Check Mate♟

Chapter Twenty-Two (2)

Author's Note:

Good news guys, I'm still alive! I'm aware that it's been over a year since the last time I updated and I am so so so sorry. I was overwhelmed with the new load of work that came with high school and creative writing became a thing of the past. My friend reminded me of this book like last week and I had to re-read all the existing chapters to remember where I left off haha! Hopefully there are still some of you that will continue reading even though I temporarily went into extinction. :)

(P.S I want to clarify that last chapter was a filler chapter, it was just an April Fool's prank and nothing in it really happened! The story will continue from this chapter!)

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After my phone call with Ryland, I felt like I finally had my feet on some solid footing. Our feelings towards one another were mutual, which means that I didn't need to over think things anymore. Things were going pretty well, considering the fact that I had landed in a hospital within a couple of hours of setting foot in Seattle. My father had given his word that he would stop bothering my mother about me and Ryland said he'd take care of the Angel issue. Those were two huge weights lifted off my back. However, the heaviest one still remained, what would become of Trevor and I? It wasn't hatred that I felt when I thought of him, maybe a little pity. If I hadn't found out about his crazy history from Ryland, I would've gone after his throat by now. But knowing that there really was something unscrewed in his head cooled me down the slightest bit. I'd come to the conclusion that I would simply avoid him for the rest of my life.

I took the hospital elevator down to the ground level where my mother was waiting for me. We were flying back home today, but school had started two days ago. Being in the hospital had its perks! Once I exited the elevator, I turned the corner to see my mother chatting it up with Dr. Tates. She was laughing and it looked like she was having the best conversation of her life. As I neared, I heard some tidbits of what they were talking about.

" - and then I took out the green crayon chunk from his nose! I've had 12 more surgeries of the same case since that day. I still can't comprehend why children have the impulse to stick crayons up their nose.", Dr. Tates was saying. Mother was having a laughing fit. When she calmed down, she noticed me over the doctor's shoulder.

"Brooke, honey! You all set to go home?", she called over to me. Before I could reply, Dr. Tates interrupted me.

"Oh right, the two of you head home today. Here-", he pulled out a scrap of paper and a pen and scribbled something down. "-call me if something out of the ordinary happens with Brooke's condition." As he handed the paper to my mother, she turned several shades of red.

"Y-yes, I'll be sure to do just that.", she timidly confirmed.

"I should be going now. I need to prepare for a kidney transplant later on today. Have a safe flight home, Sarah.", he directed the goodbye towards my mother and walked off.

I slowly strode over to my mother and raised my eyebrow knowingly. She hurriedly shoved the paper into her bag and flicked some hair out of her face.

"Why are you looking at me like that, young lady?", she fought to keep her cool composure.