Chasing Reality.

18 - Summer's Sun.

The silent dripping of the bag hung beside the bed, vomiting energy in liquid form into the IV line made me queasy. The beep-beep of the monitor's syncs with my heartbeat. Even the digital lines of the ECG machine appears too bright.

The Disney princess blanket contrasted greatly with the bleak hospital blue sheets and the daisies on the table close to the bed caught the afternoon sun, making its petals shine a brilliant yellow.

But there on the bed is the one I've been looking for all day, sleeping majestically and breathing heavily.

My mind couldn't comprehend what my eyes saw. Impossible.

Her god-like hair has lost its shine, her golden clay skin has been bleached of its glory, her lips in need of blood and bags under her eyes are caressed by her thick lashes. In blue hospital garments, she sleeps. Summer lies there in slumber.

The acknowledgement of this fact sends me crashing to her side, tipping off the vase of daisies, it lands with a shatter that told everyone in the room of my trepidation of the cause of her situation.

My mom got up instantly, I noted the glazed look of her eyes like she's been crying or holding back tears. " Honey, you're here. " she said, her voice shaky and filled with sorrow, " Sorry for not picking you up at the reception area..."

That was all I let myself hear, I needed answers now and drifting away from the matter at hand is not what I want to do right now.

Pointing to Summer, I try to articulate words through my closed vocal cords, "W-wh-what happened?", the lump in my throat making it difficult to pronounce each word.

"She has diabetes. " It was Mr Julian who answered me, my mom has finally released the tears she was holding in on my dad's shirt.
"She was diagnosed with a type 1 at age five, she received treatment and we thought she was okay, at least we believed that God did a miracle..." the painful look in his eyes was all that was needed to send me in a state of choked tears and sniffing.

" It came back stronger. We made sure she ate healthily and was in peak physical and medical condition but...it came back. " Aunty Nat explained, leaning her delicate frame on the open door, she was dressed in bright pink shrubs with white flowers printed on it, the colour of her attire didn't match at all with her red hair.

She walked in as the door closed behind her, Sam and Ronnie still positioned at the chair since we came in, Ronnie sitting, she faces a mess of emotions, Sam clutching tightly her right hand as if it would give him all the strength he needs. While I stood close to the bed, afraid for the life of my dear friend.

" We tried...but... " Aunty Nat continues but ends up engulfed in a hug by her husband. Both of them in a state of silent cries.

"We've been here since the morning after you left for school, they called that Summer collapsed in the kitchen this morning and they were in the hospital. We came as soon as we could, we called immediately but Mr Higgins said he would break the news his own way to manage the emotional breakdown." My mom said pulling out of my dad's embrace.

"I'm so sorry kids, we didn't want to cause you any alarm in school, the doctor said it's going to be fine, after some medications, she'll recover... I hope. "

All the while, I've been looking at my friend laying in bed with a smile on her face. Why didn't you tell us, Summer? Why didn't you tell us you were sick? We could have helped you.

I thought she was avoiding us because she had a bad date with Jordan, but it was more than that, Summer was keeping a secret for us, one that if I were observant enough, I would have figured it out.

" It's okay, we understand. We would like to stay with Summer if it's okay with you. You all look tired, we'll take over from here while you can all go freshen up and get something to eat. " Sam said, he has always been the most mature and considerate of us all.

" Thank you, Samuel. We'll be back in a few hours. " My dad says before leading my mom by the hand out of the room.

Aunty Nat walks up to me and puts a hand on my shoulder, " She'll be fine, Clary., don't worry, the doctor is doing the best he can to keep her with us, she's not leaving us. " She walks out after giving a lingering look at sleeping Summer.

Mr Julian picks up Alice, who is still asleep and carries her out, after his wife.

We are all still in our initial positions, staring at each other and at Summer.

" Why didn't she tell us? I thought we were friends. Not once did she mention she was diabetic." Ronnie's small voice breaks through the silence.

Despite all that has happened, I've not cried, maybe unconsciously my mind hasn't accepted it yet.

" What if she was just trying to protect us...from the truth or herself from...the past. " Sam said, taking a seat by the window and peering down to the streets below.

" We'll keep speculating till she wakes up and answers our questions herself," I say taking a seat myself by the bed.

Ronnie sighs, "I'll get someone to clean that up." in the midst of everything, we've totally forgotten about the broken vase.

She smiles weakly and leaves.

" I'm gonna go break the news to Eden and Jordan. I'll be right back. " Sam says and leaves also.

How could I have missed the telltale signs of diabetes, me, somebody aspiring to be a doctor? ?
It pained me the more I thought about it.

Ronnie came back with a janitor, she cleaned up the shards and left without saying a word.

Sam came back looking worse than he did before, I guess breaking the bad news wasn't as easy as it sounds.

" Eden said he's coming over after school, but Jordan can't be here till six, but he promised to show up. " he said, dropping to the chair like a ragdoll, "This is all just a big anxiety mess of a ride. " he huffed.

"It sure is. " Ronnie's voice sounded from the other side of the room.

This is the reason why I've been feeling off since morning, this was the reason God was trying to reach out to me all day.

I'm sorry for not listening better.

It's okay, I'm not angry at you but listen carefully and patiently next time.

I will. But is she going to be alright?

That... I can't answer, not right now at least.

Please tell me, please.

Silence answered back.

I kept reassuring myself that the fact that he didn't answer meant hope for the future but something in my mind was not so sure.

Eden came rushing in a half an hour later but settles down immediately after he noticed the far off expressions on our faces.

We told him everything we knew about her situation and he relaxed, well almost relaxed, next to Sam.

"What I still don't get is why she didn't tell you guys, whatever reason she has it better be a good one. " Eden says.

At that minute, Sleeping Beauty moved and Summer's eyes flickered open.

Stay Calm.
Toinpre.