THE CHAIN, simon kalivoda

iv. hospital terrors

The group all walked into the hospital with the intention of telling off Sam and her asshole of a boyfriend. When they got in they approached the lady at the desk, who clearly didn't want to be there.

They all stood there for a moment until Deena rang the bell. The woman still didn't look up but handed her a form. "Fill these out and take a seat." She told her.

"No, I'm just visiting." Deena corrected.

"Visiting hours ends at nine." The woman said.

Kate cleared her throat, standing next to Deena who clearly was getting annoyed. "Tell Nurse Beddy she has a patient." She told the woman. Soon enough Beddy came out after the woman at the front desk called him. "Beddy. Long time, how you been?" Kate asked.

Beddy looked over at the group. "See your still toting around with this moron." She said in reference to Simon.

Simon only smiled. "She can't quit me, Beddy. I'm too pretty!" He joked, making Beddy scoff.

"Listen, we need your assistance." Kate told her, gaining Beddy's attention again.

"I'm sure that you do, but there happens to be a new security protocol." Beddy said. "We kept coming up short on blueberries and bananas. So now I need a special key-"

Deena cut off Beddy's explanation. "I need to see a patient." She told her.

Without hesitation, Beddy led Deena to where Sam was. As they left the four stood around awkwardly. "Blueberries and bananas?" Josh questioned.

"Vicodin and Percocet." Kate answered. "You want anything from the machine? I'm starving." Kate wasn't really asking, as she left to go to the vending machine.

Josh, Simon and Sydney all followed her. "I can't believe Sam's stupid boyfriend would try and scare us like that." Sydney scoffed.

She and Simon were walking ahead of Josh as they walked to the vending machine. "I can, Sunnyvale sucks." He tells her.

Sydney laughed a little. "True. But on our own turf? I didn't think they had the guts." She shrugged.

Simon nodded. "If they have enough guts to follow us on the bus, they have enough guts to scare us in our own homes." He said. "Speaking of homes, aren't your parents a bit worried about all the time you've been at Kates?" He asked her.

Sydney sighed. "Derek's home, they probably have barely even noticed I'm gone." She told him.

Simon frowned a little. "I'm sure they do, have you even called?" He pressured on.

Sydney shook her head. "I didn't even tell them I was staying with Kate." She mumbled. Sydney knew her parents couldn't care less about whether or not she was home if Derek was. As long as Sydney brought them home money nothing about her mattered.

Simon wanted to give Sydney a hug but he knew better than to touch her when they weren't really close. Sydney barely even let Kate hug her and she never let Deena, although that was never an issue.

Simon was about to say something but the group had come to a stop. "Yo, Si-Money. Cash me." Kate said, holding out her hand.

Simon shrugged. "Don't look at me, dude. I'm...I'm...I'm broke." He told her.