A/N: Hey guys! New chapter! YAY! I hope that this one is better than Chapter 1. I promise I'll post the re-write of it as soon as its done.
I thank the many people who hav faved this story and are reading it. The support is great, guys!
This chapter is a bit more descriptive than the other, and focuses on Nodoka's condition more, so...yea.
So, enjoy chapter 2!
"Is she all right?"
"What do I look like; a doctor?"
"Don't yell at me! I was just wondering if-"
"Shh! Guys, keep it down! You'll wake her up"
Nodoka suddenly felt something ice cold being planted on her forehead. The freezing cloth sent chills up Nodoka's spine and she shivered. The object was removed immediately. She heard footsteps approach closer to her, but all she could see was blackness.
"Do you think we should get Miss Minamoto?"
Through her haze, Nodoka could recognize that voice as one of her classmate's: Konoka.
"Not yet. I'll take her temp when she wakes up." Nodoka knew that that was Asuna talking.
"But what if she dies before then?" That was Ayaka: Nodoka could sense the bitterness and sarcasm in her voice.
A loud smack was heard before Asuna erupted,
"Don't kid around like that!"
"Hey, I'm just saying!" Ayaka screamed back. The increase in volume made Nodoka's head pound harder. She covered her ears, turned on her left side, and whimpered.
The two quieted down as soon as they heard Nodoka. She felt someone's hand gently touch her cheek.
"Bookworm…can you hear me?"
The purple haired girl forced her heavy eyelids open, blinking her eyes multiple times to clear her vision. She took her surroundings in once she could see them clearly. She wasn't in the courtyard anymore. Now she was lying in a bed in one of the dorms; on the bottom of a bunk bed. The covers had been pulled up to her chin, covering everything except for her head. She rubbed her eyes, and noticed that she wasn't wearing her school uniform, but she was wearing blue pajamas. They were nice and warm, and she thought they smelled nice. Nodoka felt really warm, and was uncomfortable due to the hair sticking to her neck from the sweat.
She looked to her right side and saw Asuna sitting in a chair, right beside the bed. Next to her was a tray with a bowl of water, a rag, a thermometer, and a box of tissues. Ayaka was sitting on the couch that was against the wall facing Nodoka. Konoka was kneeling on the ground next to Asuna, peering over the sides and was staring at Nodoka.
Nodoka looked at Asuna's face and held her gaze before her rasping voice uttered, "Asuna…what…w-what's going on…?"
"Oh thank goodness" Asuna put her hand on her heart and sighed. She then put that hand on Nodoka's hot head and lightly answered,
"We're so glad you've woken up. You've been unconscious for about three hours now. We-"
"Three hours?" Nodoka shrieked, sitting up in bed, hitting her head on the top of the bed. She groaned, rubbing her head, and then started to cough hard. Covering her mouth, her body tensed up and shook with each cough. Asuna gently pushed her back onto the bed. The fit gradually stopped and Nodoka started shivering as a result from her chills.
"Don't get up. You're not strong enough." Asuna took the sheets and covered the girl's shaking body. She felt Nodoka's forehead, and then took the thermometer from the tray in her hand.
"You fainted in the courtyard. We carried you back here, to my dorm. It was pouring, and you were soaked, so we changed your clothes" Asuna explained as she stuck the thermometer in Nodoka's mouth. "Konoka changed you into her pajamas. I hope that's ok with you, but I was getting the bed ready and…Ayaka was panicking-"
"Shut up! I was NOT!" Ayaka yelled from her seat on the couch. Nodoka grimaced and shut her eyes tight. She moaned through her teeth, after which, Ayaka stopped yelling.
Asuna brushed the hair away from Nodoka's face and neck, who whined after feeling cold hands on her hot skin. Asuna wrinkled her brow in worry. She could tell the girl was suffering, and this only worried Asuna more. She took the thermometer out of Nodoka's mouth and stared at it. Her eyes opened wide as she read the temperature. Asuna swiftly turned to Konoka and asked in a stern voice,
"Konoka, could you go get Miss Minamoto?"
Konoka stood up and nodded, "Sure. Is it that bad?" Ayaka also stood up from her seat.
"Well…" Asuna hesitated, throwing a concerned look at Nodoka, who looked back with a blank stare, but then fell asleep quickly. "…it's definitely something to be worried about. Her temperature is 102 degrees Fahrenheit…"
"What!" Ayaka yelped suddenly. Nodoka covered her sensitive ears again. Ayaka paused and then continued in a quiet voice, "It's that high?"
Asuna nodded, and turned to Konoka, who spun around and went out the door, closing it quietly behind her. Ayaka walked over to the bed after she left and knelt down beside it.
Asuna took the cloth on the tray, dipped it in the bowl of ice water, and wrung it out before she folded it and placed it on Nodoka's forehead. Another freezing spasm sent itself down Nodoka's spine, and she let out a small cry. With a twinge of reluctance, Asuna stood up, turned to Ayaka and asked, "Would you keep an eye on her while I go get some things from the kitchen?"
Instead of giving her a sarcastic remark or yelling at her, Ayaka nodded, and sat in the seat next to the bed. Asuna went into the little room that was basically their kitchen. Ayaka looked at the sick girl, who was whimpering quietly, and started to stroke Nodoka's purple hair gently. Nodoka opened her eyes slightly and through the fog, saw a figure next to her. But…it looked so much like…
"…M-mom? W-what are you…doing…h-here?" her voice slurred from exhaustion and fever.
Ayaka felt uneasy for a minute, and glanced over at Asuna, who had also heard what Nodoka had said.
