I groggily sat up, waiting for the screams of "Why weren't you up 10 minutes ago?" from my dad. But I realized, I was in a hospital, with people who actually loved me. And I had a sprained wrist. Lucky me.
"Hey! The kid's finally up!" Ryan said, and Elle sat on the foot of my bed. "How are you feeling?" she asked.
I shrugged, and said, "Better than earlier." Elle laughed, and handed me the chocolate that Alice gave me. "We ate most of it." she said sheepishly.
"I love chocolate!" I cried, and ate the last truffle that was left. Evan dove on my bed, and said, "I was the one that bought it! Give it!"
Barrett grabbed the chocolate from him and said, "And she's the one in the hospital. Let her have it." Barrett and Evan fought over the chocolate until Elle interrupted. "Wait, Catlynn, didn't you have your school bag with you when I met you?"
I tried to remember what she was talking about, but the anesthesia kind of ruined it. I finally remembered, my dad had thrown that into traffic too.
"My dad took it. All my homework was in it." I said. Katie sat on my bed, and said, "What grade are you in?"
"7th. I'm 12 years old." I said. "My birthday's next month." Everyone clapped, and then Elle said, "What school did you go to?"
"I went to a private school. I hated it." I sighed. "I wore a blue school uniform. I was supposed to be in Honors classes, but my dad forced me to be in a CP class."
"Blue? Like me?" Barrett said, laughing. "I play Veronica, and she wears blue!" I laughed, and sighed.
"What's wrong?" Elle asked.
"Do I have to switch schools? I'm going to get teased no matter where I go. I hate private school. I don't want to go back." I said, crying.
"Hey, hey, hey." Ryan said. "We'll find a public school for you. Don't worry, kid." I started sobbing, and Elle wrapped me in a hug. "Hey. You're with us now. You don't have to worry about your dad. I know you want a fresh new start. Let's just focus on you getting better." Elle gently held the arm that had the IV in it, and gently ran her fingers over the straw. Then, she took my sprained arm and started doodling on my cast.
"What are you drawing?" I asked.
"I don't know!" Elle said. I looked down, and Elle had signed her name on my cast, along with drawing a bunch of hearts. She then tossed the Sharpie to Katie, who signed my cast as well. Then Barrett signed it, then Ryan, then Alice, then Jessica, then Evan, then Jon. I laughed, and then Barrett pulled out her phone and checked the time.
"Hey, guys, it's 6:00 at night. Anyone hungry?" The cast nodded in agreement and started sharing where they wanted to eat. I sat in my bed, in silence.
"Hey, Catlynn, are you hungry?" Jessica asked.
"Kinda. But I'm used to being hungry. I haven't eaten in a week and a half." I sighed.
The cast stared at each other, and Elle said, "Well, do you know what you like?"
"I've only had leftovers lately." I said. Ryan whooped and said, "We can have this girl try some exotic foods! Chinese, Italian, Indian, the works!"
"Or just heat up some Kraft Mac & Cheese." Jessica said, to which everyone groaned. "No. This girl's first meal in 2 weeks is going to be mac and cheese?" Barrett said. Alice pulled out a takeout menu from her purse and started talking with Ryan.
"Hey, kid, do you want sweet and sour chicken? We can get a large one to share." Ryan said.
"I wouldn't suggest takeout! I didn't want to make Catlynn's first meal less special, but visiting hours are almost over." Jessica said.
Alice sadly put down the takeout menu and said, "I'll pick up some sushi from the grocery store as a compromise." Then she left.
A few minutes later, she came back with boxes upon boxes of sushi. We ate it until I went to sleep.
_______
I heard rapid beeping as I shot awake, realizing that I was in Elle's arms.
"She just had a nightmare." Elle said to the nurse. "Hey, it's okay baby, I'm right here." Elle said to me. I was sobbing.
"What happened?" Katie asked.
"My dad was trying to kill me!" I said, and Elle hugged me tighter. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."
"You're not going anywhere." I heard, and I yelped, and buried my face in Elle's chest. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"I heard my dad..." I said.
"He's not here. He's in jail, baby. You're safe." Elle said. Elle then whispered to Katie, "We have to get her an appointment with a therapist. Now." Katie nodded, and said, "As long as she gets out tomorrow as planned."
"It's 6 in the morning anyway." Elle said. "Let's get you freshened up." I wet my hair and put it in a ponytail. Then the nurse walked in.
"Hello, little change of plans, she can leave today once she has a physchological evaluation." the nurse said. Elle squeezed my hand, and said, "It's just questions." I nodded, and the nurse led me to a room, and handed Elle a form. "Fill this out." the nurse said.
Elle gave me a hug before she filled out the form. "It's going to get better." she said as the nurse sat me down at a table.
"So, when did the anxiety start?" I fiddled with my shirt and said, "Around last year." The nurse nodded, and said, "Where do you go to school?"
"I went to a private school, but I'm getting switched to public school." I said. The nurse scoffed, and wrote it down.
"Have you ever gotten help for this?" the nurse said.
I shook my head. "No. No. My dad didn't want me to-I don't feel comfortable with it, anyway."
"But you're talking to this girl who you just met! What's wrong with a therapist?"
Elle. Elle. She was talking about Elle.
"Elle's like my mother!" I cried.
"Where are your real parents?" the nurse snapped.
"My mom's dead! And my dad's in jail!" I cried. "Just shut up! I want Elle!"
I ran out of the office and found Elle, launching myself into her arms, sobbing. "Hey, it's okay. Ssh...I'm right here." she said. Katie walked over to the nurse, and said, "We're leaving, and never coming back."
Elle squeezed my hand, and said, "We're going back to the theater. I'm not doing the show today." We went back to the hospital room one last time to pick up my stuff, and Elle cleaned up all the trash from last night. A nicer nurse took out my IV, and Katie called Jessica to come pick us up.
We stood outside the parking lot, and I leaned into Elle and whispered in her chest. "I don't want to come back..."
Elle kissed the top of my head, and said, "We won't, I promise." Jessica pulled the car around and we hopped in. I laid down on Elle's lap and she stroked my hair. Jessica turned around and said, "Poor girl. She's been through so much."
"Yeah. She's the bravest girl I've ever met." To me, she said, "I love you, Catlynn."
"I love you too, Elle."
AN: Uhh...I don't have much to say here except poor Catlynn. She is getting some good news soon, because THE GIRL NEEDS A BREAK FROM ALL THE DRAMA. SHEESH. Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Next chapter should be out soon, I hope. Catch ya later!