(Un)Fortunate

Chapter 23

"WE NEED NURSES AND A DOCTOR TO ROOM 14!! STAT!!" A nearby nurse shouts.

I watch as the once bumbling corridor clears within seconds. A nurse taps my shoulder and tells me to take a step back. I blink at her for a second, letting it register in my mind. Finally, she just pulls my shoulder back, realizing I am totally out of it.

"What is going on?" My mom asks, coming up to me.

"Someone is in cardiac arrest and needs CPR," Jen says, her brown eyes brimming with tears. Jen can be very emotional, especially when someone's life is on the line.

"Oh my god. What room is it?" She says, and my heart literally skips a beat.

"I think they said 14," She says, turning to the nurse who pulled me back. She nods and my mother's face turns ghostly white.

"What is it?" I say, seeing her face. I feel my heart beat slow down, and I feel my cheeks lose color.

"Mrs. Morgan? Are you alright?" Jen asks, grabbing her arm to steady her. My mother has started to sway a little and her pupils dilate.

"Mom, what is it? Tell me," I say.

"MOM, WHAT IS IT?" I say, shouting now.

But then, it hits me. I realize I don't  have to shout anymore. The world literally stops turning and my heart races faster.

I turn towards where I saw the nurses and doctor go down the hall, and take of in a sprint.

"Ellie, stop!" Jen says, grabbing my arm.

I shake free of her grip and continue my sprint. My hair whips at my face as I run down the hall, not daring to look anywhere else.

I hear the faint cry of Jen behind me, and some of the visitors peek their heads out of their loved ones rooms. I dare myself to look back, and crash into someone- hard. I feel my head ricochet off of theirs and stumble back. The person's arm grabs mine to steady me, and Brandon's eyes find mine.

"Brandon, you have to let me see him," I say, grabbing his hand and attempting to pry it off of my wrist. He only grips tighter, and latches his other hand on my other wrist. He pulls me into his arms, and does not let me struggle.

"LET ME GO! I HAVE TO SEE HIM!" I say, struggling.

"Ellie, what good will it do?" Brandon says in my ear.

"I NEED TO SEE HIM, STOP!" I whine, tears running down my face.

Brandon holds me even tighter, and I give up. I put my arms around him and let myself sob.

"It's okay, look," Brandon says, pointing to the doctor coming out of the room.

"Is he okay?" Jen asks, taking the words from my mouth.

"Yes, but he will need to be put on a ventilator for a few hours, to steady his heartbeat again," He says, taking off a pair of gloves.

"Can we see him?" I say, my breath catching.

"Not right now, we need to get the air tube in and get everything settled down."

"Please?" I whimper.

The look on his face tells me no and I stop asking.

"Is he going to be okay?" I ask, pushing Brandon's arm off of me.

"It is hard to tell, but from what I can see, there will be no long- term effects,"

"Thank you so much, and is there any chance I can get an ice pack?" Brandon says, placing his hand on the place we bumped heads.

Through the adrenaline, I hardly noticed the knot forming on my forehead.

"Of course, why don't you guys come down into this empty room we have and we can get you guys all fixed up," He says, smiling.

The doctor leads us to an empty room, and tells us a nurse will be in in a moment.

"Thanks," I mumble. "I was really freaking out back there."

"Your welcome, I'm sorry you didn't get to see him while he was still awake." He sighs.

"Did he talk?" Jen asks, joining us on the bed.

"Yeah, he said a few words."

"Like what?" I say, my spirits lifting.

"He said your name a few times. He seemed to be really scared, like something happened to you. He freaked out about you not being there and it wasn't good for him for his heart to beat so fast, and then you know."

"Can you tell us what he said," Jen asks, playing with a  piece of fluff on my cast.

"He kept saying: 'Ellie, is she okay? Ellie. Where is Ellie?'," Brandon says.

"Really? He said that?" I say and tear up a little.

"Yeah, he did. And the whole time I was tempted to call you and put you on speaker so he could hear your voice. I should have. Maybe if I had, his heart wouldn't have stopped beating," He mumbles so low we can barely hear it.

"Where is your guys' mom?" Jen says, totally randomly.

"I don't know. Do you want to go find her?" I say.

"Why don't you do it?" Jen says, wrinkling her nose.

"Well," I say pointing to the big knot on my head. "I am kind of waiting for a nurse to get me an ice pack."

"Fine, if you insist." She says, dragging herself up. As she pulls open the door, a nurse walks in.

"Oh great," She says, setting the tray down on the counter.

"Hey baby," Brandon says to Casey

"When I said to come visit me, I didn't mean like this!" She says, setting the ice on his head.

 "Sorry, it was my fault," I say. She must have understood because she starts nodding furiously.

For a second my mouth drops open. Then, I realize that I am Ellie Morgan and my personal life is showed off to everyone. Exploited so everyone can live my glamorous life. Well, just to say, sometimes it's not so glamorous.

"You sure hit heads hard," Jen says, coming back in.

"Yeah, it hurts a little right here," I say, pointing to a lump on my head the size of a cockroach.

"Yeah, I don't think it is a concussion though," Casey says, shining a little pocket light in my eyes.

Jen walks over to the window, and her eyes grow huge.

"Oh my god," She says, pulling the blinds open.

"What?" I say, getting up.

"He is asking you to prom! Oh my gosh! You have to say yes!" Jen squeals.

"Who is asking my little sister to prom?" Brandon growls, getting up too.

Pretty soon, I am smushed against the window. I gasp as I see his face and Jen pushes me towards the door, taking a pic on her phone.