Teachers Pet

fourteen

A steady beeping filled my ears as I forced my eyes to open. A dim light was shining above, illuminating the room. I looked over, feeling a hand in mine. Florence sat, her head laid on the bed beside my thigh. She was drooling, unaware of her snoring echoing through the room. It was dark outside, the clock reading three in the morning. That's when it registered, I was in the hospital.

I didn't want to wake Florence, yet moving my hand to yank the oxygen tubes from my nose made her shoot up. "Oh my god!" She hugged me, making me wrap my arms around her waist. "You're okay!" I could feel her tears wetting my shoulder as she cried into my embrace. "I'm okay." I let out a laugh, burrowing myself closer into my best friend.

"Hey, Flo."

"Yeah?"

"I can't breathe." I wheezed out, "Oh!" She jumped off of me, still holding my hand as she sat down in the visibly uncomfortable hospital chair. My smile dropped, seeing how tired she looked. Bags were dark under her eyes and even though her hair was up I could tell she hadn't washed it in days. Which prompted me to ask, "What happened?"

The last thing I could remember was straddling Tom, him kissing me then...Aaron walked in. How he was furious. How I...

"You hit your head on a bookshelf in Professor Hiddleston's office." I gulped, listening to her talk as I leaned my head back against the pillows. We sat in silence for a moment, until I asked. "Did Aaron say anything about-"

"You and Professor Hiddleston?" She looked up, "Or should I just call him Tom."

We kept eye contact. I couldn't tell if she was mad, or ashamed. Those same words she had said to me the other day rang through my head.

"I'm not mad." She shook her head, her blonde hair falling out of the messy bun slightly. "I'm just..." Flo hesitated, taking a deep breath, "I know why you didn't tell me." She nodded, grasping my hand tighter, "Remember when you told me if you spoke about him then a lot of people could get hurt?"

I bobbed my head up and down, staying silent.

She gave me a smile, placing both of my hands in hers, "It shouldn't be you who gets hurt, Viv."

I shook my head, "It's not like that. I care about him." She tilted her head, "But he shouldn't hurt you like-"

"What?!" I sat up, my hands loosening their grip on my best friend. "Tom wouldn't hurt me!"

"Viv-" Flo tried to object before I interrupted. "Aaron saw us together! He got mad and right when he was about to punch Tom..." I took a deep breath, hearing the heart monitor beep faster, "I stepped in front of him." Flo's expression turned from hesitancy to anger. "Aaron was the one who..."

"Aaron accidentally punched me, and made me fall," I confirmed, both of our heads swinging at attention as the door opened. My brother stepped in, two cups of coffee in his hands.

"Oh my god!" He smiled, quickly placing the cups down on a nearby table before wrapping me in a hug. "You're awake." I didn't reciprocate the hug, still holding onto Florence's hands as I could feel her heart rate accelerating.

Aaron pulled away, "Whats?" He looked to Flo, seeing her furious expression, "What's going on?"

"Why did you tell Flo that Tom was the one who hit me?" I questioned, scooting back as far away from my brother as possible. He scoffed, "I don't know what you're talking about, Viv." I could feel the tension in the room. I wanted to scream and run out of here. I wanted to search for Tom and tell him how sorry I was.

"You hit your head pretty hard, Viv." My eyes snapped up to his. "What?"

"You hit your head. You got things all..." He wiggled his finger around his head, "Mixed up."

I scoffed, "Get out." He stood back, "What?"

"Get out!!" I shouted, pointing at the door as I almost ripped out my IV. "Get out!" Sitting up, even more, I stood, holding my head, "Get the fuck out!!"

A nurse barged through with a large security guard. "What's going on in here?!"

"Get him out!" I cried, pointing at my brother.

The nurse nodded toward Aaron, making the guard softly grab him and mumble, "Let's go."

The expression on my brother's face almost broke my heart. He knew he was wrong. He knew I had remembered. "Get out.." I whimpered, crying into Flo's shoulder as I watched Aaron being escorted from the room.

The nurse took a deep breath, helping me back into bed as she scanned a keycard over the computer monitor. "Alright, Miss Johnson." She smiled down at me, "Let's take a couple of deep breaths.." Turning the heart rate monitor to where I could see it, yet I couldn't slow it down. Tears were streaming down my face and my hand was scratching at my chest as if it was going to burst.

"Miss Johnson." I looked up at the nurse, seeing her place my hand on her chest. "Follow my breathing, alright?" I nodded, feeling Flo squeeze my plan tighter. "That's it.." The nurse bobbed her head up and down. I could feel my heartbeat slow, the urge in my chest was gone and my tears had stopped flowing. I kept breathing. In and out. In and out.

I fell over, falling into Flo's arms as she held me. "You're okay." My best friend murmured, "You're alright." I nodded, clinging to her arms.

"I'm gonna take some vitals," The nurse spoke, slipping a pressure cuff around my forearm. She started to pump the bulb, the pressure gauge going up as I felt it squeezing tighter around my arm. She looked down, measuring with her watch. "Alright..." Softly taking the cuff from my arm, she placed it down on the table beside her. "A little elevated. 134/70 but that's just because of the anxiety attack." I nodded, listening to her.

She smiled, swiping her card once more before typing on the keyboard, "My name is Brie and I'll be your nurse while you're here." I let a small smile curve my lips, "Nice to meet you."

"And you as well Miss Vivana." She pointed to the schedule on the whiteboard, "I am mostly here nights so your day nurse will be Miss Kat." I nodded again, listening. She sat down, wrapping the stethoscope around her neck. "Has anyone told you why you're here?"

I bobbed my head up and down, "I know why. I hit my head. My brother he..." Her brows furrowed, I guess Aaron lied to them too. "I hit my head." Brie smiled softly, "Luckily there was no damage, however, you have been asleep for a couple of days so we want to keep you one more night to observe you while you're conscious." I listened, watching her type a few things in before turning back to me.

"You are in the ICU so usually we only allow one visitor at night and two during the day." I clung to Flo tighter, "Can she stay?"

"We usually only allow family but considering the circumstance, yes, she can stay." I felt a weight lift from my shoulders. "Thank you," I whispered. Brie patted my leg twice, standing back up. "You have some pretty strong meds prescribed for the morning so if you want, you can get some rest and we can walk some tomorrow." she continued, "I'm right outside if you need me."

I thanked her, seeing her close the sliding glass door before I turned to Florence. "Thank you." Her brows furrowed, "For what?" I took a deep breath, "Being here. Believing me."

She hugged me, pressing her hand to the back of my head. "I'll always believe you, Viv." We pulled apart, tears threatening to spill once again. "Now." She broke the silence, "Here's your phone." She fished it from her pocket. "Text Tom and let him know you're alright." I smiled, taking it into my hands and turning it on. "You're the best."

Flo smiled, "I know."