"Uhhh…no Nodoka…I-it's me…your classmate, Ayaka…"
Nodoka's violet eyes stared with a dull color at the blonde girl before she blinked and squinted at her.
"…A…Ayaka…what are…y-you doing…in…my h-house?"
The blonde girl looked at Asuna again, showing her apprehension in her expression, and then back to Nodoka.
"We…we aren't in your house, Bookworm…we're in Asuna's dorm…"
"Ohhh that's right!" Nodoka giggled, face palming herself lightly, "Heh, looks …l-like I forg-got…" she smiled at Ayaka, who didn't return the smile. Asuna walked over with a glass of water and a bottle of Tylenol. She set the items down on the tray, and then took the cloth off of Nodoka's head.
"She's delirious from the fever" Asuna explained to Ayaka as she dipped the cloth in the water and put it back on Nodoka's feverish brow. "Once her fever goes down, she'll stop being all…loopy and whatnot" Sitting on the edge of the bed, she uncapped the Tylenol, took a small plastic cup and poured the thick, red liquid into it.
"Nodoka…" Asuna gently shook the girl out of her daze, "I need you to sit up and take this medicine. Can you do that?" Nodoka nodded and struggled to sit up. Ayaka supported her back and helped her. Asuna gave Nodoka the small cup. The purple haired girl wrinkled her nose in distaste as the fumes of the medicine made her nauseous. She turned her head away sharply.
"Come on, Bookworm. It'll make you feel better" Ayaka coaxed as she rubbed Nodoka's back. With a deep breath, Nodoka gulped the liquid down fast and groaned. Ayaka laid her sick classmate back down on the bed, covered her, and put the cold compress back.
Suddenly, Nodoka's eyes flew open and she sat up straight.
"Yue! Haruna! I…g-g-gotta get back…to my d-dorm…they'll…be wondering w-where I…am" she suddenly started to cough, and cringed when her throat felt sore.
"Bookworm, lay back down. It's all right. I asked Negi to go and tell them about what happened" Asuna explained.
"R-really?"
"Yeah…he's on his way to Library Island now, and-"
The door opened, and in stepped Miss Minamoto followed by Konoka. Asuna and Ayaka both stood up as they walked into the room. Miss Minamoto was a tall woman with blue hair and glasses, and she had the biggest bust that anyone had ever seen. She was a nice woman, and was the best nurse that was ever at Mahora Academy.
"Well, hello girls" she greeted calmly. She had a black bag slung over her left shoulder, marked with a red medical cross. She was wearing a long white coat, which was completely soaked from the rain outside. She walked over to where Nodoka lay in the bed.
"Miss Konoka told me that someone needed help right away. I take it Miss Nodoka is the one in need of help" she glanced at the sick student, whose face was pale except for her rosy cheeks.
"That's right. We…didn't think she'd be strong enough to bring to your office, so we asked Konoka to get you. I hope that was okay" Asuna explained.
"It's fine" Miss Minamoto answered, taking off her coat and hanging it on the back of the chair. She sat down and pulled the chair closer to the bed.
"What happened, anyway? Did this come on suddenly, or was she showing symptoms before?" the nurse asked Asuna.
"Well, Yue told me that Nodoka hadn't been feeling well, and she was sluggish throughout the day. She looked sick throughout the day, but Yue said that Nodoka had insisted she was okay. But, when we were walking through the courtyard to the dorms, she passed out."
Ayaka stepped in and added, "Asuna carried her to the dorm and we changed her clothes. She was out for a good three hours, and then she woke up. The poor thing was confused and delirious, and her temperature was about 102 degrees Fahrenheit"
Miss Minamoto's expression changed instantly to a concerned look and she took out a stethoscope and a thermometer from her bag.
"Did you give her any medicine?" she asked Asuna, as she removed the compress on the girl's head.
"Yeah. I gave her some Tylenol" Asuna pointed to the bottle of medication. Miss Minamoto nodded and placed her hand on Nodoka's shoulder.
"Miss Nodoka, its Miss Minamoto." The girl turned her glossy eyes to the nurse. "I'm going to examine you, in order to see what's wrong. Can you sit up for me?"
Nodoka nodded, and once again struggled to sit up in bed.
"I'm sorry. You can go back to sleep once I'm done." Miss Minamoto turned to the other girls. "Could you please step outside? I'll call you back in once I'm done with her. I just thought she'd want her privacy."
"Of course" Asuna bowed and motioned for Konoka and Ayaka to join her. They closed the door behind them quietly and stood in the hallway.
Ayaka tapped her foot and leaned against the wall while Konoka sat down on the floor, with her back against the wall. Asuna also leaned against the wall, and crossed her arms. They remained silent and all that was heard, aside from the girls in other dorms, was the echoing sound of the rain outside. Asuna's mind flooded with worry and questions.
I hope Bookworm is all right. And I hope Negi hurries back with Yue and Haruna. I think she wants to see them.
LIZARD: Well, again, I hope that was better than Chapter 1. I promise the re-write of it will be up soon. I was lucky to finish this in time.
Awwww Poor little Bookworm. she's so cute! All disoriented and whutnot. X3
and awww-er (a word? lolz), Ayaka, Asuna, and Konoka are like her parents. Asuna and Ayaka more. XD who knew that Ayaka could act so concerned to a classmate that she doesn't even talk to often?
Next chapter will reveal the diagnosis that Miss Minamoto as well as Yue and Haruna and Negi. I kno that this might seem a bit melo-dramatic, but its all for emotion from the audience-
AYAKA: Shut up already!
LIZARD: geez. well stay tuned for the next chapter.
