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katie

I walk through the hospital doors for the second time today. I'm supposed to be in school right now, but I'm not. I've got better things to do. Like visit my dad.

It all started three days ago.

I was downstairs messing with Harry while he was talking to Louis, when my dad came down stairs and started coughing. Since Harry and I have gotten close, he's also gotten close to my dad. So Harry goes,

"Geez, bro, I'm in the phone." And we all smiled while Harry giggled. But daddy's smile only lasted a split second before he started coughing again.

That's when I knew something was up. I sat straighter on couch and dad fell back on the recliner. His face started to turn purple and I started to panic. Harry quickly said goodbye to Louis and ran to my dad.

I remember his eyes watering and then he stopped. I thought he died but Harry was telling at me to call 911. I was scared.

But he's only sick.

Only sick.

When old people get sick, they usually don't recover. They just die.

That's why I told Luke I didn't think we should do this. Whatever 'this' was.

Luke blew up my phone for about ten minutes, but then stopped. I'm glad, because right now, all I want to focus on is my dad.

I walk up to the reception desk and say hi to the nurse, telling her I'll be with my dad. She nods and I walk down the hall. I've walked these halls too many times for my mom and it gets sadder with every step I take. I know that dad had a slim chance of recover because his immune system is too weak. 

I slow down when I get to dad's door and sigh. I felt my phone vibrate in my hoodie pocket, but I ignore it. It was probably Luke, or Calum. 

I push open the door and my dad turns his head to me. He gives me a small smile.

"Hey, Katie bug." He says, motioning me to come in and sit with him. I give him a small, sad smile and sit in chair next to his bed. 

"Hey, daddy." I say, grabbing his hand. 

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" He asks, chuckling. His chuckling turns into soft coughs.

I try to keep my small smile up. "Yeah, but Harry wasn't here today and these people couldn't keep me out!" 

Dad chuckles and then full on laughs. I smile a little wider, but when his laughs turned into very big, very loud coughs, I stop. I stand and cover my mouth, tears already filling my vision. 

"Dad?" I ask, almost too quiet to be heard over his coughs. He doesn't respond. His face starts discoloring and I start panicking, tears escaping my eyes. A nurse bursts through the door and starts pushing buttons on the heart monitor and leans the bed up. Another two nurses run into the room and shove me back. "What's happening?!" I yell. Nobody pays attention to me. 

Then, my dad stops coughing. 

I suck in a breath and push past a nurse. 

"Daddy?" I ask, my voice breaking. 

One of the nurses puts an arm around me and attempts to guide me out of the room. I violently shake her off. 

"What happened to him?!" I scream, my tears uncontrollable now. 

The nurse looks at the other nurse and gives me a sad look. I listen for a second and realize something.

The heart monitor stopped.

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