My Heart's Choice (On Hold)

Chapter 5

"Dana," I hear my name repeatedly being called. And I am desperate to make it stop, but have no idea how to.

My body feels numb and I have a floating sensation taking over my brain.

"Dana," the voice is so much familiar yet annoying.

Please shut it up!

"Dana!" the voice commands.

And something in it warms me to abide, and I have a feeling that if I chose to ignore it, that might as well be the last thing that I ignore.

I force my eyes open only to have stars flying around in my vision. I squeeze them shut to clear the stars.

"Open your eyes, Dana!" another command echoes.

Where am I? Did I accidentally join the army or something?

Finally, I open my eyes. The stars clear away and Penny's head pops into my vision.

"Thank Goodness! You're alive!" she crushes my bones with a bear hug.

"How long was I -"

"Five whole seconds! Gosh, I thought that you were dead," she practically whips me in the head.

I groan and try to sit up straight. Penny moves away from covering my line of sight, and I am exposed to the scene which is taking place in front of me.

I see a blond mass of hair which I instantly recognize to be of Rhea's. She is pleading behind Mason, her mascara smudged and eyes red. Mason trys to escape her outstretched arms, his face scrunched up in disgust. He sways on the spot, holding onto a locker to keep himself from falling. It confuses me to watch Rhea crying.

"Listen to me Mason! I love you so much and I am sorry..." her voice cracks and she breaks into a sob.

"GET OFF OF ME!" Mason slurs pushing Rhea away.

It is evident that there are a thousand of emotions swirling inside his eyes. Pain and anger and God knows what else.

"Get off of me!" he shouts.

The huge audience, watching the scene unfolding with gaping mouths, gasp at Mason's sudden outburst.

"I love you, Mason," Rhea pleads between sobs.

"Rhea cheated on Mason with Seth last night," Penny informs me noticing the blank expression on my face.

What?

"Yeah, she did," Penny answers my unasked question.

Rhea throws her arms around Mason, trying to play all her cards. For one moment, I wonder if she really is out of her mind, but then the next I remember that I decided on that a long time ago.

She is insane!

I shuffle to my feet and stand up straight with Penny's help. I can feel the pain from Mason's punches, return. Once again my body fights numbness, which ultimately wins. I lean against a locker, wincing.

"Are you okay?" Penny's concerned voice filters through a layer of numbness that has overtaken my mind.

I slowly nod, hoping that she notices.

"We should go to the nurse," Penny suggests, concern filling her eyes.

And tell her why I got beaten? No way!

"Don't you dare show up in front of me ever again!" Mason slurs, his eyes bulging out of its sockets.

"Mason please...,"