Geek Chic 14

I didn't know where I ran to, but I ran to a shelter. Away from Mary's Tavern. Away from anywhere I know they are of. I just ran. And my breath scraping, I came to a stop. I ran for a long time, and though my legs were weak, my head was screaming with nonsensical thoughts.
Words that I myself couldn't comprehend.
I felt stabbing pain in my heart, the invisible bleeding, the transparent hurt in my eyes. I didn't give up running, and I knew it was dangerous. I knew that this was my worst night ever, and I knew, there was an escape if I were patient enough.
But I'm not.

The sun was setting down, but I didn't feel like going home. I had to figure this out.

Like an impossible math equation.
I spotted a bus stop, a few people lounging around, waiting. Walking slowly and steadily now, I wiped off the perspiration on my face.

I sat down on the floor beside the bench that was unoccupied, hugging my knees tight. My mind flashed back to what Adam had said.

"The neck wasn't my fault.

AAAGH."

Yes, I found 'AAAAGH' impossible to forget. Because it really meant he was the biggest jerk and biggest coward to even scream. When he was wrong, guilty, so guilty.

Tears scrolled down like credits on my face. I wiped it out, realizing my hand was dirty, black like charcoal and now my face was smeared. I was so stuck, I can't believe that my brother drugged someone. Anyone might think it doesn't do such an impact, but it did to me. That meant my brother will be spending his whole life behind bars, since it's open now.

Our previous school know what was going on, maybe they're even working on the report to show the police. I don't know, but I know he was doomed.

As much as I despised him, I didn't want him to leave. The past few days of cold shoulders between us already made me feel bad, what if he was supposed to die in prison. And never again shall I see his face.

Even if he's not going to jail, it would be in his permanent life record.

And people from now on will see me as the sister of a criminal, or they wouldn't know I HAD a brother.

These thoughts were silently creeping into my mind, twirling like cyclones. Silently killing me, and I hit my palm against the cold floor. I was so angry, I was letting it out. I screamed loud enough for the whole place to echo back with the few pedestrians instantly laying their eyes on me. Standing up to go home and ready to lock myself in the room, I heard someone shout my name, the footsteps coming closer. I turned around without delay, hit the pillar hard and strong by accident, and everything faded into black.

* * * *

The blur image slowly focused. I squinted to see clearer. White. Everywhere. Faces, surrounding. I squirmed uncomfortably. I felt something soft on my back, supporting my weight and my hands ran carefully in big circular motion. It was cold and the thing I'm feeling felt like fabric.

Yeah, you guessed it, I was in the hospital.

"I-uh-you-we-who-just-screamed-you-ugh" I heard a recognized voice letting out a sigh.

Slowly, it focused, Adam. He was sitting down beside the bed. Looking down, still swallowed by shame.

"Adam?" I whispered.

"OH MY GOSH, SHE'S AWAKE!" Mum cried out, running towards me and crying. "What happened!?"

"I don't know, I think I hit something hard?" I questioned, managing a little laugh. I'm still not working properly, if she couldn't see. I just woke up, Mum. Hello? "And I guess I passed out. I heard someone call my name before that, though."

"Oh." Adam said, standing up. He pushed his chair a little towards me. And then I heard a knock on the door, someone crept in silently. Maybe he just thought I was still in a coma or whatever.
My eyes darted slowly downwards, towards the door which was across the bed.

"Oh, heyyy." Ian said sweetly, smiling as wide as possible.

"W-What are you doing here?" I quickly sat up. "OWWWW."

"You're so dumb." Adam mumbled.

"Shuddup."

Ian walked up and giggled, "I was at Mary's party, I was trying to find you the whole time, and she said you went back. So I thought you weren't far and I jogged up to search you. Aaaand I found you. Really, in a bad condition."
I smiled again, giving me creeps crawling up my body," I shouted your name and you looked clueless at first,THEN you hit the wall and fainted. And you fell backwards. I almost laughed."

The next thing I did was unbelievable, for me and for Adam too, I guess, because I saw the surprise in his face: I laughed.

"Dad's on his way," Mum announced, looking at the 3 of us. I managed a weak smile, a little tired after the whole 'peek-a-boo, Ian sees me' coincidence. "Adam, let's go to the cafeteria, I'm kinda hungry. The both of them would be okay."

"Yeah." Ian agreed. I glanced at him straight away. He was standing, facing my mother, stiff as rock. "We will, and if anything happens, I'll call you on my cell."

"Cell?" My mum questioned.

"Cell phone." Ian and I said in unison and I slapped my mouth shut.

* * * *

Ian sat down on the chair Adam sat on a few seconds ago.

"Hey, so how are you feeling?"

"Embarrassed."

I saw him blush a little, and I figured I'd stop my sarcasm.

"I'm okay." I assured him, "Just surprised you showed up."

