Rumor has it

Chapter 3

This chapter is a bit long but oh well I hope you guys enjoy it! What do you think of the book so far? Let me know.

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Side effects, I had heard the doctor tell my dad and grandmother once I had woken up again.

The doctor had now placed me on a different medication and although I didn't feel much better I couldn't complain. I also didn't feel like I was losing my vision and mind to the pain within my body. I could go home and that was all I needed to hear to shut up and wait to leave this miserable room and go back to my cozy bed.

Everything will be alright, I really wanted to convince myself of that but as long as my brother is not here that was just another lie I was telling myself.

The room had gone awfully quiet after my grandmother had to go back home and I was left with my dad. His warm brown skin seemed to have turned grey and cold when he first walked into the room. I felt bad for cutting his vacation short, my dad is a workaholic and I knew how much convincing it took for him to even agree. It will be fine, I had told him. Yeah, I really screwed that up.

I had to practically force him to go to get food from the cafeteria because he wasn't planning on leaving my side until my aunt gets here. He went only after I had assured him I would do as the doctor had said, to stay in bed. Now I was alone with my thoughts.

I turned to the little table beside my bed where Rita, my dad's girlfriend, had placed a bouquet of my favorite flowers. She had gone before I had woken up so I couldn't even thank her. My dad rarely brought any women home to meet me and grandma but he was totally smitten by Rita and I liked them two together now.

I rested my hand on my face trying to recall my memories from yesterday. Everything to find some sort of explanation of what was actually going on.

Day had turned into night and my brother's whereabouts were still unknown and that worried me a lot. Officer Dwayne had come by alone to continue his interrogation right after I had my lunch hours ago. He had confirmed a shooting had taken place near the street I had passed out on but nothing about my brother or if the blood they found was his. I made him promise to do his best to find my brother before he left. That was the only thing that was keeping me calm.

" Hazel, How are you holding up?" My dad asked once had returned from the cafeteria. He walked slowly over to my bed and he still looked at me as if I would disappear at any moment.

" I just want to go home now, I can't just sit and wait around." I said with a sigh, I looked down on my hospital gown and it made my tanned skin look dull against it. Everything in here was deprived of color, even the sunshine coming through the window.

" I know, Jack will be just fine okay? I talked to his uncles and they will contact us when he gets in touch with them, just focus on your recovery for now."

" Dad, how can I? Who knows if he is out there bleeding out?" I felt nausea for even saying those words out loud.

" If he was, I'm sure he would have been found by now," He argued, giving me a little smile." And your brother does not have that kind of pain tolerance to be running around with an injured leg."

Then where could he be? I thought to myself. I nodded and laid my head back on the pillow.

" The officer said we could call them if you forget to tell them anything." He continued.

" Okay." I breathed out. He was right and I was only stressing him further so I dropped the topic.

" Your aunt is here, are you sure you're ready to go home?" He asked, I turned to him and sat up. Ignoring the headache coming to the surface.