reputation

The Hospital

AN: hi! just a warning, this chapter is really long, like 7k words, and does briefly mention SA and domestic abuse and has some medical stuff that is definitely not all accurate, so just keep that in mind. anyways, thank you for reading, love you lots.
- kat

June 12, 2018

Eighteen - Emma

Emma wasn't sure how much time had passed before she opened her eyes again. She didn't think it was much, because everything still seemed the exact same, but then again she was still too dizzy to really see or hear anything other than the ringing in her ears properly. Wind tunneled down the alley, leaving small goosebumps trailed up her bare arms. It was far too cold for June, even for this late at night. Her entire body hurt in a way she was sure it wasn't supposed to, but she was almost too tired to care.

Music picked up inside alongside yelling voices. Surely Amanda and Dean were still in there somewhere.  If she could just go inside or call them, everything would be okay. She tried to stand up, but was quickly pulled back down by the pain in her abdomen and spinning in her head. Realizing that going back inside wasn't an option, she reached down and tried to find her phone, but it wasn't in her pocket. It wasn't until she saw the little smashed device against the far wall that she remembered James throwing it.

She groaned and rolled to try and find a position to lay in that didn't hurt so bad, but was unsuccessful. Every slight movement made it worse. She curled her legs up tighter and did her best to ignore the pain.

Before she could try to move again, the door was shoved open and two blurry figures stumbled out of it. One hit their back against the wall and giggled while the other moved their head down and into the first person's chest. Emma groaned again, earling a quick look from the person against the wall.

The person dropped to their knees next to Emma and started shouting something frantically. With how close they were now, Emma could see the girl more clearly. Pink dress, shoulder length hair, and concerned brown eyes. Amanda. Emma tried to move closer to her and steal some of the warmth radiating off her body, but moving wasn't much of an option.

"Hey, don't do that. It's okay," Amanda said calmly, soft voice opposite of all the yelling she had just done, while running her fingers over Emma's neck and pressing gently into the side of it. "You're okay. Matteo's calling for help, yeah?"

"Yeah," Emma agreed.

Amanda said something else, but Emma couldn't understand it. She listened regardless, taking in the comforting sound of her best friend's voice. Sirens wailed somewhere in the distance, getting increasingly louder as the seconds passed. When it became clear the sirens were coming towards them, Emma shook her head as hard as she could manage. She didn't need an ambulance, she just needed to go home to Taylor.

Amanda didn't seem to get the hint to call them off, because two burly men in some type of uniform crouched on either side of her and started touching her arms and neck the same way Amanda had done, but their calloused fingers made her want to throw up. She jerked her body around, ignoring the way pain shot through her, until they stopped touching her. The second they pulled away, she calmed down again.

"It's okay, Em. They're here to help. They need to make sure you're okay. Do you think you can let them?"

Emma nodded weakly, and suddenly the hands were back on her. She wanted to throw up again, but Amanda continued to talk about anything and everything, and focusing on her voice helped. She was lifted onto something other than the ground and straps were placed over her chest, knees and feet, making it impossible to move.

"It's just so you don't fall," Amanda supplied quickly, just before she had a chance to try and get the straps off of her.

They loaded her into the back of an ambulance and a mask that smelled like a beach ball was placed over her face. She couldn't see Amanda anymore, or anyone other than the two strangers that were still touching her. Something poked her arm and she pulled away the best she could, which wasn't much given the straps. She shivered when something cold ran up her arm and was quickly greeted by a thin blanket that didn't provide much warmth, but she welcomed regardless.