Tony out of the room. I watched them go and sighed. This might be harder than I thought. 

I leaned my head back onto the pillows and closed my eyes. A million things were running through my head. I had to emancipate myself. I had to quit at Culvers, and say goodbye to Car. I had to get my stuff from school and enroll in online school for the rest of the year. My eyes popped open. Shit.