The Peirce's

Chapter 5 - Jake and Ellie's Migraines

Jake's POV:

Ellie has been suffering from massive migraines ever since she was 14 and as she grew up, she has tried heaps of different treatments, so far only one has worked and she hates it. It's a needle that needs to be injected into her thigh once a month and apparently it 'burns like nothing you have ever felt before'. Cal took over looking after it once he got his medical degree because they assumed it was something "hormonal". Anyway, for the past few months, I have been suffering from migraines just like Ellie and she and Cal have decided that I should give the needles a go. After a particularly severe episode, they convinced me to try it and Cal is going to pick it up at the pharmacy today while I am at school.

Harry, Tyler, and I get off the bus and walk into school like we do every day (except Monday of course). At lunch, Ty and I sit with our friends. As the bell rings and we start to walk to class, I feel someone nudge my elbow. It's Ben, "Hey dude, I need an escape, my parents are working on this crazy yoga thing at home, and I can't be around them right now. Please tell me I can come to yours?" he begs. "Lemme ask Max" I reply, and he nods. I grab my phone out of my back pocket and call my oldest brother, "Hey Max, can Ben come over after school?" I ask, "are you sure?" he replies, "you know what's happening this afternoon" he continues, "Yesss" I reply, irritated, "ok, if you're sure" he answers, and I hang up the phone.

"Yeah. You can come" I say to Ben as we take our seats for last period. "what's happening this afternoon?" Ben asks, "what are you talking about?" I ask, confused, "I heard you and Max talking on the phone" he replies guiltily. "Oh yeah, ummm. Yeah, I don't really know but I'm sure it will be fine" I say, completely forgetting about the dreaded shot. Tyler looks at me weirdly when I say that, but I shrug it off because I don't really care about what my siblings may be doing tonight.

We get off the bus and begin the short journey home with Ben. Ty, Ben, and I walk up to mine and Ty's room, and we start playing some video games. About an hour has passed, and I hear a knock on the door. "yeah" I yell through the door, and it opens. There stands Cal and a distressed looking Ellie holding Cal's hand behind him. I immediately realize why they are here and get up and slam the door in their faces.

"Woah, dude, why did your sister look so terrified?" Ben asks. I completely ignore him and start pacing around the room murmuring to myself, "nonononononono" as tears begin to fill my eyes. "Did you seriously forget?" Ty asks, shocked. "I don't know how I forgot. You have to hide me" I say back. Ben just looks between us confused as anything. "I'm gonna go talk to Cal and tell him to give us half an hour for you to prepare yourself, ok?" Ty says and I silently nod as I slide my back down the wall and sit on the carpet. Ty leaves the room and Ben comes over to comfort me, even though he still has no idea what is going on. After a while, Ty comes back, "we have 15 minutes" he says as he comes to sit with us on the floor. After about 5 minutes, I have stopped crying which gives Ben an opportunity to ask some questions "can I ask what is going on?". "You know how he has been getting really bad migraines?" Ty asks, "yeah" Ben replies, "he is starting a medication to make them better but it's a shot and apparently it's really bad. Ellie gets them too and ever since she started the shots, she has complained about how much they hurt so he is really nervous" Ty explains. Ben just nods his head understandingly and hugs me.

Cal opens the door, this time not knocking first, and walks up to me. I cower away from him, as Ty and Ben move out of his way. "let's get this over with buddy" he says crouching down to my level. I violently shake my head, not trusting my words. "I know it's scary Jake, but we really have to get those migraines under control" he continues as he lifts me into his arms. All I can do is cry into his chest as he takes me down to the living room. Ben, Ellie, and Ty follow close behind. I am laid on the couch and Ellie sits beside me as I continue crying, "oh Jakey, I can tell you from experience, if this works for you, it will 100% be worth it" Ellie reassures. I know she means well but the fact that she is clearly so nervous as well is not making me feel any better. Cal walks out of the room and sends in Alex and Harry since the other boys are still at work. They both sit next to us on the couch while Ben and Tyler sit on some armchairs, so I know they are close. Soon, Cal walks back in holding a kidney dish with two syringes and two vials of medication. He also has two pairs of gloves, four wipes and four cotton balls. He sets the stuff on the coffee table and kneels in front of us, "who wants to go first" he asks earnestly. My head immediately shoots to look at Ellie and I pray that she will volunteer. She is staring down, fiddling with her fingers when I hear her mumble, "I will" I breathe a sigh of relief but soon realise that I am only delaying the inevitable. "Ok, sunshine" Cal replies as he places a kiss on our sister's forehead before turning to his tray of torture. He slips on a pair of gloves, and we all watch silently as he pierces the seal of the first vial with the needle and begins to fill the syringe with the medicine. Ellie whimpers and leans into Alex who hugs her tightly.