Danger II // J.N

Chapter 8

*Week Later*

Anna's POV.

I've been home sick all week. It fucking sucks. I can't see anyone, and I've been cooped up in the house. I have the WORST cabin fever.

Jace is coming over in a bit to hang out since I haven't seen anyone. I miss him a lot. My mom also decided that my grounding will be shortened to two weeks.

It probably doesn't matter anyways, I've been sick for one.

I hear a knock on the bedroom door. "Come in!" I say softly, unable to yell.

"Anna?" Jace asks.

I sigh. I grab my phone from the nightstand next to me and text him.

Anna: can't talk. come in.

I hear his phone vibrate. I start giggling. The door opens, and Jace walks in with a smile on his face. He carries two coffees from a gas station, and a bag of mini powdered donuts.

I smile. He hands me the coffee. "It's your favorite," He says.

I smile. "Thank you," I say. His eyes widen. "Wow, you really can't talk," He says. I nod.

"It sucks," I shake my head.

Jace sighs. "School really isn't the same without you," He says. I nod. "I know," I reply. I take a tip of the coffee with a couple pumps of raspberry syrup. I close my eyes as I swallow the coffee. "It feels so nice against my already burning threat," I say. Jace laughs. I smile and laugh.

Jace opens the mini donuts. He takes one out and feeds it to me. Powder falls all over my black t-shirt. I smile, and wipe the corners of my mouth.

"You're so cute," He says softly. I smirk. "I haven't brushed my hair in days. I think the last time I left the bed was this morning," I say.

He smiles. "Still cute."

I smile.

I take a deep breath, coughing again. I start choking on mucus. I cough into my arm, coughing up blood clumps again.

Jace looks at my arm. "Is that the raspberry syrup? Or, blood?"

I look at him. "It's blood," I say softly. Jaces eyes widen.

"Anna, we gotta get you to a hospital," He says.

I look at him and shake my head. "No!"

"Yes! That's serious!" He says, standing up. He grabs my wrist and pulls me out from under the covers, and stands me up out of bed. He looks down at my bare legs, my black shirt barely covering my underwear. "Where are your sweats? Just wear those," He says. I point to the end of my bed. He grabs them and hands them to me.

"I don't need a hospital, Jace. My medication is helping."

"You just hacked up a bunch of blood, Anna. My grandma did that and she choked to death," He says.

I shake my head as he brings out of the room. "I won't choke, Jace. Chill out!"

"Anna! Listen to me!" He says, looking at me. "You've had this for nearly four weeks. This illness can kill you, and if you're coughing up that much blood and choking on it like you just did, you need medical attention."

I sigh. He brings me upstairs and leads me outside to his car.

***

I sit in the hospital bed, Jace next to me. The doctor came in and examined my illness.

My mom walks into the room. "What happened?" She asks, rushing to the bed.

"She choked on clumps of blood she coughed up," Jace explains.

My mom looks at me. "Anna, you're pale."

"I've been outside all week, mom."

"Anna, don't smart mouth me. You worried me. What did the doctor say?"

"He said it's just my bronchitis." I say.

She rolls her eyes. "It can't be. You've had it before, but not this severe."

The doctor walks into the room. "Are you her mom?" He asks.

My mom looks up and nods. "Yes, Rebecca, hi." She shakes his hand.

He nods. "We've done some X-rays of Anna's throat and lungs. There's some damage to her lungs, we're guessing from smoking. But there's also mucus lodged in her throat, causing her to cough."

My moms eyes widen. "How do you get it out?" She asks.

"Unfortunately, there is a illness for this called cystic fibrosis. It's not common, and can't go away easily. If anything, Anna will have this for the rest of her life. It won't be as severe if she just follows doctor directions."

My mom gasps. Jace's jaw drops. I look at the doctor. "So I'm gonna hack up blood for the rest of my life? I can't talk for the rest of my life?"

The doctor shakes his head. "Not exactly. Ways of breaking down the mucus could be running daily, or every other day. Using an inhaler, and cutting back on smoking."

I look down. "Is this because of the smoking?" My mom asks.

He shakes his head. "Smoking actually can't create this. This is genetic," He says.

My mom looks at me. Her eyes widen. "Your dads mom had this," She says softly.

I continue to look down, completely heartbroken. The doctor speaks to my mom more, but I'm so lost in my thoughts, I'm not listening.

It's not fair that I have this.

It's not fair at all.

I've done shitty things, but I don't deserve this.

I can't die so young.

I wanted a future.

I thought I HAD a future.

I guess I was wrong.

***

Dad came by with flowers today. It was weird, I felt like I had a dad. He prayed over me, praying I get better soon. He got me tea and flowers, and sympathized.

He didn't stay long. I didn't expect him to. But that's okay.

I kinda want to be alone.

The only people I want with me are mom and Jace.

Jace is at his house, and mom is out running errands. I feel quite lonely. Just like I've felt for the past week.

This whole illness has got me thinking, what if I can't become a music teacher? What if I can't have a family? What if everything I wanted in life, just won't be able to happen because of my cystic fibrosis.

I feel big changes coming, all thanks to CF.

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hi! quick update. the next update will be tuesday. I'm in St. Paul right now for a Shawn Mendes concert. I have VIP so I'll be busy tomorrow. Then Monday I work. So pls be patient with me 😂