Meant for each other?

-4-

Taylor had never experienced time being so long until the ambulance ride: each stretch of road taking longer than the next, no one moving out of the flashing vehicles way fast enough. "Keep talking to her," the paramedic suggests, "it may seem crazy but it can keep her from slipping." Only too happy to talk to her student, the older woman starts to talk about random stuff: music she knows Karlie likes; the latest Mulberry collection of which she knew the unconscious girl owns half already and other stuff, avoiding the subject of school and parents completely.

When they finally arrive, the journey only taking fifteen minutes although it felt like five hundred minutes for the worried teacher, Karlie is rushed off down corridors whilst Taylor is told to wait outside the ward until the teenager is stable. "Please, don't let her die," she tells the nurse rushing away with Karlie.

Why, Taylor wonders, do I feel this way towards her. Every inch of her is trouble, not mention it's illegal. Why do I want her like this?

Too caught up in her own feelings, the blonde almost forgets to ring the headteacher, who will have heard of the incident by now seeing as the rumour mill at the school goes faster than any other the teacher had experienced. Everyone from the first years who discovered the unconscious teen to the sixth form jock would know. And Cara would. She'd be worried shitless. So, getting out her phone, Taylor rings Miss Aldridge first, resorting to letting Karlie call Taylor. "Lily," Taylor says, letting out a sigh of relief, "I'm at the hospital with Karlie. They've just taken her to stabilise her and then I'll be allowed to see her."

"Thank you Taylor. Is she okay? Do you need me to do anything?" The headteacher understood the bond the two americans have like no one else, knowing not to get too involved unless she wants and even more reckless Karlie on her hands.

"She's doing okay. They say it's alcohol poisoning so she'll be watched and they'll rehydrate her with a drip. And could you get my classes cover so I can stay with her. I think she needs someone who understands her."

"Of course. Please just update me on the situation whenever you can."

"Okay. I think they're about to let me in so I'll talk with her if she's awake and we can make some sort of plan to stop this." With that, the guidance counsellor hangs up, sitting in the corridor until a small nurse, Filipino with amazing English, tells Taylor she can enter. "So, she's stable and just awake," Taylor is informed, "don't stress her out or we'll have to ask you to leave." The blonde nods to the nurse, who in turn points to the bed where the the student is sitting.

Karlie is leant back against the pillows, her eyes fixed on the small TV the hospital offered as distraction from the pain or mess the patient had got themselves in. "Karlie," Taylor almost whispers, for no reason apart from the fact she's scared what reaction she'll get.

"Oh. Hey," she half smiles, not tearing her eyes from the screen.

"I don't really know what to say," the blonde then half jokes. Sitting down in the plump chair next to the bed, it's silent for a few minutes.

"I don't know what to say either." The sentence is only just caught by the music teachers ears as it slips from the Americans mouth. She's shocked, never having seen the girl this vulnerable before and not knowing how to reply.

"Do you know why Karlie?" Taylor expects a shake of the head in return telling her 'no' but instead gets an answer.

"Yeah." The word is another mere whisper, coming out fragile.

"Do you want to tell me?"

"It's everything. Like the first night. I just wanted to get away from it..." Karlie pauses briefly, "and earlier that day, after I left you, I had a text from my sister and... And it...it said...I can't." This time the brunette completely breaks, collapsing into the arms of a stunned Taylor who is all too happy to have the younger girl in her arms.