"Hey, I got Pizza and we're gonna watch a movie." I call, walking down the hallway. "I wanna see that new clothes. You haven't had a chance to wear any. You better not be wearing that uniform. It's Friday night." I test the door. "Ellie? Scout?" I turn it again and whe it doesn't open I grab the safety pin in my pant pocket, wiggling it around. "El?" I approach her bed and gently touch her. She lies in a hoodie and a school shirt, facing away from me at at the window and wall. When she doesn't respond I push her hair out of her face, finding her eyes shit. I would leave her to sleep but I know that Elena doesn't nap and I'm worried.
"Ellie." I says, softly as I shake her. Nothing. "El." I shake her a little harder. I pull out my phone, trying not to rush because I'm mess up what I'm doing and it will take longer. The alarm plays but I get no.
"Ellie." I yell, shaking her again.
"Lin. What's wrong?" Vanessa asks, peering in.
"She won't wake up."
-
"So how long before you found her did you see her and how did she look." The doctor asks me while we stand in the hallway. I hold two books that Vanessa grabbed for her.
"Twenty minutes. She'd come home from dance about ten minutes after I got home. She was tired but she seemed okay."
"And we seem to be missing some information on her medical records. Is she on any medicine?"
"No. I mean, she takes Advil."
"What for?"
"Pain, I guess. She's a dancer."
"Well, is she seeing a therapist?"
"No. Not right now. I'm looking for one."
"I can send you to someone who would recommend a few. It's extremely important. She passed out due to stress and exhaust. I'm assuming that you're aware of her past.
"Yeah. Well, recent mostly and who she's stayed with and everything."
"Um, what about her medical history and the conditions of those homes."
"Not that much. I assumed she would tell me anything if I needed to know." She looks up from her clipboard.
"You wanted her trust." I nod. "I'm afraid that you can't wait around for her to tell you these things, Mr.Miranda. You know she was raped-"
"I know that. I'm not oblivious."
"And injured almost six years ago."
"What?"
"You didn't know that." She states.
"I need to talk to her."
"Don't push." She says, stepping aside.
"Hey." I say to the girl laying on the bed in a hospital gown. She looks tired and weak. Everyone looks small in a hospital bed. Only in her hand is a book.
"What book you reading?"
"Tuesdays with Morrie." She says, putting her bookmark in and closing it as I sit down beside her.
"When were you gonna tell me?"
"What?" She asks.
"You're past."
"Oh. I'm guessing someone said something and now you're wondering what you don't know about me and why I didn't tell you." I nod. "I don't think we should talk about this right now. Not here."
"Why?"
"Because it's not something you talk about in a hospital. Or in an instant."
"Okay. Fair enough. The nurse will be in in five and then you can change. We're going to the get an early breakfast and go to the theater."
"I have school."
"You think you're going to school? You spent the night in the hospital."
"I spent a few hours here. Because you found me at like nine." If we'd eaten sooner she wouldn't have passed out.
"It's morning. And you had tests." The nurse comes in and I tell her that I'll see her in a few.
