beautiful

chapter 10: symptoms

After we picked up Amber from the airport, Gran offered to take us out for dinner. We all agreed, and Amber was greatly amused by the idea of getting 'authentic American food'. I felt pretty hungry, but by the time we walked into the burger joint, I had lost my appetite. Actually, I felt a little sick to my stomach.

"Nina, honey, are you alright?" Gran asked me once we'd sat in the booth.

"I don't feel very well," I replied, sipping the water I'd ordered. Gran, Amber, and Courtney just gave me concerned looks before digging into their meals.

The next morning, the dull headache I'd had throughout the week instantly multiplied into a giant throbbing pain. To top it off, I still felt nauseous.

After running into the bathroom when my nausea got the best of me, I checked the clock. It read 2:47 A.M. I was exhausted, still, and eventually trudged my way back into bed. It didn't take long for me to fall back asleep.

I jolted up in bed quickly, cold sweat running down my face. However, I couldn't immediately remember having a nightmare, or any dream for that matter. I looked at my cell phone to check the time…5:23 A.M. I figured I might as well try and fall back asleep, since Amber was still in a deep slumber on the other side of my full size bed.

"Nina," I heard Amber calling my name, and first thought of the morning after prom. I remembered, however, that I was certainly not in Anubis House.

I opened my eyes, looking straight up at my ceiling.

"Are you okay?" she asked me worriedly, "I heard you get up in the middle of the night, and you've been asleep for a really long time."

"Ams, I don't feel very well," I said with a sigh, "I'm sorry that I'm so sick on your first day here…"

"It's definitely not your fault that you're sick," she told me firmly, "But I'm going to get your Gran…you look flushed, and I'm worried you have a fever."

"Thanks, Amber," I thanked her with a tired voice, trying to find a comfy position in bed. I noticed that I was practically burning alive under all these blankets, and tossed them off of me. I felt that my pajama shirt had ridden up my sides overnight, but I didn't mind. It actually helped me feel cooler.

"Nina," I heard Gran call my name as she walked in, probably to make sure I was awake. I turned my head to look at her, and she came toward me to take my temperature. At first, she felt my forehead with her hand.

"Oh my word," she muttered under her breath, "You're burning up!" Gran then proceeded to stick the digital thermometer in my mouth, and we waited patiently for a beep.

"One hundred and two point six degrees," Gran announced, feeling my forehead once more. I then noticed a very concerned looking Amber gawking at my midsection.

"Amber, what's wrong?" I asked her, looking down at my stomach.

"Oh, my…" Gran trailed off as she noticed what Amber and I were looking at. Where there had been some little bruises just last week, there were now large, purple splotches that threatened to consume my natural skin tone.

"That's it," Gran determined, "I'm calling the doctor."

I always hated waiting rooms; they were unfriendly, and I always felt like everyone else was judging me. I slumped in the chair, wishing there were doctors that still made house calls so I could be in bed right now. A very nervous Amber was next to me, flipping through old issues of People magazine. Gran looked anxious, as well, and kept glancing my way.

"Nina Martin?" I heard a plump nurse call my name, and I gave a weak smile before attempting to stand. Gran had to prop me up when I suddenly felt dizzy, and the nurse took my arm to lead me into the exam room.

My doctor, who was a kind Latina woman, asked me the usual questions, "What are your symptoms?", "How long have they been around?", and "What was your temperature last time you checked it?" (This last one was after I mentioned the fever).

At first, she seemed to think I had a stomach bug, but once I mentioned the bruises, she stiffened. Upon seeing them, she became absolutely rigid and stepped out of the room without a word. Luckily, she left the door partially open, and I saw her talking to another doctor. They both glanced toward the door a number of times. This worried me greatly.

Soon, my doctor came back in, telling me simply that "This isn't a simple stomach bug" and that she "needs to take blood immediately".

After they took my blood—much to my chagrin—my doctor informed me that she scheduled other tests for the next day, which included x-rays, MRI's, CT scans, and the like. I was very frightened at this point, and the worst part was, we had no answers.

Gran and I made our way back to the waiting room, where Amber was talking on her cell phone in a hushed voice.

"Yes, Fabian," she hissed, "Of course I've heard from her today, I just saw her…I'm visiting her in America, remember?"

I sat beside her, and heard Fabian's voice on the other end say, "I'm sorry; I'm just really worried, that's all."

"Can I talk to him?" I mouthed, and Amber nodded, handing me the phone. We began walking toward the car so we didn't make a scene.

"Hi, Fabes," I said in a weak voice.

"Nina, are you okay?" he asked me immediately, his voice flooded with concern.

"We don't know," I replied honestly, "We're just leaving the doctor's now, and she took blood and scheduled me for a bunch of tests…I'm scared."

"It'll be alright, love," Fabian feebly attempted to comfort me, "I'm sure you'll turn out fine."

"I hope you're right," I replied. Today was Saturday; my blood work would be in by tomorrow when I went to get my other tests done, so I prayed that by next week, things would be back to normal.

After sitting through hours of scans and tests, I sat in another exam room; this time, in a very mean looking hospital. The white-washed walls frightened me more than my current state of well-being, which became a completely irrelevant thought once the doctor walked in.

"We have your results," he sighed, flipping through my chart. What he said next practically brought me to my knees, and I suddenly wished that I was curled up in bed, sleeping and unaware of everything.

A/N: Hello, everyone! I have a few things in general I'd like to say about the reviews: thank you so much for them, but PLEASE don't just say "update soon". I update every Monday, no more, no less. Also, don't predict what you think is wrong with Nina in the reviews...I've had a few of you do it already, and frankly, it's frustrating. I'd like it if you gave me feedback rather than saying "SHE'S GONNA DIE!". Anyways, thanks for reading! I don't own House of Anubis, or People magazine. kthxbai. :)