If It Ain't Love

Chapter 9: Dead

Them or that's what she hoped. Coral when going out of the room saw Naomi. She was going to visit Adrian but saw Naomi. She panicked. Naomi was just so limp on the floor. All life escaped her. She was no longer who she tried so hard to be. Naomi was defeated, tired of running away with the past hot on her trail. Carol immediately called the ambulance. She did not have strength to lift Naomi up so she just put her into a sitting position. She followed Naomi to the hospital, HAND grasped together. This is what she feared for. A relapse.

This was not the first time and it seems like the last time is not the last either. She stayed at the hospital all night, waiting on news of Naomi. Naomi was her role model, the definition of perfection. They should redefine perfect. Perfect is being accepted with flaws and not flawless. She stayed there, the clock ticking is the one sound made along the deadly silent hallway. Why did things turn out this way? A tear slipped out, everything was going well. Carol has stopped hanging out with Adrian as Long as JIVX and Lucas is concerned. She felt herself being separated, like an invisible wall.

Caught up in her thoughts, she didn't realise that the doctor has appeared next to her. "Where are her parents?"

"Don't let her parents know, they do not care, if it's hospital fees I can pay for her first. Just tell me what's wrong with her. I'm her Cousin, relative is ok to know right?" Carol ranted, fear creeping into her.

"Calm down, I understand families like that. Well she is stable but she is in a coma. We are unsure as to when she would awake."

"Not again. Thanks mr- doctor. The moment she awakes can you notify me?"

The doctor solemnly nodded and mumbled, "room 354" carol caught the number at the tip of his tongue and she dashed to the room. Panting, she prepared herself at the front of the door. Slowly, she twisted the door knob.

Naomi lay pale on the bed. Her hair in a mess. The cheerful Naomi looked like a stranger looking so lost in a hospital gown. Carol reached her hand out to Naomi. Expecting Naomi to just reach for the hand and pull her into a hug but nothing happened. Instead Naomi felt ridiculously cold. The radiance is gone. The smile the aura. All destroyed. Carol suddenly felt a strong hatred towards them. They are the cause.

*~*

On Tuesday, Carol returned back to school. "Care, care! Where were you yesterday. You didn't come my room either." Carol took her tray and walked the other way. Adrian cut her pathway. "Our table is that way."

"Fuck off!" That was the worse Carol had cursed. Adrian looks taken aback.

"Carol smith, Carol smith would you please report to the principal's office. "

"That's my cue, you can take my food."

Carol walked through the hallway, everybody is at the cafeteria. Nobody is blocked her path and soon enough she found herself at the entrance. "Hey Carol, the principal is already waiting." Mrs Rose said. Carol thanked her and went in.

"Ahh carol please take a seat. Naomi is your Cousin is she not?" Carol nodded. "Well, I'm sad to say that she would be leaving the school. She was such a nice person but a girl's gotta do what she's gotta to do survive aye?"

Carol face portrayed confusion. Leaving the school? Mr Smith then proceeded to hand Carol an envelope. Finally Carol found her voice. "Leaving the school? What do you mean by leaving the school?"

Mr Smith frowned. "She didn't tell you? She took the exams early. She talked about wanting to start a step ahead into the society since she wants to start her own business. We noticed she was not in school today and yesterday, we called you in."

Carol's face darkened. She thanked Mr Smith and exited the door. Adrian stood outside. "Hey, erm...I'm sorry for whatever I did." Carol ignored him. Adrian went to stop her but Carol pushed him away. "Just leave me alone. I don't want to see you." Carol retreated back to her room and cried. Naomi is gone, her soul disappeared from this place the moment Carol touched the envelope.

*~*

The next few days she spent all her time at the hospital by Naomi. A week has passed and nobody seemed to notice Naomi is gone, missing. Her existence erased from school records of current students. Teachers stopped taking her attendance and students stopped question "where is Naomi?" Nobody cares, Naomi was right. While she was possibly fighting her life, everybody just not bothered. In fact, Naomi wants to let go, to just end it as it seems. But a hand was grasping hers tightly. Not willing to let go.

When Carol stepped into the school compound, a worried Adrian was waiting for her. On the other side was Darren. Darren rushed to Carol before Adrian. "Carol, where is Naomi?" Carol shrugged, "I don't know."

Adrian pushed Darren back, "why'd you asking Carol, go ask Naomi."

"Naomi did not touch her phone for a week. She promised her phone is always on. She said she would be in school not gone from existence. The logical person to ask is her Cousin." Darren countered.

"Carol, you are Naomi's Cousin? How come I didn't know?" Adrian replied.

"You are too obnoxious for your own good. You don't even remember me from your high school. Did anybody even notice that Naomi was gone. Apparently you didn't. I don't know where she is but she's gone from this school. You didn't even realise it." Carol stormed off. She wasn't about to tell people who don't care about Where Naomi is regardless of if someone who cares is there. She went to Mr Smith's office.

"Mr Smith, I want to take the tests early. Naomi, she has been hospitalised, I want to take care of her while I can. Please let me." Mr Smith nodded with apprehension.

"How about I let you take the lesson online. Which means we would live the lesson and you take the lesson at the hospital. Is that alright?"

That was enough for Carol. She immediately agreed and packed her stuff for the many nights at the hospital. As she was packing, Darren barged in.

" I know you are lying, where is Naomi?"

"Hospital." Carol mumbled As though she doesn't want to accept the fact herself. Darren calmed down. this gets Carol more than him and he silently stayed there.

"I'm going now. Want to come?" Carol offered. Darren nodded and both of them walked out of the school compound together. Adrian saw them and decided to follow. They climbed into Darren's car and drove there without knowing Adrian was behind them. Adrian made sure that he could see the car while having a couple cars in between.

Then he came upon the hospital entrance. Is carol sick? That's why she doesn't want to talk to him. Pushed him away to save him from a broken heart. But why is Darren with her? Adrian has not seen Carol for a week and now she is going again. Why?

Then he saw the glimpse of it. Naomi with her face pale and dead. What happened to her? He wondered. Naomi would never harm herself. Or that's what everybody, especially him, thought.