☀The Song☀

Chapter 16

I had been keeping a countdown until Homecoming. Silly, I know, but I just wanted a sense of normal in my life. There were 14 days left when something happened that I never thought would. None other than Mrs. Whitby, the principal. I was sitting in a chair next to my bed strumming on my guitar. Mrs. Blythe had closed the curtain between our beds earlier that morning.

"Hello Anne, how are you doing?" Her voice sounded like a Barbie, and she looked the part. Big 80's hair and a grey and pink business suit with pink stilettos.

"Fine, thank you." I knew I sounded curt, and I fully intended it. "May I ask what this visit is about?" I wanted her out of my hair.

"Why of course dear! We were wondering, the student council and administration team, if you would mind being a part of the Homecoming activities this year? The student body has elected you as a candidate for the Homecoming court and the student council has told me that you were the person to go to about a possible appearance of the band this year?" Her voice seemed light and bubbly compared to all the employees of the hospital.

I thought about it for a moment. I would have only been elected into the court out of pity, nothing more. And the band? Nobody had responded to any messages or calls, so that was out of the question.

"I will not accept a nomination out of pity, but I will perform at the variety show. It would just be me and my guitar and nothing more."

"I believe that can be arrange-"

"But after that I want full access to any curriculum the school has at any pace that I choose."

"That is not part of this deal in any way Ms. Shirley."

"If you want me to stay at your school than I need an early graduation."

"I am sorry An-"

"I am dying here, Mrs. Whitby! I have nothing to do for 22 hours of the day except roam around these damn halls waiting for I don't even know what! Then I come back in here only to watch a man I love and who risked his life to save mine lying in a bed being kept alive by a machine. And the worst part about it is that I'm not even allowed to talk to him because his mom blames me for all of this. I have no one left, except for a nurse or two who brings me medicine to dull the pain! My only purpose in life is to take up space. Take up space and then die. And nobody would care. Sure people will say how much of a tragedy it was that I had passed, or how sorry they were about what happened, but no one would give two fucks if I ended it all right now!"

I had stood up and was yelling at this point. I didn't realize that I had so much pent up anger I side of me. She looked shocked, almost as if she never had anyone yell at her before.

My yelling had attracted the attention of my nurse, who came in a few seconds later with a syringe. She ordered for me to get onto bed and told me to wrap up the conversation as she administered the meds, that I would be very groggy soon. Mrs. Whitby had become very awkward in the moment and was playing with her rings.

"As long as you are finished by the new year." She said as she stood up. "Have your lyrics emailed to me for approval then be at the school at 4 o'clock on the 23rd." With that she left the room and everything became black.