"The tragedy of life is not death ... but what we let die inside of us while we still live."
Adalynn Stanton is accepted into one of the highest competitive schools in her state, the Greenhouse Academy. At first, all she thinks she will have to do...
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The first thing Adalynn was aware of was the constant ringing in her ears. Slowly, ever so slowly, her fingers flexed and moved over a soft fabric that was lying beneath them. Her whole body, bit by bit, started coming to it's senses. Her nose picked up the strong smell of disinfectant and fresh bandages. Her ears sensed a murmuring of voices, a rustling of clothes, and the agitated gait of footsteps. Her eyes fluttered open, only to be blinded by a bright, glaring light up ahead. With a muffled groan, her eyes snapped shut again almost instantly. Why would someone switch on a light when she was trying to sleep? Then ... she remembered ... she hadn't fallen asleep, she'd fallen unconscious!
"Adalynn?" a male voice asked from beside her, his tone laced with hope and excitement. His long fingers interlaced with hers. "Doctor, she's waking up!"
"How many times do I have to tell you to be quiet, Leo? And no, I'm not a doctor, so stop calling me one," a soft female voice answered him.
"What are you then?" Leo demanded.
"A retired nurse."
"I don't see the difference."
"Leo!"
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. I'll be quiet now."
"Yeah. Good idea. Hey, sweetie, Adalynn darling, can you look at me?"
Adalynn heaved a deep breath and tried again; she opened her eyes and looked up into the kind, elderly face of the Academy nurse whose head, thankfully enough, was blocking out the overhead light.
"Yeah," Adalynn replied softly. "I - I think I'm okay now." She tried to sit up, but someone placed a restraining hand on her chest.
"No, Adi," Leo's stern voice floated throughout the room. "As your club captain, I'm ordering you to stay put for the rest of the day."
"What? Leo!" Adalynn wailed, annoyed. "You're gonna make me waste the rest of my free day in bed? I promised Hayley and Jackie I'd meet them by the beach! I have to go!"
"No," Leo replied with a firm shake of his head. "You're not going anywhere, got it?"
Adalynn rolled her eyes and huffed as she flopped back onto the bed.
"Good. I'll take that as a yes," Leo mused. "I'll go catch up with Hayley and Jackie and explain to them why you can't go, alright?"
Adalynn crossed her arms and responded in a sulky tone, "Fine."
