Emergency

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Benjamin


Opening my eyes to the sound of my alarm makes me want to slam my cell against the wall. It's 7am and I have work at 9am for a few hours and then I have Latin. I slam my finger all over the screen of my cell until the ringing stops and I slowly rub my eyes, I can't hear any other sounds which means Tony and Mike aren't awake yet. Lucky them.

I slowly sit up and look towards the window which is covered by my curtain. The morning light peers around the edges and I can tell it's going to be a cold, crisp day. The bed creaks as I stand up and I pad out to the hall, I pass Tony's bedroom on the way to the bathroom and I can hear his quiet snoring through the door. Once I'm showered and dressed I begin to walk to work when there's a sudden rumble in the sky and rain begins to pour down and no matter how fast I sprint to work I have still ended up like a drowned rat.

1pm. Latin time. I lock up the shop after having a fairly busy Monday morning and I walk into Latin 5 minutes late. I sit in my usual seat at the back beside Hailey and the first thing I notice is she isn't there. I can't focus on any Latin work because I'm slightly worried as to where Hailey is. She has never missed a class of Latin before, she has probably never missed a class before. As soon as Latin finishes I call Hailey to ask where she is.

After three rings she replies. "Hello?" Her voice is slightly croaky.

"Hailey, it's Ben, where are you?" I ask trying to sound calm.

"I'm at the, um, hospital" she says.

"The hospital?" My voice rises in a panic "Why? What's happened? I'm on my way"

"No, Ben, it's okay you don't need to come" She sounds panicked but I sprint down the corridors, pushing anyone who is in my way out of my way.

"What happened Hailey?" I pant.

"Ben, stop running!" She cries.

"God dammit Hailey, just tell me what's happened!" I shout. Her end of the line is silent for a few seconds which stops me "Hailey, are you still there?"

"What? Yes, I'm still here"

"I'll be there is 20 minutes. Where about are you?" I ask softly.

"The emergency unit" she sounds exhausted. "I guess I'll see you soon"

My cell beeps in my ear telling me she hung up and I continue sprinting home.

---

"Hailey Khan?" I say exasperatedly "She's kinda small with brown hair?"

"Sorry, we don't have a Hailey Khan in this unit" the receptionist tells me.

My heart is pounding in my ears and my heart feels like it's in my mouth. I look around and see dozens of signs saying: Emergency Rooms 1-3 or Emergency Waiting Room.

"Do you have anyone under the surname Khan?" I ruffle my hair with  my hands frustratedly.

"Ben!" Hailey's voice calls. I turn and see her standing at the end of the hall and I jog down to her and pull her into my chest.

"Thank God you're okay" I stroke her hair with my hand and breathe in her apple shampoo scent and fresh laundry.

"I'm okay. It's Callum I'm here for" her words are muffled because she is almost imprinted onto my shirt.

"I thought you were here for you" She pulls away from me then and I hold my hands on her shoulders.

"Why are you here?" I'm taken aback by her bluntness.

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