when i needed you.

9.Inner Conflict

The next morning, Hazel woke up. Her head was aching because of the drinks she had last night. She checked the time it was 6 A.M. "Maybe Eri is awake, she might be hungry. I should check". She got up and went to Eri's room but Eri wasn't there. 'Where is she? Eri baby where are you? Eri' She checked the whole house but Eri wasn't there, she was tensed and started panicking. Then suddenly her phone rang she rushed to her room and answered in a shaking voice: 'Hello, Ha...Harper. Do you know where Eri is? I mean she isn't in her room. I don't know where she is, she never goes out like this...'

Harper: 'Ahh... She's with me. You were drunk so I didn't wake you. Come over here as soon as possible'

After half an hour, Hazel reached the hospital and saw harper standing outside the operation theatre. She ran towards him.

Hazel: 'Harper, where is she? What happened to her?'

Harper turned towards her, his face was pale, and his eyes were red since he didn't sleep last night. He reached for her hand: 'Please don't panic, you need to stay strong ...'

Hazel: 'You are scaring me Harper, what happened to her?'

Harper: 'They are about to start her transplant.'

Hazel: 'B...But we still have 4 days for that'. She saw the doctor coming towards her. 

Hazel: 'Doctor, her surgery was scheduled  4 days later right? Then why are you doing it now? Is everything ok?'

Doctor: 'Calm down, Ms. Hazel. We need to do it as soon as possible. She'll be alright. Excuse me' and he went inside the operation theatre. Hazel was scared and tensed, she sat on the chair nearby and started crying. Harper bent down on his knees and hugged her: 'It's all ok, she'll be fine. don't worry'. Hazel nodded lightly. 

Hazel informed her mom and Hande.  After a few hours, the doctor came out. Hazel quickly got up and asked him in a single breath: 'How is she doing? Is she alright?' 

Doctor: 'The surgery is successful. We hope she'll recover soon but we need to keep her under observation.'

Hazel: 'Oh! Thank god. But how long she needs to stay here doctor?'

Doctor: 'Maybe for a few weeks, don't worry she'll be fine.' and he left. Hazel turned around and hugged Harper, he hugged her back and said: 'Don't worry, until I am with you, nothing will happen to you and Eri'.

Later in the evening, the doctor informed them that Eri is conscious now and they can meet her. Hazel was very happy, she turned towards Harper who nodded with a bright smile on his face and gestured with his hands to go in. She opened the door and saw Eri lying on her bed, she was looking very weak. Eri saw her and smiled at her. Hazel smiled back and went in: 'Are you ok Baby?'

Eri weakly nodded, Hazel sat beside her. As she sat Eri went a bit closer to kiss her on her cheek and said in a teary voice: ' I thought, I won't survive. Those were my few last days to tease you'.

Hazel in an assuring and energetic tone: ' But I told ya you'll be okay and look you are... love you' as she completed a tear roll down her cheek, she brushed it away, she didn't want Eri to notice it. She bent forward and kissed Eri on her forehead.

A day passed, everything was fine. Hande came back from the trip. Eri was still under observation as she wasn't out of danger totally but she was better than before. The next day they went back to school as a nurse ensured that she'll take care of her until they won't return. In school, Hazel was sitting alone in the library studying as her exams were approaching. A girl came and sat in front of her. Hazel lifted her head and saw Marie.