Turning Tables (CAMREN)

Chapter 11- Once for a black eye, Twice for a nosebleed

"Oh my god guys, it's all my fault! If I didn't pass her the ball in the first place..."
"Aw Ally, don't blame yourself... blame Lucy!"
"I swear when I get my hands on her!"
"I'll join you there, Dinah!"
"Poor Mila, no ones arm should be bent that way."
"Wait guys! I think she's waking up look!"

          Camila could hear voices. Distant, echoing voices... faint... but they were there. Her brain was fuzzy, and her whole body ached. All she had to do, was follow the sounds, which were becoming clearer and clearer as the seconds passed. A gentle light invaded the thin skin over her eyes, and she felt her head pounding with pain. Ow! Gently and slowly, the small girl peeled back her eyelids and let her vision come into focus, glancing calmly around her, before suddenly jumping out of her skin and gasping in fear.

          "Why the fuck am I here?" The small girl said, her voice escaping as a small, terrified croak. A cramped, surgically clean hospital bed. A strong smell of synthetic chemicals. A crowd of people surrounding her- glaring down at the small girl with pitying gazed. Her parents, her little sister, Dinah, Mani, Ally and an inquisitive nurse. Her heart raced... what the hell was happening? The last thing she remembered... was playing basketball at school!

          Camila casually moved her arm to massage her temples, a quirk she had adopted in times of stress, when she suddenly winced with pain, and a jet of pure fire stabbed through the skin on her left forearm, burning all the way down from her elbow to her wrist, making her cry out in agony, and suddenly, the cluster around her bed all jumped forward in unison, patting her soothingly or scribbling on small clipboards.

        "I wouldn't move it yet, Miss Cabello..." A nurse signed, tutting loudly and staring at the small girl over the rim of her thin, oval glasses. As if I was meant to know, Camila thought. "How is your head? You've been blacked out for a good few hours now! It's 7:32 in the evening! Now... I will leave you alone for your parents and friends to explain what has happened, as I can tell you are fairly... confused." The tall woman said, and with that, she turned quickly on her heel and trotted away writing furiously in her scrawled notes.

           A slightly awkward silence hung over the bed. Camila blushed... she didn't like being the centre of attention like this.

        "Listen, Mila... that girl at your school, Lucy..." Camila's Mother, Sinu, muttered awkwardly, unable to gaze into her poor daughters wide, sad eyes. How could she explain that someone had deliberately hurt her darling girl?

       "The fucking bitch tackled you to the ground and landed on your arm!" Dinah said bluntly, causing every head to glare at here outrageous nature. Camila giggled in appreciation. That's what she loved aboutHola Dinah, there was no skirting around the subject, the tall girl always cut straight to the chase.

       "So... so it's broken?" Camila mumbled, glancing down at the neon pink cast situated on her left forearm. Her heart sank as she watched various faces gazing at worriedly, and it sank even further to think that Lucy was turning violent. A lump formed in her throat and her veins pulsed with adrenaline at the idea of being unsafe in school.

        "Just a fracture." Her little sister said, sticking her little nose in the air and grinning cockily at the prospect of using a big, professional word like fracture, making the older people around her chuckle.

        "And... and what about Lucy?" Camila hissed towards her three friends, lowering her tone as Sofia played with her Father, however, Sinu kept a protective ear out to eavesdrop on their conversation. The idea of the small girl being bullied and intimidated made her stomach twist in motherly anger.

        "We're sorry if you didn't want us to, Mila, but we told the Principle everything... everything. It can't go on anymore! I am sorry we didn't do it sooner... none of this would have happened." Ally sighed, clasping a comforting hand into the dark-haired girl's, and Camila nodded understandingly, gazing down at her thin bedsheets. But there was one thing on her mind... where was Lauren?

          "Mila... we're not telling you the whole truth here!" Dinah suddenly declared loudly, making the three others jump in surprise at her suddenness, and the small girl noticed Normani shoot her an angry glare. "Oh quit it, Mani! She would have found out eventually! Basically, after the... incident, while you were stone-cold-knocked-out on the floor, Lauren ran up to Lucy and... and... well... oh god this is hard to say... she punched her straight in the face. Twice. Once for a black eye. A second punch for a nosebleed... and Lucy punched her back once. She's been suspended for a day... and Lucy has been suspended for a week!" Camila's stomach convulsed so violently that she thought she was about to throw up. Oh my god! Lauren did that for her. Worry washed over her like a wave of nail-biting anxiety and adrenaline. Visualising what Dinah had just stated was enough to make Camila's head spin.

          "Where is she now?" The small girl whispered timidly, unable to really say anything else. Please, god, please let her be okay!

And as if on cue, Camila's chocolate brown eye was distracted by an ominous figure who had just wandered into the ward wearing a grey hoodie and black sweatpants, with long, dark tresses her silky hair cascading like a waterfall down her back. The small girl's heart fluttered. The person turned around.
Emerald green met chestnut brown.
It was her Lolo.
       
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Author's Notes- Someone ducking stick up for me like this damn!!! Also, I was genuinely considering making her cast Yellow (as a tribute to the incredible and inspiring author of my favourite trilogy @txrches ) but, I was just digging the neon pink vibe idk why!!! Have you guys read yellow, blue and green? If not why!? I love it so much! Have a great day everyone, and remember to smile and spread love around... even to strangers! We are all in it together in this big, crazy world!
Em :)