The Curtis Sister

Exhausting Days and Hospital Visits

(Trigger Warning : Seizures)
       Sodapop had taken the passenger seat, I was the driver, and Ponyboy was with Darry in the backseat. I drove as slow as I could as to not make sudden motions. After a 25 minute drive for a 10 minute distance, we made it to the hospital.
      Soda had Darry's arm wrapped around him so he wouldn't fall because he was still a little unsteady. Usually, people would regain awareness a few minutes, maybe even seconds, after a seizure. But it seemed to take Darry a little longer. The lady at the front desk seemed concerned.
       "Hi ma'am what's the issue?", she asked.
       "My brother had a seizure.", I answered.
       "How long ago was this?"
       "About 30 minutes ago."
       "And the name?"
       "Darrel S. Curtis."
       "We will take your brother, you can have seat and we'll call you in when we're done with a simple check-up. Alright?"
         "Yes. Thank you.", I said.
         I sat down in the waiting room with Ponyboy and Sodapop beside me. Sodapop was leaning forward in his seat, with his elbows on his thighs holding his head up with his hands. Ponyboy was still crying a little bit. He was laying on my arm and staring at the ground. The nurses came by and helped Darry into a room. I got up from my seat. Ponyboy looked up at me.
           "I'll be back. Switch seats with me.", I said.
          He hopped over a seat a curled up on Sodapop, who held him instinctively. I walked outside into the breezy dark morning. I could see my breath flying into the wind. I walked down the street where I found a payphone. I took a quarter out of my pocket and slipped it into the phone. I dialed the only number I remembered off the top of my head. I knew that it was sudden and unexpected, especially at 5 in the morning, but it was important. The phone rang a few times before someone finally picked up.
         "Hello?", the gravelly husky voice, from just waking up, said through the other line.
        "Dallas?"
                            ____________
       Ponyboy wasn't asleep yet, but he was close. Soda had went off to the vending machine to get us snacks. I still had to go to school. I wanted to stay here with Darry, but if I did the school would fine us, and that was the last thing we wanted right now. I told Ponyboy he could miss a day and go to sleep back at home, but he refused to go home. Soda told me to go to school and that it would be better if I did. I would probably fall asleep in some of my classes, but it made no difference.
        I kept my eyes on the door, and soon enough, a tired, leather jacket wearing Dallas Winston walked through the door.
        "Hey.", I said, getting up from the seat and giving him a hug.
        "Hey.", he responded.
       He turned to Soda and Ponyboy and helped them out of their seats.
        "Go home and take showers, change into real clothes, have breakfast, brush your teeth, whatever you need to do. I'll stay here and if the nurses say anything I'll call you as soon as I can.", Dally told them.
         They nodded and drowsily walked out of the lobby. Soda was wide awake, while Ponyboy looked like he just got out of his deathbed for the first time. I brushed my hair out of my face.
        "Thank you, Dally.", I sniffled.
       "It's okay."
       I kissed him and buried my head into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead.
      "Go home. I've got this.", he whispered in my ear.
      I walked outside and got into the drivers seat of the car. Ponyboy was already asleep in the backseat.
      "Don't worry I'll carry him in.", Sodapop assured me.
       Once I got home I splashed my face with super cold water and rubbed my eyes with it. Everyone was in the living room, while Ponyboy explained what happened. Of course not in detail, considering that was too personal to tell everyone, especially for Ponyboy. Sodapop would eventually tell everyone the generic story of what happened, but for now, we all just wanted to sleep.
        I changed into leggings and an oversized sweater. Today was also the day I would get my uniform at the diner. I shoved a black t-shirt into my book bag to change into at the hospital, so I could visit Darry and have Sodapop switch out with Dally.
         I decided that I would drive the guys to work and school this morning. Sodapop and Ponyboy sat in the same seats, but Johnny was in the backseat, too. It was a quiet ride. I dropped Sodapop off first, then drove to the high-school.
I parked Darry's car in the school parking lot and made sure all the doors were locked. We did the same schedule, the guys dispersed to another part of the school and I went to my locker to put all my things in there. My head hurt, and to be completely honest I felt like I was going to faint. It was two days in a row I didn't get good sleep.
I slept through 1st period and 7th period. Lunch was eventful. I didn't go into the bathroom to smoke, I went into the car and rolled all the windows down instead. I hadn't seen Johnny and Ponyboy in their regular hang-out spot, but that wasn't extremely rare. Once the day was over I was tired and done with everything. I actually felt excited to go to the diner and talk to the people I met yesterday. They were friendly, and overall a bit relieving.
Ponyboy and Johnny were already with me when I got to the car. I drove to the hospital with very attentive awareness. Car crashes had already happened once this year. We'd made it into the parking lot of the hospital and I parked the car as close as I could get it. We all got out and walked through the glass push doors.
The hospital still looked pleasant, but with all the memories from it, it was the the exact opposite. We walked up to front desk, the person being a male this time.
"We're here for Darrel S. Curtis.", I said.
"Okay, and your name?"
"Y/N M/N Curtis.", I told him.
"He'll be in room 23, down the hall."
I speed walked to the room, Ponyboy and Johnny slowly walking behind me. When I made it into the room, Dallas stood up and walked over to me. Darry was fast asleep in the bed.
"How's everything?", I asked.
"Fine."
He leaned in to kiss me.
"Dal, wait-"
He had already kissed me. I pulled away quickly and turned. Johnny and Ponyboy were staring at us in the doorway.