Connected [Luke Hemmings]

• Chapter 18 •

• Chapter 18 •

Luke

Renn: Okay have fun! :) x dont miss me too much now ;)
Me: I'll try not to.

I get my keys from the table and go out the door, into my car. Off to the hospital. I'm going to see Dakota. They've kept her in the hospital because she's too weak or something. I didn't really pay enough attention.

Prior, I've told the boys to meet me there. They want to see Dakota too, maybe.

When I get to the hospital, I walk through and go into Dakota's room. As soon as I walk in, there is a nurse.

"Good afternoon, are you Luke?" she asks.
"That's me," I say.
"Oh, um okay. Sweetheart Dakota slipped into a coma about an hour ago, and she told me to give you this."

I take the envelope from the nurse's hands and rip it open. There are two slips of paper. Before I read it, I look at the young nurse. "How'd she slip into a coma?" I ask.

"She wouldn't eat, and was very weak. It was bound to happen," says the nurse.

"What, you didn't check up on her?" I ask, this is ridiculous.
"She had assured us that she would eat. But when we came in, she was in a deep sleep."

I roll my eyes, taking a seat and reading the letter. When I see it, it's actually Dakota's bucket list.

I skim through it again, to see something is scratched out and above it, it says:

20. Have Renn and Luke fall in love and/or date.

I chuckle and shake my head. I look over at my best friend who is unconscious as hell, and I smile. She has so much faith in me.

Thank you Kot.

I thank the nurse, and leave the room. I go to the waiting room and phone Calum.

"What's up?" he asks.
"Dakota's in a coma, no reason to come," I say emotionless.
"Shouldn't it be the other way?"
"No, she needs to be alone and recover or whatever."
"Alright. Well we could go to yours?"
"Yeah, come on over."

When the call is over, I get into my car and drive home. I'm upset. I'm furious. I'm confused. Why did Dakota try to overdose? It worked, but it didn't kill her. Why is she suicidal? She was always so happy.

As soon as I'm home, I rush to my room and lay down on my bed. I close my eyes and block the light and sounds from the real world with my pillow.

*Flashback*

"Keat!" I yell. Keaton sucks at soccer, but it's better than playing alone. Dad had taken Jack and Ben to work today, so I was stuck at Keaton's house. Keaton's cool, except we have nothing in common. His mum works with mine, at a local high school.

The ball is kicked to my feet and I dribble it past Keaton and I score a goal in his 'net.' My hands go up in the air as I go back to my side.

"This isn't fair! You're heaps better!" Keaton yells, trying to get past me. I laugh.

"Life isn't fair," I joke.

I try to block Keaton but he trips me and kicks the ball far from my own little 'net.' It hits a girl in the ankle, who's playing by the swings. I roll my eyes and run over to her.

"Look what you did!" I yell at Keaton.

When I make it to the blonde girl, I clear my throat. There are two girls, both platinum blonde. "I believe this ball is yours," says the one that Keaton hit.