BFB High (with a continuous plot wow)

Chapter 12: In Denial

Teddy's eyes widened. While she knew that some of her classmates, including Ellie, used prosthetic limbs, it was still shocking to hear that Penelope had to have all her limbs amputated. She glanced back at the hospital door, remembering that Leah had already gone in. Leah must have already seen that Penelope's limbs were amputated, Teddy thought. I don't know how she must be feeling right now... I should be there for both of them right now.

Nadia seemed to realize what Teddy was thinking, as she let go of Teddy's sleeve and said, "I should probably go in there too. I didn't get much of a chance to talk to Penelope earlier as she fell asleep after getting the news."

Teddy simply turned back and nodded in response, so the two girls walked in. As Teddy stopped beside Leah, she noticed that the green eyed girl had her hands over her mouth and a concerned expression on her face. Leah's mom had her hand on her daughter's shoulder, standing on the opposite side that Teddy was. Teddy turned her head to look at where Leah's eyes were focused on, finally seeing the state Penelope was in.

The redhead was lying down in a hospital bed, and Teddy could see that Nadia had been right. Instead of where Penelope's arms usually were, all that remained were stumps. Although Penelope's legs were covered by the blanket of the hospital bed, Teddy couldn't help but notice that the shape under the cover was too short for what she remembered Penelope's legs to be.

Teddy didn't know why she was still surprised. Nadia had already told her about this before they entered the hospital room, hadn't she? She supposed there was a difference between just hearing about something and actually witnessing it with her own eyes.

Out of the corner of her eye, Teddy saw Nadia take a small step forward, asking something of Penelope's parents, before Penelope made a distressed noise in her sleep. Suddenly, everyone's attention snapped back to Penelope, Teddy's included. She noticed the glint of a line on Penelope's cheek and realized that she was crying. Teddy blinked. Penelope never cried.

Soon, Penelope's eyes opened and she breathed rapidly. Teddy heard Leah call out Penelope's name in relief, but Penelope seemed to still be confused and turned her head to look at her parents, who were trying to comfort her by her bed. Then, Penelope turned her head to look around the room. As soon as the redhead spotted Nadia, Teddy, Leah, and Mrs. Lemon, her eyes widened in what seemed to be alarm and panic.

Teddy couldn't help but frown. Why is she panicked at the sight of us? Could it be that she's still partly dreaming?

Teddy saw Leah take a step closer to Penelope and whisper, "Penelope. I'm so sorry."

However, Penelope's only response was to turn away from Leah, causing the green eyed girl to gasp. Teddy's eyebrows furrowed, confused by why Penelope was acting this way.

"Please go. I don't want you to see me like this," Penelope muttered.

Teddy blinked. Was Penelope ashamed of looking like this in front of her friends?

Penelope's dad shot his daughter's visitors a sympathetic look as he tried to convince his daughter to let them stay. "Penelope, your friends are here to see you. They want to know if you're okay."

"Well, I'm fine," Penelope spat out in reply, which did nothing to convince Teddy. It seemed like she wasn't the only one who wasn't convinced, for Nadia seemed to be unable to keep quiet any longer.

"No, you're not!" Nadia yelled. "Penelope, you can't just push away your friends!"

Even though she knew Penelope wasn't looking at her, Teddy found herself nodding to what Nadia was saying.

"Yeah, Penelope, I'll always be here for you," Leah tried to reassure Penelope, but all she got back was silence. After a while, Leah asked again, "Penelope?"