Worth fighting for

Chapter 16

"Hey, Carmen! Get over here!" I heard a young girls voice shout to me. I turned around to see I was at my old house. My sister was in the front garden and was looking right at me with a smile. I knew this wasn't real because this was before the move. I could tell because we both still had long hair and now we don't. She had luscious brown hair which went half way down her back when she braided it. She looked so happy. Well... used to. I felt my hair which was long and soft again. I looked down to see the blonde ponytail over one of my shoulders. How I miss this hair. I smiled at the thought of it.

I walked over to my sister who smiled at me and grabbed my hand and guided me to the back garden. Seeing her smile was the first time in months but even this smile isn't real. It's only a dream. Wait, why was I dreaming of this day? There's nothing relevant to playing in the garden.

"CARMEN!" I heard my dad shout from inside the house. Instantly remembering my whole body froze as I stared at the house in horror. Tears welled up in my eyes.

"CARMEN!" my father shouted again. I couldn't move a muscle.

"You best go before father starts drinking some more. Don't worry we can play when your done." She said with a smile not knowing what was going to happen. I wanted to scream. I wanted to bust my lungs from screaming so load. Without moving I was standing in my father's office. The tears were streaming down my face. This is a nightmare and I want to wake up. Right now!

"Carmen, you're such a pretty little girl aren't you?" my father said curling some hair behind my ear. I wanted to punch and kick my way out but It was like I was paralysed. "Your mother has gone out and taken your sister with her. You know what that means?" He asked whispering in my ear.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I tried screaming but no sound would come out. It all happened so fast and it was a nightmare I never wanted to relive. A little while later I was in the shower crying on the floor as the water dripped off of me. Then the rest came back in flashes.

Me telling my sister, Us running away with no notice, getting by with the help of my old uncle, cutting and dying our hair and learning how to do our makeup which would change how we looked. I learnt how to make my eyes look a little bigger and my nose smaller as well as a slimmer face and my sister practically did the same just to help us go under the radar. Then came the part of the flashback I didn't want to see... My panic attacks. Ever since I have had really bad depression and anxiety with panic attacks happening almost every night and had to see a therapist to help calm them down but I was still having them 3 times a week.

Sister's POV:

She lay in the hospital bed squirming and screaming and I felt so helpless. There was nothing I could do but sit here and wait for her to wake up. She's been in here for a week now and I've been here as much as I could but unfortunately, that wasn't all the time but there someone who I haven't had the pleasure of meeting but always seems to be in the waiting room when I arrive but I've never actually talked to him and the nurses have told me he's been waiting for Carmen.

A nurse walks in to do some testing on Carmen and I smile at her weakly.

"How's she doing?" I asked not really wanting to know the answer in fear that it'll make me feel worse.

"She isn't responding yet and within the week, we'll have to try and take her off the machine oxygen but if she doesn't breath on her own there'll be a slim chance of her making it." She said breaking it to me nicely.

"Is that boy still in the waiting room?" I asked making her look at me like I was crazy.

"He hasn't left."

"Oh, does he usually leave around this time?" I question wondering what she meant.

"No, he actually hasn't left the waiting room since Carmen's been here. A few people have come and gone but he's never left once and refuses to until she's okay." She said with a huge smile on her face. I smiled back at her before she left. I let go of Carmen's hand after kissing it and went to the waiting room. I saw a guy around Carmen's age asleep in one of the seats.

I walked over and shook him awake. He woke up with a fright which frightened me a little.

"Sorry, I hate hospitals." He explained.

"Then why are you here?" I asked wondering if this actually the guy waiting for my Carmen.

"My only friend was hit by a car and I'm here for her when she wakes up." He explained and his eyes became glossy like he was wanting to cry.

"Come with me," I said and went back to Carmen's room. We stood in the doorway. When he saw her he instantly started crying.

"I can't go in." He confessed and I knew he was afraid. I put my hand on his shoulder.

"The first steps always the hardest but you can't win the race if you don't start it," I said reminding myself of Carmen as she could cheer anyone up by simply saying inspiring quotes to them and it always works. The guy looked at me and smiled before looking down at his feet and walking inside. He took a seat beside Carmen's bed and I did the same on the other side.

"How do you know Carmen?" I asked holding her hand again.

"I was a school bully and she beat me up. She should have hated me but she listened. I told her things no one every knew about me." He explained playing with the hem of his jacket.

"Did she only make friends with you?" I asked and I have to admit it did seem a little harsh and like I was saying he wasn't enough but I didn't mean it that way.

"She made friends one of them turned the rest against her but I'm guessing you knew that." He explained and tears escaped his eyes. I nodded slightly looking down at her hand. "Would you mind reading it out? I wouldn't want to upset you some more it's just that I feel guilty and I have queries about it but I don't have any facts." He asked with a panicked look as if he was tripping over himself.

"No, it's fine." I started. "To the random person who found me dead....

(Carmen) Note to self: It's only a nightmare!