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Chapter 80: Moments Made to be Broken

(This references Iris by Goo Goo Dolls)
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Crystal's POV
I came to school not feeling the best. Let's just say my morning sinus turned out to be something worse. I had to command commands for the national anthem, and I could literally hear my voice go raspy when I commanded for the school to get into the position for the national anthem. What was more embarrassing? I had a coughing fit in front of the whole school while reciting the national pledge. And I was forced to mask up for the rest of the day. That mortified me to the core, and I was praying for the right opportunity to leave...
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We had PE that day, and I decided to sit out because I didn't want to risk my cold getting worse. I was definitely at the side, deciding to do some drawing to take my mind off the discomfort. (I always keep my sketchbook right at the back of my school bag) While my pencil scratched through the paper Mr Han let me draw on and supplied myself, the further I went into my sketch, the colder I felt. Slamming my pencil and sketchbook on the sports hall benches, I reported my symptoms to Mr Han, who asked Nicole to touch my forehead and confirm I wasn't faking my fever. Ethan overheard everything and offered to help me down to the general office, right till he sent my phone to the sick bay. Such a gentleman, but I don't need visitors coming to my house at this point.
A few hours later
I picked my blanket up, covered myself with it and literally flopped myself into bed. Now bundled up, I could only absorb the lonely warmth and its futile attempts to keep me warm both air conditioning and chills. I desperately squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to take this chance for some much needed rest for granted. After all, I really needed a getaway from my busy life and I finally earnt it.

I usually don't do this, but I hope my fans and friends try to give me space. Even an extrovert like me has reached her limits and I'm not dumb enough to let it continue. If it means hiding under the covers, I'm more than willing to get away into a world of my own right now.
Dream
I ended up waking up on some random patch of grass, the sky yellow and orange. However, it wasn't glaring, but easy on my eyes and soft in colours. The leaves were falling down on me, and everything just seemed so gentle for a moment. Since I had somehow ended up here in some mode of teleportation, I was lying down on the grass but my clothes didn't feel soft. Rather, the cotton pressing the grass felt hard. I sat up to realise I had mysteriously teleported in my finale costume!

Knowing there was some reason I had to be wearing this, I ran across the green grass, trying to find some answers. Something felt different. I was wearing the gel sheets to cool myself down, but that felt more like an accessory than a necessity. When I was trying to make sense of my dream, I ran into some piano and yelped in pain. Yet I recovered my senses quickly. Maybe this fever dream was all inspired by Symphony of Dreams, the extra activity no one expected. Hence, I rose up to the occasion and played "A Million Dreams" on the piano. Playing it as a solo rather than a duet felt different. It felt a little lonely, even though the music was its gentle self as always. Yet I felt liberated for a moment, the peace only being alone could find. My burdens eased at that moment as I thought about how big an idiot I was to bear all my responsibilities on my shoulders. The musical was a given, but it's time I start splitting CCA work between me and Fiona Chan. She's my assistant company leader for a reason.

Anyway, I'll just hide away in my little piano world for now.
Ethan's POV
Ethan's room
Crystal suddenly wanted to withdraw from the world when unwell, because rumour has it she never did. Hence, I decided to call her after dinner to check if she needed the space to recover or if it was something deeper.
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Ethan: You picked up!

Crystal: Yes I did. I'm not in the hospital now, and no I wasn't stupid. I sucked it up for once and allowed my mother to pick me. I'm in bed right now.

Ethan: That must feel sooo much better than being in the hospital.

Crystal: So true. I get one bed all to myself, and it's so big.

Ethan: Are you ok? You seemed quite unwell since morning assembly

Crystal: Now that you called I am!

Ethan: I figured. You're such a social butterfly, explain how you weren't active on Instagram for 11 hours.

Crystal: At this point I just exhausted all my energy on all my responsibilities and socialising while I was at it. I knew I wasn't going to survive if I kept socialising with my responsibilities and while I'm sick so I'm not going to be using Instagram till I make a full recovery.

Ethan: boo~ let us call you while you're inactive!

Crystal: I can take calls, but I'm not going to be texting much till I fully recovered. Now tell me what happened in school after I left early!