This is Goodbye (ON HOLD)

Chapter 1

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I wake up with a gasp, my eyes flying open and my breathing heavy. With every breath I took the feeling of needles stabbing me coursed through my veins. Two rectangles of pale blue-white light shine down upon me, illuminating the bright classroom styled ceiling. The sound of machinery beeping ring in my ears and pounded through my skull, making my head spin.

Where am I?

I shift my head downward and stare at the sight in front of me. A thin papery blanket is strewn over me, covering the my right leg which appears to be in a cast. My left hand also was in one, and I bet underneath my blanket more bandages would be plastered all over me. Different cords and fluids are stuck into my skin, pushing different colored liquids into me. If you look closely enough, there are the thinnest lines of blood slowly seeping through this pure white blanket. Just seeing the smallest bit of my blood makes me nauseous.

But what's most frightening is the sight of my parents.

My mom is seated in a cushy office-like chair that's positioned almost directly in front of my bed. Her head is pressed against my bedsheet, her hand placed gently on my leg that's not in a cast. Her breathing is heavy, so I can only assume that she fell asleep. Her flawless brown hair that is always in a professional, tight bun is now loose and matted, strewn across the bed sheet. I don't need to see her face to know that she's been crying.

My dad is not seated with her. He's standing across the room by the door, his back facing me. A man with light golden brown hair and bright blue eyes in a white lab coat, who I can only assume is a doctor, was talking to him in a low, hushed voice. My dad was listening intently to every word he says and when he nods his head in agreement, I see the slightest bit of his eye, which are a deep red and glazed over. They suddenly fill with tears and he bends his head into his hand and releases a deep, muffled sob. It broke my heart into a million pieces.

"M-Mom? D-Dad?" I croak. The sudden use of my throat made it feel like sandpaper. The room immediately becomes silenter then it was before. My dad and the doctor turn to face me with wide eyes.
My mom's head jerks upward, showing me a face that I hardly recognize. She is paler than I've ever seen her before, dried mascara dripped down her cheeks and the pale pink lip gloss she always wears is now smeared across the corner of her mouth. Two bright green eyes surrounded by beat red stare directly at me.

"Soph! Oh thank heavens, you're finally awake!" Her voice is cracked and hoarse, but full of comfort and relief. Dad appears behind her, face gleaming with fresh tears. His sleek, combed over black hair now looks like he just got out of bed. His face mirrors my mother's, full of relief. They both stare at me, a pair of green and a pair of blue eyes full of love. The doctor then clears his throat and they both turn towards him, the moment gone. The man steps forward and examines me.

"Doctor Charles Jenkins, at your service. How are you feeling, Sophie?" He couldn't have been older than 40, though his face already is reflecting lines from stress. His eyes are warm and his smile bright, like a child who just received an ice cream cone on a hot summer day.

"W-what happened?" I managed to say. My parents both exchanged worried glances to each other.

"It was quite a accident you were in, I must say." Doctor Jenkins says, "I'm not surprised you don't remember exactly what happened. You've been unconscious for over two days. Two friends of yours dropped by a few times once you were stable. They left you a few things." He gestured around the room.

There were a bunch of different bunches of flowers and cards from classmates I go to school with, all saying things like: "Get Well Soon, Sophie! Class won't be the same without you!" But the thing that stood out was within my reach on the bedside table. It was a small bunch of pink daisies and a small brown teddy bear holding up a heart. I could make out the words on the card; "Get Well Soon, Sophie! We're here for you. ♡ -Marge and Jackson"