1.1 | daunting medleys

fifteen | unmistakable

Tabitha had barely picked up her chopsticks before she looked at Aunt Grace, bewilderedly. No one could see the film of complex emotions in her eyes, there was no one there, her parents were going on a wild goose chase and she wanted to say so but Talia interrupted.

"Serve those assholes ri-"

Aunt Grace shot Talia a look before she mumbled an apology because of the no cursing rule at home.

Tabitha stared down at her bowl of soup and said. "They won't see anyone there, the hospital closed a while back because of an influx of false diagnoses claims." They'd both stared at her, suprised at the information or perhaps how she had found out. Tabitha said nothing, just watched at her spoon fell back into the bowl before she picked it up and slurped.

"And how did you know?"

Tabitha languidly pushed a hand up and under her chin, unable to make eye contact with anyone - despite how her head was tilted - because she didn't know how she would explain looking up the hospital that tilted the direction of her life.

"I googled them?" The end of the sentence was lifted, making it seem like a question when it wasn't. Neither of them said anything after that. Just the sound of wood against porcelain, chewing and one unmistakable sniffle. They had barely finished eating when her parents barged into the house. "Why wouldn't they close? When they decide to ruin people's lives with false test results and whatnot? I still want to file a lawsuit to the company that bought the hospital. They ruined my daughter's life. How could they?" Her mother snarled, barely pausing to acknowledge Tabitha. The peaceful ambience of the house was destroyed as soon she walked in, her tired father trudging behind her.

Tabitha felt lightheaded. Was her life ruined? It wasn't. She was just erroneously diagnosed. And she lived with it. Tabitha was 17, she'd lived with the false truth of a heart condition for eight years but it didn't mean she was ruined, she wasn't ruined.

"Our daughter's life isn't ruined." Her father's eyes narrowed in anger and Tabitha subconsciously moved away. The food looked bland, and felt like paper in her mouth.

Seemingly feeling wronged, her mother moved to the table and tipped the plates - just enough for them to bang against the table and cause a terrible sound to resonate against the dining room.

"What is this?" She eyed the food distastefully.

Aunt Grace replied with a casual expression. "Food." Talia fought her grin behind her action of stuffing her face with a dumpling, Tabitha didn't hide - just let her amusement show.

With rolled eyes, she replied. "Obviously but why are you feeding this to my children?"

"Because they were hungry."

Tabitha bit into the bland tasting wonton, then let her father kiss her forehead softly. "Hello sweetheart."

"Hi Daddy." He bypassed her and moved to Talia, kissing her forehead with the same tenderness.

Her mother cut into the sweet moment, with a low shriek. "Why didn't you make something else for them? This is unhealthy food and I will not have my children eating this crap."

Aunt Grace was getting upset, and Tabitha could tell because her pretty brown eyes were clouded by anger. "Because you didn't hire me to cook for them, you hired me to be their caretaker and I accepted because your girls are wonderful. I don't need the money and I most certainly do not need the attitude from you, Mrs Daniels. The twins love Chinese food so much and after everything they've been through, especially poor Tabitha, I thought I would make something they loved, I thought I'd comfort your children but clearly I've overstepped my boundaries. Needless to say, it happen again."

"Grace." Her father sighed, then continued with a heavy timbre in his voice. "I'm sorry, it's been a rough week for all of us. Nike didn't mean to let out her frustrations on you. Isn't that right, Nike?"

Tabitha looked at everyone, wondering how it had gotten to this. It was obvious she was the cause, perhaps if she wasn't stressed or she wasn't so emotionally invested in the balance of peace in her family, she wouldn't have fainted.

"I... I don't have to apologise for anything. It's not my fault our daughter is chronically ill. I-"

"Was." Her father corrected with a sneer.

Aunt Grace had trudged to the coat closet and grabbed her coat, kissing Tabitha and Talia on their cheeks before leaving, obviously upset.

"How do we know that? How are we so sure that she really isn't ill? Why should we trust that obvious crappy doctor?"

"Can you hear yourself right now? You are harping on the matter that your daughter is sick, like you want her to be. You are really going to ignore the words of the head of the cardiology department because some sick part of you wants your daughter sick. You demanded a heart scan because you didn't believe her. You demanded to see the results immediately they were out. So what else do you want?" His face was twisted with anger, as he rendered the older woman speechless.

Tabitha felt a chill slither up her spine, then she rubbed her hands together. They were cold, as was she.

"Mother, Dad. may I please be excused?" Her father waved his hand when the older woman was too shell shocked to speak. Tabitha bounded up the stairs, her skin crawling with sweat, grime and something akin to fear as her father's words played in her mind.

She peeled off her clothes absentmindedly and took a shower, pausing to wash her hair. Her mother wouldn't want her to be sick, no parent would want their child but she seemed almost disappointed when Tabitha's test results came out. There was no reason why she would be upset that her daughter was well, yet Tabitha felt that there was a reason. She let out a yelp when she forcefully ran her fingers through a tangle. Her scalp burned, and her eyes reddened from the pain.

Wasn't honestly the worst type of pain Tabitha'd been through the past week.

*********

Tabitha's hair was dripping wet on her back. The towel had been long discarded as she doing it over her study chair. Ariana's bright blue eyes pressed into her, she felt the severity of her gaze through the computer. In a bid to avoid Ariana's eyes, she let her eyes skip over her messy bed and frowned when she saw her wet brush laying on her pillow.

"Are you going to talk or am I going to have to force it out of you?"

Tabitha sighed softly. "There's nothing to get out of me. I passed out and had to go to the hospital but I'm fine now."

Ariana nodded, then her lips curled up in a smile. "Oh. Okay. When were you going to tell me that Oliver carried you out of there? When were you going to tell me that you and Oliver are a couple?"

Choking on phlegm, Tabitha couldn't help but wheeze. "First of all, I bought him lunch as an act of kindness and second of all, we aren't a couple. I don't even know if we are friends." Her cheeks warm as grey eyes, the colour of a beautiful rainstorm flashed in her head. She avoided Ariana's eyes, picking on lint on her blanket, then frowning at the weird brown stain.

"He definitely thinks of you as his friend. He asked me for your number and I gave him because I am an avid supporter of true love."

"You-" Tabitha couldn't complete her sentence because her cell phone rang. Ariana saw her phone light, and giggled into it.

"That might be the love of your life." The blonde blinked. Tabitha rolled her eyes, and she picked it up, ignoring Ariana's mischievous eyes.

She cautiously said into the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi Tabitha, it's Oliver."