Charlie's POV
Overdramatic.
That's the word I would use to describe my beloved parents. Even as a child they almost constantly coddled me, a single splinter would have sent them into a theatrical state of worriment.
"It appears your son has the flu." The nurse told my parents the diagnosis.
"The flu?" My mother raised her eyebrows, confused. "But he was vomiting, and he fainted!"
The nurse took a breath. "Yes, the flu affects everyone differently, but your son, Charlie, has a weakened immune system and is at risk of flu complications."
Weakened what? Since when?
"What does that mean?" Dad asked.
"The immune system is our body's defence against infections. Since Charlie has a weak immune system, it's harder for him to fight against infections and he is more prone to severe symptoms, such as vomiting, fainting, and enhanced symptoms to that of the regular flu."
"So you're saying it's just a big flu?" Dad wondered, causing me to roll my eyes.
"Will he be okay?" Mom asked, panicking.
"Charlie will be fine, Mrs Harrington. With his weakened immune system, it may be best for him to remain in hospital until he is better."
"Do I have to stay here?" I asked, a gnarly cough followed after, taking me to the point of near emesis.
"It would be best." The nurse gave her opinion.
I hated hospitals. They were creepy, they smelled like antiseptic and fresh linens—though I guess that is a pro, not a con—but still, I didn't like hospitals. Now I was being forced into staying for longer than I wanted to.
I wonder if they'll give me drugs...
"I'd suggest wearing a mask and disposable gowns when visiting him, just to be safe." She added.
My throat was so sore, it felt as if I had just smoked an entire packet of cigarettes simultaneously, and since I spent most of last night unable to sleep with the cold sweats, my eyes were now threatening to shut.
Why is it that you can't sleep when you want to, but the minute you don't want to, sleep takes over?
"Are you feeling any better?" Mom asked me, as if spending half an hour in the hospital could magically cure me.
Speaking was too hurtful at the moment, so I just nodded a lie.
I was not feeling any better, In fact, I felt like I was getting worse.
I tried to look for my phone, but to no avail. I must have left it at home.
"Get some rest, we will come back in a few hours." Mom says to me.
"Love you." She added.
"Love you too." I say back. It felt like razors were coming out of my throat.
"Take care, son." Dad says.
I gave him a thumbs up and a smile before resting into the bed, everything around me going dark.
~
Later that day, I woke up with a cough to find a trio of masked and gowned people staring down at me, startling the hell out of me.
What the f—
"Hey, Charlie!" Ella's voice says through the mask.
I sighed epically. "Oh my god, you guys scared the hell out of me." I state in a raspy voice.
"We came straight away." Nora's voice says.
"Are you okay?" Clayton wondered.
"I'm fine." I said hoarsely.
My stomach growled at me, informing me that it was hungry.
"Would you like us to get you something to eat?" Nora asked me.
"McDonald's would be great." I replied.
"Nice try, but I was thinking I'd go and get you soup or something." Nora says.
"Fine." I said defeatedly. "Can you also get me some honey?"
"Sure." Nora takes her leave.
"So, what happened?" Ella asked.
"I'm sick, mom and dad brought me here after I vomited and then fainted." I gave her a quick summary, trying my best not to strain my voice any further. My throat literally felt like it was being scratched up by sandpaper.
"So you're okay?" Clayton wondered.
"The doctor said something about a weak immune system and some other nonsense."
"Oh, okay."
I pursed my lips as I sat upwards.
"Where is he?" I asked them.
They gave each other an uncomfortable look, shifting awkwardly before turning to me again. "Uh." Clayton started.
"Adelaide drove him and Adam straight to their place." Ella explained.
"Adam?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah, his parents just dropped him off this morning." Clayton says before pouting. "He was very mean to me."
I smiled. I would hate to get on Adam's bad side.
"What did you do?" I asked him.
"Nothing." He threw his hands up. "I swear it."
"I think Adam is being rude to him because he and Adelaide are dating." Ella says.
I thought that Ace would have come to see me. I mean, what if I was dying?
Would he even care?
"How long do you have to stay here?" Clayton asked me.
"Not sure, doctor says I have to wait till I'm better." I groaned.
"Hospitals are so boring." Ella stated the obvious. "We should go and see if they have any board games."
"Okay." I said.
Adelaide's POV
My parents had dropped of Adam earlier today, so now I had to take care of two annoying kids.
"Can we get have chicken nuggets for dinner?" Adam implored, giving his best puppy dog eyes.
"Fine." I said.
Ace slumped down on the couch, still nursing his hangover.
"Aren't you going to go and see Charlie?" I asked him.
"Charwy?" Adam jumped up and down excitedly. "Where is he? Can we go and see him? Pweaaaase."
"He's in the hospital, you can go and see him when he's better." I tell him before turning back to Ace with a pointed stare. "Ace, go and see him."
Ace groaned. "What would i even say?" He sounded so low-spirited.
"You could start with an apology for being a total ass." I suggested.
"Five dollars in the swear jar!" Adam ordered, stomping his right foot against the floor.
"Not now, Adam."
"Meanie." He groaned, walking dejectedly towards the parlour where all of his toys were.
"Are you going to get off your ass?" I asked Ace, obvious annoyance in my tone.
He sat upright, rolling his eyes at me with a groan. "I need a cigarette." Standing from the couch, he ambled his way to the staircase before ascending.
"Cause cigarettes are soooo coool." I said sarcastically. "Right up until they give you lung cancer!"
"We were born to die anyways." He says.
Did he seriously just quote a Lana Del Rey song??