Huntington Avenue | ✓ [PV REWRITE]

Part II: Chapter 4

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Chapter 4 | ❝ I have the results. ❞

Tuesday, November 13th, 2018 - 3:17 p.m.

CONSCIOUSNESS HIT ZACH like a ton of bricks.

Unlike the previous time he was under - excluding sleeping - which seemed to be ages ago, Zach felt almost no fear. It was as if he was waking up in his bedroom, the warm light pouring in through the window and onto his face. The only two crucial differences were that it was obviously dark in the room and Zach was not in his bedroom.

On second thought, it was nothing like Zach had imagined. Oops.

Instead, it felt as if Zach was legitimately hit with a ton of bricks. The pounding throb in his forehead near his eyes was almost unbearable. It felt as if it was a migraine, but several steps upwards and into oblivion. Zach let out a frustrated sigh. He was genuinely confused as to what was occurring.

Then, the realization washed over him. There was a correlation between the head pain and why he was in a strange place. How could Zach have forgotten? Of course, having an operation on a crucial part of the body, especially for him, was not something to leave the mind, right?

Zach's thoughts reflected back to the previous day when he had called Kelsey in a bit of a nervous wreck after his brief eye examination. She had kept reassuring him in her calm voice that everything would be okay no matter the outcome. Zach admitted to himself - and her about two hours later - that he did feel better after their conversation.

Still, the numerous anxieties flooded his mind relentlessly. He thought he would have been prepared, but then again, nothing would have been able to prepare him for this.

"Zach! Are you awake?" Hayleigh's rather loud voice caused his thoughts to take a detour.

Another voice belonging to his mother, which was much quieter than the last, spoke up, "Hayleigh, hush. You're being awfully loud."

"Sorry, Mom," the small girl apologized genuinely.

Zach opened his mouth to speak, but instead of words, a fatigued groan slipped out due to the exhaustion of the anesthetics and the scratchy soreness in his throat. He fought the urge to laugh at his rather awkward antics he was unable to control, so instead, he simply laid there. Just waking up after surgery was not exactly his best scene.

Hayleigh continued to ramble, "Hey! This is how he acts when he finally leaves his bedroom at around noon on the weekends!"

"That's a lie and you know it," grumbled Zach. He was about to adjust his position until a sharp pain pulsated from his wrist. "Ow—what is that-?"

"Careful, that's an IV," Mrs. West warned him.

"...Ouch."

"Ew, needles!" Hayleigh exclaimed with a grimace aimed towards the needle in Zach's wrist.