Alice paced the waiting room of the hospital ward as she waited for her mother to return from her fathers room with news from the doctor who was in there with both of them. Ellie had curled up on one of the chairs with a book until sleep had finally overcome her and she'd started dozing. They'd been in the ward for hours waiting test results and when the doctor had finally came he'd given their mother the usual 'we should speak in private' stare before they'd retired to her fathers room. Since then Ellie and herself had had to bide their time, but Alice was starting to get the feeling that if no one came soon she'd barge into her fathers room and get some answers.
She tried to be strong for Ellie's sake, but the past few weeks she'd been suspicious of things. Although she tried to not think about it, Alice had the feeling that they weren't being told everything, just enough to keep them happy and at ease. Alice knew her fathers illness was rapidly becoming worse, she just didn't know from what or why it was happening to him.
Bray was in his room when it happened. He thought he heard a crash of some sort but figured it as just his mother moving things in the kitchen, until his door flew upon and Martin entered white faced looking scared and out of breath.
"Bray, its dad," was all he said before he ran back out of the room and bounded down the stairs.
Bray was close behind and as he jumped the last few of the steps he saw his mother bending over his father who was lying on the floor, a broken vase lying beside he held onto his chest.
"Bray call an ambulance," ordered his mother as she tried her best to keep her husband comfortable. "Martin, go get me a blanket and a cushion for his head."
Martin was already rushing into the den as Bray picked up the phone and dialled the emergency services.
Ellie woke with a slight start and frowned at the book, which lay over her chest and half over her chin. Sitting up she stretched her legs out and looked around for Alice.
"Al?" she muttered sleepily as she looked about the hospital waiting room not seeing her sister in the room.
"I'm here Ellie," said Alice from behind her, her pacing having finally come to a stop, Alice had taken up residence leaning on the doorframe of the room.
"Oh," said Ellie turning around to look at her sister, "Any news?"
"No, nothing." Alice sighed and looked out into the corridor willing someone to come and speak to them.
Ellie gave a small sigh of her own and stood up, rounding the couch to stand near her sister.
"No news is good news right?" she asked with little hope that the saying was true.
Alice tried to shoot her a brave smile but she knew it was pretty morbid considering the circumstances. Ellie gave a stretch and looked out into the hallway.
"I need some fresh air, you coming?" she asked, suddenly eager to be out of the ward for a few moments.
"Yes, I think I need some fresh air myself," Alice agreed.
Leaving a message at the desk that they were heading outside for a few minutes the two sisters headed for the elevators.
Outside the night air was slightly chilly and Ellie wrapped her arms around herself too keep in the warmth as she and Alice wandered around a small grassy area set outside the hospital entrance.
"Hey isn't that Martin, Bray's brother?" asked Ellie observing a young man sat on one of the park benches staring off into the distance.
"Yeah, I think you're right," Alice agreed recognising Martin.
Ellie was already heading over as Alice spoke and came to a halt by the bench.
"Martin, are you ok"? she asked softly.
As if being called out of a daze Martin blinked a few times before looking up at Ellie and trying to recollect who she was. Ellie sat down beside him and rested a hand on his shoulder softly.
"Martin? It's Ellie, we go to school together," she said trying to explain because the look he was giving her was one of confusion of who she was.
"Oh hi," he replied softly before gazing past her to Alice, then the hospital before staring back out in front of him again.
"Everything ok?" Ellie pressed for an answer once more, but he ignored her and kept on staring ahead.
Ellie looked up at Alice who gave a shrug and furrowed her brow as she looked over to Martin.
"Alice, Ellie, what are you doing here?" asked a voice behind them.
Alice turned to see Bray standing behind her and shot him a questioning look as well.
"It's our dad, we got a call to come in. Been here for hours still waiting for answers," replied Alice "We came out for some fresh air and saw Martin out here. Is something wrong?"
"My dad, he was rushed in a few minutes ago."
"Nothing serious I hope," said Alice concerned.
"We don't know," Bray shrugged. "They aren't telling us anything."
"Yeah I know what that's like," Alice replied before looking down at Ellie as Brays eyes shifted to Martin. "Sis we should be getting back inside, mom may be wondering where we are."
"Sure," Ellie replied giving Martins shoulder a quick squeeze before standing and facing Bray. "I hope your dads ok."
"Yeah, thanks, yours too," replied Bray with a weak smile.
The mall was buzzing when Amber arrived, Dal in tow as they entered the main doors, pushed along by the crowd. It was already getting close to mid-day so they made their way directly to the Mall steps and upstairs to the small café on the upper level. At the top Amber scouted around for any familiar faces, dotted about and spied Bray at a table, hunched over a paper.
"Well there's Jack," exclaimed Dal as he spied the boy through the crowd, the bright red hair a dead give away.
Amber shifted her sights over to where Dal motioned and saw Jack raising his hand and heading over to them.
"Hi Dal," Jack smiled, glancing over at Amber.
"Hi Jack," Dal replied. "Hey Amber, you want us to wait until you meet up with-"
"No, you guys go ahead with whatever it is you've planned. I'll see you about Dal." Amber smiled, not wanting to impose on her friends time, but also half willing him to stick around when others arrived rather than sit with Bray by herself. The previous night at Trudy's served to make her feel rather uncomfortable after certain revelations had been made.
"Well we could eat first," Jack shrugged, looking over at the café. He was starting to feel slightly peckish. "Spare tables over there, there'll be plenty of room, even after everyone's else arrives."
Jack was already winding their way through the tables towards Bray and other vacant tables as he spoke and Amber and Dal had no other choice but to follow him.
"Hi Bray," Jack grinned sliding into a seat at a nearby table. Dal took a seat at the same table and gave him a smile as Bray looked up to acknowledge their presence.
"Hi guys," he managed to smile weakly, glancing over at Amber before looking down at the paper her was reading once more.
"Hi," Amber mumbled, sitting down on a seat at his table and frowning slightly.
He didn't seem pleased to see any of them, perhaps they shouldn't have infringed on his privacy. But then arrangements had been made and he had been the one to ask her along.
"Well I'm going to order something, you guys want anything brought back?" Jack said, standing up once more.
He seemed, to Amber, to be slightly eccentric, not so much to talk to but his mannerisms, such as his slight stutter and the need to be doing something at all times, like being unable to sit down for more than a minute without doing something.
"I'll come with you, see what they've got," Dal replied standing with him.
Amber didn't want to be left alone but if they all left the tables she wasn't sure what impression that would leave on Bray.
"Just get me a soda for now, you can tell me what looks good when you get back." she smiled, trying to mentally persuade Dal to stay seated.
However her mental powers of persuasion were obviously not working because he merely flashed her the usual soft geeky smile before he stood up and he and Jack headed towards where the food was. Amber glanced over to Bray who seemed oblivious to the fact that they were sitting alone together and he was completely ignoring her. Amber felt a little self-conscious and wondered if it was her.
Her first week hadn't been easy and already a few of the girls in her grade had deemed her 'snob' or 'stuck up cow' mainly because of the private school she'd transferred from. She also knew that she could often times give the impression that she was aloof and above such things as schoolgirl antics. It was a defence mechanism, she wasn't good with meeting new people, she didn't like to get close straight away and it took time for her to trust people. Pondering on whether this was why Bray was acting strangely towards her, had he observed her at school and merely pretended to be nice to her for May's sake. After all they were friends, it wouldn't have done to show his dislike in-front of them. But alone he could make his feelings known quite clearly before the others showed up, perhaps the others had already spoken with him. She shifted slightly in her seat and looked around the crowd hoping someone else would show up, her thoughts were starting to run away with her.
