Fucked Up Life

Hospital

Scarlett turned off the car and got out. Noah followed her closely. "Is it still okay if I hold your hand? I like holding your hand." She held out her hand which he took immediately. He held her hand tightly. "Hospitals scare me," he said quietly.

"Really? Why did you agree to come?"

"Cause you wanted me to. Why else?" He walked along, even though he was extremely tense. They went inside to the front desk. The woman looked up at them curiously.

"What's the problem?"

"He's probably on speed and may have a head injury or be on something else. I'm also worried about overdose."

"What relation to him are you?"

"Nothing really."

"Well you brought him here, didn't you?"

"Yes because he's having a delusion that I'm his girlfriend although we haven't had an actual conversation since a project at school last semester," she said with slight embarrassment.

"Put friend then," she said, looking annoyed. Scarlett dragged Noah over to the chair and helped him fill out the form. After finishing that, Scarlett gave it back to the woman. "You honestly think he's got a head injury?"

"It's just a precautionary worry. I'm not sure if that or more drugs would be worse. He's young and trying to fit in." She looked back at Noah, the boy that had changed so much. Scarlett went back and sat with him, waiting for a doctor to finally be available.

They checked him and took blood. He was on adderall and something else. It proved to be cocaine. "Noah, you said you were only on speed."

"I thought I was."

"Friends don't lie, Noah."

"You said we weren't really friends."

"Maybe we are now."

"I must've breathed some in or something."

"Really, Noah? You almost overdosed."

"I swear to God I didn't mean to, Scarlett. I swear."

"Noah," she pleaded. He shook his head no. "I'm going home." His heart rate rose on the monitor.

"Please stay," he begged her. He reached out his fingers. She didn't want him to start crying so she sat down.

"Tell the truth?"

"I am. I didn't take any cocaine. I'm not completely stupid. Then again, I thought you liked me."

"Noah, what happened?"

"We were just in those trees. I took speed, and some other guys smoked weed and did coke. I didn't. I swear."

"Are you sure no one gave you any?"

"Maybe I could have injested some when I drank some pop to take the pills? Shit, I used James' drink. I don't think he was doing it though. Maybe he was jealous because I kept talking about...you."

She felt her eyes narrow. "What about me?"

"Just how pretty you are and...how good of a kisser you are."

"I've never kissed you, Noah."

"But I remember it so clearly," he whined. Before Scarlett could say anything, Mrs. Tethers came into the room. She looked at Noah with disappointment, worry, and anger all at the same time. "Hey, mom," he said guiltily.

"You're quitting the football team," she said.

"Okay," he said, clearly resigned to it.

"No going out for two months," she continued.