Obsessive, Compulsive.

SIXTEEN.

Everyone was quiet for the next few hours that Antonia was gone.

It was awkward in the house, tense and stiff. No one wanted to say much. People seemed like they were reminiscing of friends and previous patients that had become physically unwell before. Eve was especially shaken. She sat next to me, holding my hand through her plastic gloves and sighing deeply.

"She hasn't done that before." Eve said softly. "It means she's getting worse."

Jay spoke up from the other side of the room. "I know we're all fucked up here but we're getting better, however slowly. No one's getting worse. That's the point of being here. To get better. However slowly."

There was a quiet murmur of agreement.

"But if they're feeding her, how did she collapse? Why didn't her body have the nutrients?" A boy on the couch opposite suggested.

It was quiet. We all exchanged glances. A silent consensus was reached.

"She's been throwing up. She's been fucking throwing her dinners up!" Jay realised. "Do you think the staff know?"

"They know now." Eve put her head down. "They have to know. That's why they're having a meeting right now. They must be talking about her."

"Do you think she'll come back?" Robbie asked, timidly.

"Of course she'll come back!" Eve snapped. "She has to! What do you mean?"

Everyone looked at Robbie. "Well... She did seem really ill. I don't know if... If she'll be okay this time. I mean, how can we guarantee that she'll come back? "

Eve growled at him. "She'll be fine. She has to be. Don't be a pessimist."

Robbie blushed and I prickled, speaking up. "Leave him alone. He's just making a suggestion."

The room fell quiet again and everyone looked at me. Nervous, I felt next to me for a hand to hold but realised that obviously Antonia wasn't there. Robbie smiled gratefully at me from under his hair. Eve looked away.

Interrupting the silence, the door of the lounge opened and Bill stood there. "Hello. Antonia's family are with her at the hospital, so I got sent back here."

We all leapt up like starving imps and verbally reached and clawed at him for answers. "What's wrong with her? Is she going to be okay?" My mousey voice was lost in the atmosphere somewhere.

"Hey, hey, hey. Sh." Bill smiled tiredly. "She's okay. She's coming back tomorrow. I can't tell you much more, you know, privacy rules and regulations. But I can tell you that it was lack of food."

We all looked at each other. We were right.

"Don't mention it again." He raised an eyebrow at all of us before relaxing again. "But the good news is that schooling is cancelled today."

Some of the boys high-fived discreetly. Eve and I scowled at them. Our friend was ill and they were celebrating no school. Some people were so selfish. Robbie noticed my face and gestured at me. He stood up and walked out of the lounge and down towards the reception.

Amongst the bustle I followed him, pulling Eve along with me. She flinched at my touch but let me take her where we were going. I followed Robbie's shadow until all three of us were sitting on the reception desk.

"I brought you here to tell you something." Robbie nodded.

Eve and I looked at each other.

He started talking after realising that neither Eve or I were going to speak. "I saw Antonia-" Robbie was interrupted by the automatic glass sliding doors opening.

Cara, who I had met on my first day at Saltridge, stood there smiling. "Hi, guys."

"Hey." Eve nodded at her. There was awkward quiet for a moment.

"Why so serious?" She joked. "Come on, it's a sunny day. You guys are normally the smiley ones around here. What's up?"

"Antonia is in the hospital." Robbie mumbled. "She fainted this morning and wouldn't come round."

"What the fuck?" Cara dropped her bag at the door and ran towards the counter. "What happened?"

"She was throwing her food back up and no one knew." I felt horrible saying it out loud.

Cara fell silent, then, vaulting up and joining us sitting on the wooden counter. "That's terrible. I wish someone would have known, then they could have stopped her..."

Eve looked up at Robbie. "What were you going to say? You said you wanted to tell us something?"

Turning red, Robbie climbed off the desk and disappeared up the stairs without a word.

A/N: I hope you're having a great day ❤️