Mua ha ha, fast update this time. This time, it's only been two days since I updated.
Just a note, I have no idea what happens in a hospital. I've never been a patient in one. So I just basically took my best guess on what goes on.
(Avery P.O.V.)
When the ambulance gets here, they quickly load Odd in on a stretcher. He's still unconscious, hasn't moved since he passed out. When Odd is loaded, I get move to get in with him, but one of the paramedics hold me back.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm going with him."
"What's your relation to him?"
"I'm uh… his girlfriend." I say, telling a white lie. He looks at me for a moment, trying to figure out if I'm telling the truth.
"Okay, you can go." I quickly climb inside and he closes the door. The ambulance takes
towards the hospital, siren blaring. I look at the paramedic inside with me.
"Do you know what's wrong with him?" I ask him.
"Not exactly. It's hard to tell with the limited resources I have here. But do you know when his last meal was?"
"Uh… I'm not sure." We're both silent until we get to the hospital. They quickly take him inside and tell me to wait in the waiting room. I hate hospitals, they always remind me of sickness, death and pain. I sat there for about half an hour before Ulrich showed up.
"How's it going?"
"No word yet."
"How are you doing?" I sigh.
"I don't know. It feels like my heart is slowly being ripped to shreds." He sits down in a chair next to me.
"Don't worry, they'll take care of him." I lean my head on his shoulder.
"I hope so." In about ten minutes, Aelita and Jeremie walk in along with Mr. Delmas.
"Has there been any word?" Mr. Delmas asks. I don't respond, not trusting my voice. So, Ulrich responds for me.
"Not a thing." We only have to wait for about another minute before a doctor walks in.
"Are you here for Odd Della Robbia?"
"We are." Mr. Delmas replies.
"Well, he's stable now. He had a bad case of malnourishment. It looks like he hasn't eaten a solid meal for more than a week. Because of that, his immune system stopped functioning properly. He had a bad fever, which broke fairly quickly. You can go see him if you wish."
"Thank you sir." Ulrich helps me up and smiles.
"Are you Mr. Delmas? The principal?"
"I am."
"I have some things I need to discuss with you, if you would please come into my office."
"Of course."
"Odd is in room number 314." He says to us.
"Okay." I reply croakily. We walk over to the map of the hospital. Odd is two floors above, on the right. We all walk in silence to the elevator and go up two stories. We find Odd's room and open the door. Odd is sleeping on a clean hospital bed, a few needles and tubes sticking into him. There's a nurse standing there.
"Are you here to see him?" We all nod.
"Okay. Try not to wake him, he needs to sleep." She walks out of the room and closes the door, leaving us alone. I walk over first, sitting on the chair next to his bed. I grab his hand and hold it in mine, being careful of the needles.
"Hey Odd…" I say quietly.
"We'll leave you two alone." Ulrich says. I was about to stop them, but they already left. As soon as the door closes, I break out in tears. I put my forehead against the side of his bed and just cry into my arms.
I almost lost him again… but this time it was my fault…I look up, but I can't see a thing. Tears are clouding my vision. I don't even know why I'm crying. Odd is fine, he will be out of the hospital soon. So why can't I stop? After a couple minutes, Ulrich walks back in. Not saying anything, he pulls up a chair next to me.
"Avery…" I look up to the ceiling and laugh to myself. A pitiful laugh.
"I must seem so stupid to you Ulrich. Odd's perfectly fine. Well, not perfectly fine, but he's going to live, he's going to be okay. And yet I can't stop crying." I sniff and wipe the tears away from my cheeks. Ulrich doesn't respond, and after a while, I sit back in my chair.
"You're not stupid Avery."
"I beg to differ."
"What, do you think you're alone? Aelita is out there, practically sobbing into Jeremie's arms. Yumi just got here, and I know she's struggling to try and stay strong for Aelita."
"Yah well… they're Odd's best friends."
"And what are you?"
He's got a point…"I'm just… he's just some boy I know from school. But I haven't been here more than two weeks and I'm bawling by his bedside in the hospital." I say, looking towards Ulrich. He just smiles at me.
"He's also the boy you've kissed at least three times, who's told you he loves you and he still does, and he also saved your life. It may have only been two weeks, but you've been through a lot in those two weeks." I run my hand through my hair, over the top of my head and hold in on the back of my neck.
