Dorm Room 210 [Original]

Dorm Room 210: Pandora's Truth

Author Notes: Updated and edited on 11th July 2019. We're more than half-way there! (Apologies for the late trigger warning)

TW: heavy mentions of mental illness and su*c*de.

Chapter 24:

Pandora's Truth

Noah and I visit Stacy Saturday morning with a bouquet of mixed flowers that I know she likes. I know the steps to her room, uncomfortably familiar now as dread follows my every turn. The stench of cleaning products, antiseptic and plastic filters the back of my mind. Noah squeezes my hand as we approach the room, and the nerves disappear, but not entirely.

Upon my arrival, Stacy's nurse takes her blood pressure and writes down the results. Some of the beds are empty, making the room look bigger and inviting. The nurse gives my aunt a smile as she pushes away the curtain separating the neighbour's bed. "Everything is looking much better today. I think you'll be fine to go home. I'll organise someone to come down with a wheelchair. You can then make your way down to the information desk I told you about and collect your medication."

My aunt breathes out a sigh of relief and relaxes into the hospital bed. She plucks at her loose green jumper that she wears over the hospital gown; her plastered leg marked with colourful ink lies still on the bed. "Oh, good," she says. "I was starting to miss my T.V."

We step into her line of vision, and her smile widens. "It's a good thing then, because I'm sure the T.V is missing you too."

"Hey, honey." I fall into her open arms and sigh into her neck. I miss Stacy, and I'm happy she chose today to ask if I could see her. After all that has happened these past few weeks, seeing her put my mind back into perspective.

"I didn't know you were coming this early," she says as I give her room to breathe. The nurse goes to the other occupied bed in the room, and Noah steps up beside me. Stacy's eyes widen as she flickers to me. "Or that you were bringing a friend."

I take his hand in mine. "This is Noah."

Stacy's eyes widen for a second before her smile spreads across her face. "Nice to officially meet you."

"The pleasure is mine." Noah passes her the bouquet. "These are for you. Lillian said you like anything with colour."

Stacy inhales the flowers, leaving a wistful sigh in the end. "They're beautiful, thank you. I'll have to put them straight into the vase when I get home. I'm hoping a taxi ride won't cost us too much."

"No need," Noah says. "I can take you back home myself."

Stacy looks at Noah carefully. "Are you sure? If you have plans today—"

"We're sure," I interrupt. "I asked Noah when he offered to take me here."

Stacy grins. "Well, thank you."

Noah squeezes my shoulder before stepping away. "I'll be back. I need to find the toilets." His ears turn pink. "I've been holding it since we got in the car."

"Go," both Stacy and I say, and we laugh in unison when Noah leaves.

"You didn't tell me he was English." I take a seat next to Stacy as she moves herself up on the arched bed. "Are both of his parents from England?"

"They both sound like it to me," I reply, trying to remember my last encounter with them. "His mum sounds laid back the most."

Her face lights up. "Have you met anyone else in his family?"

I think of the family portrait in Noah's home, and the two happy little boys standing beside their parents. "No, just his parents." I let myself smile. "It's a shame Noah couldn't meet Mum and Dad. I think they would've loved him."