Useless Fan {Grapeapplesauce}

Part 2

Sean's P.O.V

It's freezing- why did my car have to break down today? I should have known this would happen. I shiver for the millionth time, and walk back to work after my delayed lunch break. Five more minutes, and I'm late. Oh, my warm car would be so nice to have right now. Then, I wouldn't be caught in this stressful predicament.

I'm almost back to work- just one more block. Keep walking and ignore the cold- I can do it. As I repeat that over and over in my head, I frown as I see a clump on a sidewalk ahead. That's not normally there. I rush up to it, confused and scared all at once.

It's a body, lying on the dirty snow-covered concrete.

I inhale sharply and bend down, examining it. She's a girl, and probably a high school student from the looks of her backpack. Is she asleep? Why would she fall asleep on a sidewalk, of all places? Not thinking, I tap her arm. No answer.

Should I call an ambulance? She doesn't really look like she's peacefully sleeping. She's breathing- her chest rises and falls. Probably not sleeping, though, I decide. The ambulance is my best bet.

I whip out my phone and dial the famous "9-1-1" number. It's answered within seconds.

"What's the problem?" an urgent voice presses.

"I was walking on a sidewalk and I found someone lying on it. I don't think she's sleeping."

"Is she breathing?"

"Yes."

"We'll be right over."

I shuffle around in my coat, anxiously waiting for them to come.

•

The paramedics come in, sirens blaring to announce their arrival. It's a flurry of movement, and I can't tell one person in a white uniform to another. They seemed very alarmed, making me very alarmed, when they saw the girl.

"Bring her in!" one lady shouts. Two men quickly but slightly gently lift her up.

"Wait- she's so light..." one frowns. "It's definitely not the average weight." And then, they move even quicker, rushing her into the ambulance at record speeds.

"Do you know her?" one shouts at me, about ready to take off, hands on the red doors. Think fast, Sean.

"Um...yeah! She's my friend?" I lie. I'm a horrid lier, but I feel weird just letting them take off with her and never seeing the girl again. Possibly saving someone's life is a decent excuse to miss work, so I jump up into the ambulance.

"Remain calm. We'll be to the emergency room soon." a woman says. Then we take off.

However, she doesn't seem calm at all.

•

"Wait out here." a paramedic orders me, pushing the girl's body (now on a stretcher) into heavy, white doors. I sit uncomfortably in the waiting room, everyone around me various ages and the solemn silence almost unbearable.

After what seems like an eternity, a nurse calls me into the hallway.

"Melinda seemed to be unconscious, but she's stable and sleeping as of now." she informs me. I almost forgot that all the nurses and paramedics think I actually know the girl- or Melinda, as they called her. I nod, unsure whether to be happy she's stable or confused as to why she was unconscious in the first place.

"How did she get knocked out?" I wonder aloud. The nurse's wrinkly face becomes more somber, avoiding my gaze.

"We're not 100% sure yet. I don't want to give you false information," she stalls. "Wait until Miss Sage-" I assume that's Melinda's last name, "wakes up."

"Okay" is all I say.

•

Three hours of constantly refreshing twitter later, the same nurse calls me over to another hallway.

"Melinda is awake. Visitors are allowed, but do not disturb the machinery." she requires. I suddenly feel guilty for just assuming that the girl would be fine with me pretending to be her friend. Swallowing, I realize how sketchy this plan is. For some reason, I still nod and follow the nurse farther down the hallway.

"This room." she claims, opening the door for me and leaving me alone with the mystery girl.

"Um, hi..." I start. "I found you on the sidewalk, so I, uh, brought you here." I finish uncertainly. I only now find my gaze reaching her. She rests with a pillow behind her back, slumping against the wall. A calculating look crosses her face, and then she starts shaking.

"Holy crap. You're Sean..." she stutters. I'm taken aback. "I watch your videos on YouTube." she adds, getting a hold of herself. "Hi."

"Oh, wow, hi." I greet back, surprised. What are the odds of this happening?

"Well, I'm Melinda."

"Sean. Or Grape, I guess." I laugh a little. "Never met a fan in real life. This is really cool- well, except for the fact that it's in an ER." I frown.

"Yeah, I guess so. Eh, I guess it was worth it, because, not to be creepy- but meeting you has been like my dream."

"No, I'm flattered." I counter, "Do you want to explain why I found you on a sidewalk? You don't have to if you don't want to, of course." Well, I suck at not sounding nosy, don't I.

She stays quiet for a moment. "Long story." she finally says. Melinda looks up at me again, and then sighs. "It's all a very long story. I don't really feel like talking about it, sorry." she adds. I nod sadly. We both look up as the nurse walks in.

"Could you please return to the waiting room? Miss Sage needs to rest in order to make a better recovery." the lady asks.

"Oh, okay. I'll see you soon." I tell Melinda. I timidly follow the nurse back out of the room, and stop as she puts her clipboard down on a counter. She takes off again, motioning for me to stay here. I notice Melinda's name at the top of the page on the clipboard. It's her health records. And in fresh black ink, at the bottom of the page, I notice writing.

Fell unconscious due to a severe case of Anorexia Nervosa.

•

A/N: Please vote and comment if you want faster updates! Thanks for reading.

-hazelmist