"I guess you're right. He loves me, I love him… I guess maybe I do have the right… but I still shouldn't be doing this. Besides, he doesn't even know I love him."
"Oh, I'm sure he does." I look at him, desperately trying to control my emotions.
He told him? He promised!"Did you tell him?"
"No, and neither did Yumi. Jeremie and Aelita are totally clueless." My temper immediately dies, and is replaced by curiosity.
"Then how does he know?"
"I don't think he knows it consciously. But trust me, he knows. Deep down, he knows. Why else would he act like this?"
"Then why doesn't he ask me out like a normal person?"
"What happened last time?" I don't respond, but the guilt is burning inside me. I know that eventually, I will have to tell him what I feel.
"Last time you shot him down, flat out cold. Why he doesn't ask you out is he's sure he'll get rejected again."
"I screwed up big time, didn't I?'
"Yah, you did. Can you tell my why you lied to him now?" I sigh, not wanting to have to go into that again.
"Let's just say that I had a relationship back in America that didn't end well. And it started almost exactly how Odd tried to start ours."
"I understand, you don't need to say anymore."
"Thanks Ulrich." I say quietly, and everyone else comes in at that moment. I realize I'm still holding Odd's hand, and think about dropping it. But I look at Ulrich, and he looks at me, and I just hold on tighter.
"How is he?" Yumi asks, her voice wavering slightly.
"He hasn't moved since I got in here. But the doctors say he should be fine." I say, looking over at Aelita. She's holding onto Jeremie pretty tightly, and she's pale.
"Don't worry Aelita, Odd will be fine. Besides, if he died, I'd have to kill him." I say smiling. She laughs weakly, as does everyone else in the room. We sit and talk a little bit, trying to keep our voices low so we don't wake up Odd, but eventually visiting hours are up. A nurse comes in to tell us it's time to go.
"Can I stay here overnight? Please?" I ask her.
"I'm sorry, but no. It's forbidden for minors to stay overnight in a hospital room."
"Please? As a favor?"
"I'm sorry, but I would lose my job. It's totally out of my hands."
"Then who can I go to? I'll ask the manager if I have to."
"Avery… it's time to go. C'mon, there's no reason for you to stay here."
"But… Odd's here."
"And he's fast asleep. We can come back first thing tomorrow morning."
"Promise?"
"We'll try our best. Now let's go." I squeeze Odd's hand once before letting go and exiting with the others.
"Good night Odd." I say quietly and close the door. By the time we get outside, Jeremie and Aelita have already headed home via a bus. Since the next one won't come for another hour (it's late at night) we decide to walk. It's not far, only about a half-hour walk to Yumi's house. We arrive but don't stay very long. Just long enough for Ulrich to give Yumi a quick kiss and promise to see her tomorrow. Then Ulrich and I head off to the school. We enter the dorm building and I stop. I've had a question burning at me ever since Yumi's house.
"Uh… Ulrich? Would you mind if I… slept in your room tonight? I would rather not be all alone right now…." I ask quietly. Ulrich looks sympathetic, and he smiles at me.
"I guess that would be okay… we just have to hurry so Jim doesn't catch us."
"Okay. Let me go to my room and change really quick." I run off down the hall and dash quickly into my room. I quickly change into blue pajama bottoms with a light gray tank top and walk back out.
"Okay let's go." He says. We run quickly and quietly upstairs and enter his room. I walk over and lay down on Odd's bed. I love the smell of it… the warmth it brings. It reminds me of Odd in every way. I bury my head in his pillow again and breathe in his scent.
"Okay, look away for a second, I'm going to change." Ulrich says. Dutifully, and without even a second thought, I turn to the wall and close my eyes.
"Thanks Ulrich for letting me sleep here. I love Odd's bed, it's so comfortable…" I mumble.
"You're welcome Avery. You can turn around now…." I lazily flip over, pulling Odd's blanket with me so it's now covering me. I didn't really want to sleep up here so I could have Ulrich as company. No, I really just wanted to be able to sleep in Odd's bed. The intoxicating aroma, so sweet, immediately makes me feel sleepy. I yawn.
"G'night Ulr…" I begin to say, but I fall into a deep slumber before I can finish.
R&R please and thanks!