brave//5SOS

9

Emily

I grabbed my phone and texted the first person I thought of.

Emily:
He is making me go to school I feel
awful. Stupid parties.

Ashton:
Walk to the corner and I'll pick you up

Emily:
He is taking me though, please help

Ashton:
Calm down, you're ok. If you take a slow walk round the gates I'll find you and pick you up

Emily:
What if he sees? I feel so sick Ashton please help I feel worse

Ashton:
You'll be ok. Get some comfy clothes on and do what he says, then text me when you're five minutes from school x

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before hauling myself out of bed. Everything was spinning including my stomach and I leant against the wall. I got to my wardrobe and changed into leggings, a plain top and a hoodie.

"We are leaving! I need to get to work," Jack bellowed across the house. Even that made my head hurt. I put deodorant on then shuffled downstairs to my shoes. The door was wide open.

The ride to school was silent but I was terrified. He was tightly gripping the wheel and his jaw was clenched. I remembered to text Ashton and did as he said when I got to school. Jack sped off.

"Emily, I'm here sweetie," someone called. Ashton's head was poking out a car window across the road and I went across to it. Practically falling into the seat, I burst into tears. He put the window up then wrapped his arms round me and rubbed my back.

"You are not going home tonight and that is final. Come on, we're going to the hospital to get you sorted,"

He grabbed a cover from the backseat and handed it to me, then drove to the hospital as quick as possible. I cried the whole way there.

It was impossible not to. Overwhelmed with emotions, confused and sick wasn't a good combination.

Calum was waiting for us in the waiting room and led us back into a proper room.

"Are you feeling any worse?" he asked as I sat on the bed. I nodded lazily then let myself fall back. He took my temperature and blood pressure while Ashton held my hand. I let them do whatever they needed really, I was too sick not to.

When I was in hospital, this happened so many times everyday that I barely even noticed. I wasn't surprised nor was I nervous.

"Is your stomach still hurting?" Ashton asked. I stuck my lower lip out and nodded again.

"Alright, Calum's just gonna figure out where. Is it like an ache or a sharp pain?" he continued.

"Sharp," I mumbled. Calum gently lifted up my jumper and started pressing on my stomach. To say it was uncomfortable was an understatement.

I jerked back when he hurt me and Ashton had to stop me from falling off the bed. He pulled my jumper back down and put me back on the bed before he sat on it with me. Being back here made me tear up, because it was so conflicting.

An older doctor had performed the tests before I was diagnosed, but I'd taken such a liking to Ashton that when he graduated, he became my doctor.

So did Calum and Michael.

"We need to do a blood test but that's the last thing," Calum said. I nodded and let my head fall onto Ashton's shoulder.

"Have you eaten today?" he asked. I shook my head and he threw me an apple.

"Eat that, you can have a proper meal later,"

Without a fuss, I let Calum do the blood test as well as give me a relaxer. They hooked me up to a bunch of wires and an IV.

The sad thing was, I didn't think twice. This was just my reality, and so many other's.

"Is mum ok?" I asked tiredly. Ashton had climbed back onto the bed with me and I felt a lot safer. He ran his fingers through my hair and covered me with a blanket.

"Is mum ok?"

"Shhh, go to sleep hun. Everything's fine,"

But his tone suggested otherwise.