What About Us?

Chapter 8

Melisa

I woke up the next morning to Jacob banging around outside my room. Unlike Jackson and Angela, I still live in my dorm. I used to share with Angela until she moved out, until we get a new camper, I get the place to myself. Jacob's dorm is on the boy's side, but he'll go around the morning jogging with some of his friends. This morning, as usual, he was being loud. I got out of bed and cracked the door to see what was going on.

Jacob was sitting outside my door drumming his fingers on floor, listening to music far too loud for early morning, and scrolling through Instagram. I walked out and stood over him.

"What do you think you're doing?" I hissed

"Waiting for you, you said you would run with me." He replied.

"Turn down the music. I'll be out in a minute."

<*>

As soon as we got out there he took off like Usain Bolt. I tried to keep up, but I was horribly out of shape. Finally, he stopped outside the Dining hall and I caught up with him a few minutes later.

"How . . . what . . . Good . . . Gravy!" I collapsed on the ground and spread out like a star fish

"You . . . ok?" Jacob asked between fits of laughter

"Just . . . jeez you're fast!"

"No, you're just slow."

He pulled me to my feet and we walked inside. Jackson and Angela were already eating when we joined them. I was still out of breath from our run and Jacob was still laughing at me.

"You ok Melisa, your face is a bit red." Angela said

"Just . . . ran . . . really . . . far." I wheezed

"Mel, we literally ran from your dorm here. That's it."

"WHAT!" I really need to get back into shape.

"We ran from your dorm to here. If you want, you can hang out here with Angela while Jackson and I finish the run."

"What! No! I promised I would run with you, so I will! Just let me grab something to eat." I said

<*>

The rest of the run was horrible. We finally finished about an hour later and I literally collapse outside my dorm.

"Ok . . . I'm done . . . fast . . . tired . . ." I just lay there trying to catch my breath

"That was fun, we should do it again sometime." Jacob said, "Hey, you ok?"

I couldn't respond. The longer I tried to catch my breath the worse it got. I sat up and tried to steady my breathing, but it only made things worse.

"Melisa, say something!" Jacob was standing over me, "Put your hands on your head, it opens your air ways."

That didn't work, and when I put my arms down it was harder to breathe. Jacob freaking out and it wasn't helping, eventually Teddy walked by and say us.

"What's going on?" He asked

"Melisa, I've got no idea!" Jacob was still in hysterics, and had I been able to breathe properly, I would have laughed at him.

"2 things, number 1: Jacob calm down! For crying out loud! Number 2: I think she's having an asthma attack. We need to get her to the infirmary, NOW!"

I tried to get up, but Jacob scooped me up. As I said before if I could have breathed properly I would have given him an earful, but we got there in record time.

<*>

"Hey, Teddy what's up?" Charlie asked

"Melisa . . . I think . . . asthma . . ." Teddy was in worse shape than I was. Charlie looked me over.

"We need to get her into a room now! Her lips are turning blue." Charlie said

<*>

When we got to the room Charlie handed me a long tube connect to a special machine.

"Breath through this, Jacob make sure she only breaths through that, I'll be right back." He left Teddy, Jacob and I alone

I sat there in silence breathing through a random tube. I did notice I could breathe a bit easier. Charlie returned a while later with an inhaler.

"Use this, it'll help." He said. I took it and took a few puffs before I could breathe normally.

"T-thanks." I said, he slipped an oxygen mask over my face, "What's this for?"

"Standard procedure. Due to the severity of your attack, we need to keep you over night to observe you. It'll also give me time to fill out and inhaler prescription for you."

"But I don't have asthma!"

"Well now you do," He smiled at me, I glared at him while he wrote on his notepad. "I'm sorry, but I can't control your health."

"Thank you." Jacob and I said at the same time. He had been so silent I had forgotten her was there. Charlie nodded and left.

<*>

I was discharged the next afternoon. I had to practically shove Jacob out the door for practice.

When I got out it was a bit late to meet Angela and Jacob and Jackson would already be at afternoon practice, so I went to the pool to see if Angela was practicing. She wasn't. Charlie and Teddy were going into the town I wasn't sure why, but I decided not to bother them. Instead I leaned back against the back board and closed my eyes. It's crazy how uncomfortable an oxygen mask can be. I didn't get a wink of sleep last night.

<*>

"Daddy please!" I begged

"NO! That's final, I have work to do. Go play with July!" My father commanded.

I slowly walked out of his office and across the yard back to the house. July was outside in the garden. I walked over to her and unknowingly plopped down on some freshly planted flowers.

"YOU JUST FLATTENED MY PUTUNIAS!" She screeched. I tried to get up be she grabbed my hand, "You're coming with me!"

We raced into the house and into the kitchen. She turned on a burner and faced me

"You IDIOT! Can't you do anything right?" She yelled. I struggled furiously against her, but she had an iron grip

"Please July, not again! I promise to be more careful!" I cried

"ENOUGH! I've given you enough chances! You. Will. Obey. ME!" She flattened out my left hand and pushed it onto the burner. I didn't scream, that would only make it last longer. Tears leaked from my eyes and she eventually let go and I pulled my hand close to me.

"Go to your room!" She growled, I ran past her and closed the door softly before running into the bathroom and running my hand under water.