Chasing Stars (Emma Myers X Jenna Ortega)

Chapter ten

Notes:

I recommend listening to "Bigger than the Whole Sky" by Taylor Swift while reading this chapter :)

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Emma's heart was filled with anticipation as she hurriedly made her way to the hospital, clutching a carefully prepared mango shake in her hands. Jenna had mentioned countless times that mango shake was her favorite, and Emma couldn't wait to see the joy on Jenna's face when she presented it to her.

Emma's steps quickened as she dialed Jenna's number, eager to share her excitement and let her friend know she was on her way. The phone rang a few times before Jenna's weak voice answered on the other end.

"Jenna! I'm almost there! Guess what I have with meee? ~" Emma sings.

Jenna's response came weakly, her breath punctuated with exhaustion.

"What?" she managed to whisper, her voice barely audible.

Emma's gut tightened, a sense of unease washing over her. Jenna's feeble and breathless response was a stark contrast to her usual energetic and vibrant self. It was a clear indication that something was seriously wrong.

Fear coursed through Emma's veins, pushing her into immediate action. Without a second thought, she broke into a sprint, racing towards Jenna's room. The urgency in her steps mirrored the panic in her heart.

When Emma peered through the glass barrier of Jenna's room, her heart dropped. Jenna lay there in the hospital bed, her frail form barely recognizable. The sight was a stark contrast to the vibrant and lively friend Emma knew. Jenna's breaths came in shallow gasps, her face pale and gaunt. Tubes and wires snaked around her, connecting her to various machines that monitored her failing body. It was clear that her condition had deteriorated rapidly.

Jenna needs urgent medical attention.

Panic coursed through Emma's veins as she surveyed the room. Where were the doctors? Where were the nurses? Why was no one attending to Jenna? Why was she alone? Her voice trembled as she desperately called out for help, pleading with anyone who would listen.

"Please, someone, help! Jenna needs immediate medical attention! Can't you see how sick she is?" Emma's voice quivered with a mix of desperation and frustration.

She frantically called the hospital staff, pleading for their immediate assistance to tend to Jenna's critical condition. Nurses rushed to Emma's side, trying their best to calm her down while explaining the situation.

"Please, you have to help her! Jenna needs medical attention," Emma pleaded, her voice trembling with fear and anguish.

Her emotions boiled over, frustration and anger bubbling within her. She couldn't comprehend why Jenna was left unattended in such a critical state. Her voice quivered with a mix of fury and anguish as she confronted the hospital staff.

"Why isn't anyone helping her? How can you just leave her like this? She needs medical attention immediately!" Emma's voice rose with each word, her eyes filled with fiery determination.

A nurse gently approached her, recognizing the distress and confusion in her eyes. With a calm and compassionate tone, the nurse began to explain the situation.

"Emma, I understand your concern for Jenna, and we're doing everything we can to help her," the nurse started, her voice filled with empathy.

"There's something you need to know... Jenna... She... She signed a document when she was in a more stable condition. It outlines her wishes that if she were to become critically ill, she didn't want the doctors to provide further treatment."

Emma's heart shattered into a million pieces upon hearing the nurse's words. The weight of Jenna's decision crushed her, leaving her feeling helpless and devastated. Tears streamed down her face as the realization sank in, mingling with her frustration and anger.

"Why? Why would she make such a choice?"

The nurse, who had also become a close friend to Jenna, spoke with a heavy heart, her voice filled with empathy.

"Jenna expressed that she feels guilty for the burden her medical expenses have placed on her sister. She knows how hard her sister works to pay for her care, and she doesn't want to be a financial strain on her anymore. Jenna also mentioned that by signing the document, she wanted to protect the doctors and nurses who have been taking care of her, so they wouldn't risk their health while treating her."

Emma's heart ached with sorrow. She knew Jenna's love for her sister ran deep, and this decision was a testament to her selflessness. But it was also an immense weight to bear, knowing that Jenna was sacrificing her own well-being to ease the burden on others.

"No... no, she can't have made that decision," Emma choked out, her voice trembling with grief.

"Why would she choose to suffer alone? She's not a burden... she's... she's my best friend."

Emma's heart crumbled into fragments.

She's my best friend.

Jenna. Her best friend. Her best friend had chosen to suffer alone.

Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision as she sobbed uncontrollably.

In her anguish, Emma had forgotten that she was still on the phone call with Jenna.

As her cries filled the room, a faint voice reached her ears, barely audible amidst her sobs.

"Emma... Don't cry... Emma..."

Emma's heart skipped a beat as she recognized Jenna's weak voice calling out to her. She quickly brought the phone to her ear, the sound of her name mingling with her desperate gasps for breath.

"Jenna... I'm here. I'm here," Emma choked out, her voice laced with sorrow and disbelief.

"Please, please don't leave me."

Emma's cries turned into desperate pleas as she staggered towards Jenna's room, her hands trembling as she reached for the doorknob. She banged on the door, her voice filled with anguish.

"Emma... Please... calm down... It's going... to be... okay," Jenna whispered weakly, her voice barely audible.

Emma's heart ached at the sound of Jenna's voice, filled with both pain and reassurance. She pressed her forehead against the door, tears streaming down her face as she struggled to regain composure.

"Jenna... I can't lose you... Please, let me in," Emma choked out between her sobs, her voice filled with desperation.