"No prob, girl. I mean, I can be a real hero." he joked, but I didn't laugh.

"Thanks, a lot. Really, a hospital is a better place to lie than on the floor."

He laughed. In a moment, our eyes met. No sparks, thank God. Just...silence.

"So, uhm, I'll be going soon." he reported, sounding a little conscious now.

"Oh! Uhh sure."

"But I thought I'd give you something," he fished out something from his pocket, "I made this lucky star for you."

"Ohh, thanks!" I grabbed it from his hand. I loved stars, flipped or folded or cut, just stars would make me happy. They look so unique, don't you think?

"So I'll go now," he said again, "remember to keep it."

"Yeah."

"Oh and Winnie," he glanced back over his shoulders as he opened the ward's door, my heart thumped against my ribs. What was he gonna sayyy?! "it glows."

And he walked out.

WHAT!?

I let out a groan.

* * * *

Mum stepped in after about a few minutes.

"Ian called me," she smiled and whispered, "he left you alone,huh?"

I looked down, "Hmm, yeah...But it doesn't matter."

"Yeah?" she cropped her blue satin skirt before sitting down. "Well, I gotta talk to you."

She clutched my hand softly, I tried sitting up but it hurt my bone so I stopped trying and just laid there. My mum's eyes slowly welled up. But she was trying to hold it back, it was so awkward...

"Uh, what are you doing?" I asked, and then realized I was being so dumb.

"Well, I'm -" she choked out a giggle, "trying to swallow down my urge to cry..."

I glanced somewhere else. Anywhere except her because she wasn't succeeding. She let go of my hand, and sobbed before she kept calm.

"Dear, I know, he's been such a wimp and I appeared to be on his side." she explained slowly, looking at me cautiously. Maybe she was afraid I'd boil or something. "but he really needed me, and you know how much it means when Adam came to confide in me."

"I-"

"because he never did, and IF you were me, you'd feel the same way." she continued,facing away, "and I know, you've felt out of place and you felt like I didn't care about you anymore. I did! But it was just too confusing for me to take it in."

"Mum?"

"Princess, I'm really sorry. But this isn't your fault at all, you just felt real bad, and you thought I didn't. I deserved this."

"MUM?" I emphasized, "I just wanna know why he did it."

* * * *
Adam retold the story.

In the story, we'll set back to the last year of our lives in our previous school - which was before I transferred to my current school. He was invited to some party. Mary was there, coincidentally, because she was somehow related to the party host. And she brought her brother along, go figure.

The party was filled with people, wild and quiet alike, and everyone was bobbing to the music played. Of course Oscar felt out of place, I mean, he was probably 10. And Adam, being dared by his friend, wanted to act manly by taunting a small boy. This was taken place when Mary was not around Oscar, so she didn't know until he drugged him by putting something into his cup and Oscar gulped in down, seeing there was nothing he could possibly do there anyway.
Adam continued on, "and instantly, he felt dizzy and I was beginning to panic, he stood up and there was a pool nearby, he tilted off and just...fell.

When he got up after I fled, I didn't know what happened. Until, the news spread the school, but the drug wasn't the focus, not yet. His neck was in some strange shape after that, and I knew it was of the way he fell into the pool, headfirst.

And that's why we transferred school, because I didn't want to be kicked OUT of school."

He sighed, "it was once a brilliant plan."

"And you just didn't get away with it." I added on. I was in a sitting position now, the next day in the hospital when Adam came and visit me and told me the whole story. I didn't interrupt and kept quiet the whole time, taking in bit by bit. Amazed how small this world can be, and what a small matter could just burn a big hole that leaves a scar that forever will be there.

By that time, I was flooded with this uncontrollable emotion of fear, sadness, happiness, everything! Adam had told me the whole story, the secret I really wanted to know, but it doesn't change anything that he left. Oscar is still a young boy with a demented neck and it was caused by a reckless accident. But still, Adam was held guilty, in my case.

"Adam, I understand how you feel but you really blew it."

"Yeah, I know." He said, staring at his feet. "Well, I've no idea what to do now, so I'll apologize and maybe get another slap. I'll definitely try my best to repay my debt. I promise."

Somehow I wasn't mad at Adam anymore, I know he was just trying to prove himself that he's not...whatever who thinks he was. Who hasn't felt that way, right?

And he's blown it, but who doesn't make mistakes. Now that I've known, he's felt bad all along, never had a good day enough to cover up for what he's done. And me? I was always bugging and pushing him. I didn't do a good job either.

He's still my brother nonetheless, and I planned to help him get through this.

"I'm gonna help you." I announced, smiling triumphantly, feeling proud of myself. He hugged me tight at the spot as my eyes felt like bulging out. "IF I can even come out of the hospital." I smiled.

"Sure, but thanks anyway, sis."

* * * *