STAY WOKE ✔︎ || A. Grande

ᴇɪɢʜᴛ

Ariana knocked twice on Dr. Benjamin's door. "Come in!" He called from outside of his office. Ariana walked in and sat down on the chair that was placed in front of the desk.

"Dr. Benjamin, I would like to sleep in Briar's cell tonight." Ariana declared. Dr. Benjamin looked up from his paperwork and saw Ariana sitting up tall. "No." Was all that Dr. Benjamin said. "Please, Dr. Benjamin. I hate seeing Briar get hurt by the demons she has!" Ariana pleaded, but Dr. Benjamin didn't care.

"Ariana, no means no. I'm not going to risk you getting hurt or sleep deprived. There was something that happened to Briar's nurse when she tried to do the same thing you are doing now. Worst mistake of my life to put her with Briar."

"Do you mean Courtney?" Dr. Benjamin shook his head. "This doctor was Dr. Njomza Vitia. One of the most best doctors we had. She had agreed to take care of Briar, but then one day she slept in Briar's cell and the next day she was smashed into the floor. She looked like flat Stanley." Dr. Benjamin explained.

"Yes, but Briar's demons act differently around me. They like me, Dr. Benjamin!" Ariana tried to compromise but Dr. Benjamin wasn't having it. He continued to do his paperwork while Ariana sat there rambling.

Ariana banged her hands on the desk and stood up from her chair. "FOR GOD'S SAKE, DR. BENJAMIN, CAN I PLEASE JUST DO MY EXPERIMENT!" Dr. Benjamin looked at Ariana with a straight face, "once again, no. Yell or get angry like that again, and you'll be really staying the night in a cell. Just not Briar's." Dr. Benjamin flashed Ariana a clearly fake smile. Ariana angrily groaned and left the room.

——𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸——

"When I grow up, I want to become a doctor and help people!" Ariana exclaimed excitedly.

"Pfft! Like you have a chance!" Pete said from the back of the classroom, "you would be too short to become a doctor. Maybe you should become a singer... oh wait- but no one will notice you because you're an ant!"

"That is enough, Mr. Davidson." The teacher then turned to Ariana with a smile, "that's great, Ariana. I think becoming a doctor is exactly what you should do. We need more female doctors anyway." Ariana smiled and took her seat.

Ariana didn't have much friends. She was the short stock of the school which didn't make her popular or cool in any way. And because of her dreams, even more people that she was a loser. No one wanted to sit by her, play with her, do anything with her because she was that one kid who couldn't fit in with the rest.

———

"Ariana, how was your day, darling?" Ariana heard from the living room. Ariana smiled and walked in the living room, "it was great, Mom! My teacher said that I really should become a doctor! Isn't that great?!" Ariana twirled making her mother smile, "that does seem great... Frankie isn't coming home tonight, do you think you can make dinner?"

"Of course, mom. Any suggestions?" "No, anything that you want to eat, I will eat as well." Ariana nodded her head and went to the kitchen.

Ariana was only 5 when she learned how to cook. When she turned 7, her mother began to turn ill making her and her older brother Frankie care for her. Lately Frankie has been going through some tough things in life, so Ariana was really the only one caring for her mom and herself. Sometimes it could get tiring, but at other times, she felt like a real doctor.

Ariana filled a pot with water and put it on one of the stove eyes. She turned on the stove and got the pasta out. It was hard for her mom to chew and digest hard things, so dinners were often filled with spaghetti or some other easy to eat and swallow foods.

She put the pasta in the pot and a little bit of oil before going to check on her mom. Her mom was asleep in her wheelchair.

Ariana took the blanket that was hanging on the back of the couch and put it over her sleeping mother. She kissed Joan's cheek and told her goodnight before going back into the kitchen.

———

Ariana's shift had ended an hour ago, but she didn't go home yet. She was going to do what she was planning to do. She was going to sleep in Briar's cell.

She made sure no one was looking or watching her before she made her way to Briar's cell. She unlocked the door and slipped inside before locking the door again. She breathed out in relief when she had realized she hasn't been caught.

Briar was peacefully sleeping. She smiled at Briar's sleeping state. So peaceful and cute. You would've never thought this girl had demons in her.

"Mommy is will always protect you, Briar." Ariana whispered before she fell asleep, gently stroking Briar's hair.