Trials & Tribulations

Chapter 9. "Who are you?"

After vacating Miss Lovato's classroom, Dinah, Ally, and Lauren had followed the school nurse back to her office where she'd provided them all with what was possibly the most sugary drink they'd ever had. In fact, it was so sweet, that Lauren had convinced herself that if she had any more of it then necessary, she'd start hallucinating rainbows and unicorns. The school nurse, who, Lauren had been fortunate enough to avoid meeting throughout the duration of her high school experience so far, had informed them it was for the 'shock' and had told them to sit down for a few minutes to regain their composure. Lauren had almost snorted with derision at the comment, the thought of recovering her poise almost laughable when Camila was in the hospital, her condition unknown. Once they'd finished their diabetic inducing drinks the nurse had given them each a hall pass and note to explain their tardiness to their respective teachers. The three of them had taken them hastily; eager to escape the confines of the nurses' office and discuss the situation and their plans without prying eyes or ears.

Finally alone in the abandoned and somewhat eerily quiet hallway, the girls had made their way to one of the nearby bathrooms. Dinah checked beneath the stall doors, confirming it was empty whilst Lauren stood in front of the door to prevent anyone from entering and disturbing their discussion.

"I'm going to the hospital," Lauren stated simply. "I don't care if it's the first time I've ever bunked off school. I need to check that Camila is alright."

"What if we get caught?" Ally asked nervously.

"Who cares if we get caught?" Lauren countered. "I don't know about you Ally but seeing Camila like that scared the crap out of me. I'm never going to be able to concentrate this afternoon after seeing her like that."

"Me neither," Dinah agreed, her eyes still swollen and red from the tears she'd cried at the distress of seeing her best friend in the midst of a seizure. "They can't expect us to stay here and pretend that nothing's happened?"

"Exactly," Lauren continued. "So, I'm going." She paused to look at Dinah, "Dinah, I assume that means you're coming too?"

"Of course," Dinah informed her. "If I could have gone with her I would have. There's nothing on this earth that will keep me here whilst she's there."

"Ally?" Lauren asked the shorter girl. Ally seemed to weigh up the decision in her head before finally answering.

"Screw it," she said, nodding in Lauren's direction. "Let's get out of here."

"I'll drive," Lauren told her as they carefully made their way out of the bathroom and back into the hallway.

Carefully, the three of them navigated their way through the deserted space, each one of them on the alert for sign of a teacher or adult who might stop them in their tracks. Lauren felt her heart racing in her chest, partly in nervousness at her newfound rebelliousness but mostly out of concern for what they'd find when they got to the hospital.

Eventually, the girls managed to make their way outside and into the fresh October weather. They traipsed across the car park, the sound of leaves crunching beneath their feet and a gentle breeze rustling the trees around them.

"What are we going to do about Normani?" Ally asked as they arrived at Lauren's car and she unlocked it.

"She's in class at the moment," Lauren said reasonably as she lowered herself into the driver's seat and closed the car door behind her. "There's not a lot we can do." Lauren put the key into the ignition as Dinah and Ally fastened their seat belts.

"I'll text her and let her know what happened," Ally offered.

"We can call her over lunch once we know more." Lauren started up the car as Ally pulled her phone out of her pocket. She backed out of the parking space and moments later the three of them were on their way to the hospital they'd overheard Miss Lovato say in the message she'd left for Camila's mom.