(Don't play song until ready)
Sophie's alarm went off at seven. She groaned and turned it off before getting ready for the day.
While brushing her teeth, she gave Keefe a quick text.
'Hey, wanted to make sure you're alright after last night. You good?'
She waited for him to answer, but he never did. She brushed it off. He was probably still asleep. He was always late to school.
Still, a chill went down her spine as she got into the car. He still hadn't texted back, she wasn't liking that.
In homeroom, he never showed up. Maybe he was sick. He usually slept half the day when he wasn't feeling well. Maybe it was a chest cold. That was probably what was going on.
At lunch, she sat down with her friends. She tried to laugh and joke with them, but her brain kept replaying when Keefe had to sit down on the bench from the pain.
Her anxiety ramped when Dex asked, "Does anyone know where Keefe is?"
Everyone turned to Sophie. She knew she had to give an answer, but what was she supposed to tell them? Should she tell about last night, or go with the benefit of the doubt?
"I think he might be home sick," she eventually choked out. "I had to drive him home last night cause he wasn't doing too well. But he's not answering my texts, so I'm not sure."
Thankfully, everyone seemed satisfied with that answer. When the bell rang, she hurried to her next class.
During the middle of the lecture, there was a buzzing through the room. It sounded nearby, but Sophie couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from. It continued. Then she realized, she forgot to turn her phone on silent.
She tried to stuff her bag under the desk to muffle it, but it didn't work. Even when it stopped ringing, it picked up almost immediately.
After a few more times of that, the teacher snapped, "Who's phone is that?"
Mrs. Delani scanned the room before her eyes landed on Sophie. At the worst possible time, the phone started buzzing again.
The teacher gestured to the bag, then crossed her arms. "Go on. Answer it."
Sophie reached into her bag and pulled out her phone. It was her mom. She showed the screen.
"It's my mom. I think it's something important, or she wouldn't call me in school. Can I go out in the hall?"
"Nope." She pointed to the front of the room. "You can answer it here."
(Play song)
Sophie plucked out an eyelash before standing up. When the phone rang again, she picked it up.
"Hey, mom," she murmured. "I'm in the middle of class, right now. What's going on."
Edaline let out a huge sigh of relief. "I'm coming to pick you up. We're heading to the hospital, there's an emergency."
Sophie heart dropped all the way to her stomach. "What's going on? Is it dad? Grandma?"
The half second before hearing the reply felt like torcher. But when she did, she had to keep herself from puking then and there.
"Honey, Keefe had a heart attack."
So he wasn't ok yesterday. She wanted to kick herself for not insisting further that he go to the doctor.
Sophie could feel herself starting to hyperventilate. The only response she could manage was, "What?"
"His dad found him collapsed on the floor this morning while he was supposed to be getting ready," Edaline explained. "Called an ambulance, but from what I've been informed, he's not in great condition. It did a number on him."
Tears burned her eyes as Edaline continued, "I'll be there in two minutes tops. Get your stuff ready."
After hanging up, everything was a haze. Her teacher profusely apologizing. Sophie trying not to collapse in a puddle of snot and tears. Making it to the front office. Climbing into the car.
During the ride to the hospital, Sophie was only able to ask one thing, "Is he going to be ok?"
Edaline just turned to look at her, with tears in her own eyes, and whispered, "I hope so, sweetie."
She pulled Sophie in with one arm, holding on as tight as she could.
Arriving at the pediatric hospital, she realized it looked familiar. Then it hit her, it was the same one her and Keefe first met.
That in it itself felt like a cruel joke. It was the first place they ever saw each other. If it was the last...
They raced inside, talking to the desk clerk. They were directed to the cardiology ICU unit. Sophie peered through the windows as they walked past the many doors in the hall. There were dozens of children in the rooms. Some were asleep, some with doctors, some with parents.
They finally got to the room they needed. Edaline gently swung the door open and-
Sophie had to stop herself from being sick.
Keefe was hooked up against too many machines. They all made loud beeps and dings. He was so pale. Several tubes were going inside his body.
She wobbled over to the edge of the bed. She fell to her knees beside him. The big, ugly sob she'd been choking back finally broke free.
She took his hand in one of her own. It felt so frail and weak in her grasp. As if she squeezed too tight, it'd crumble away.
She reached over to push his hair out of his face. Another sob bubbled out when his eyelids never fluttered open to look at her. His lips never quirked up through the oxygen mask to convince her not to worry.
He wasn't ok.
But he had to be. Needed to be.
He wasn't.
If she lost him, she didn't know what she would do.
She buried her face in his side, letting the tears fall freely. Edaline scooted closer and rubbed her shoulders.
YOU ARE READING
Broken Heart/Broken Mind
Random(Human AU) Sophie and Keefe met in the children's hospital when they were little. Because of how long they were confined to the four walls of the hospital, they became very close during their stay. As the years pass, they wind up being in the same c...
