Living Closeted

It's not a drill

It was a week past his birthday party which I didn't attend. I feel guilty because of this. Why am I feeling guilty? I shouldn't. I have not obligation whatsoever to do anything regarding his person or not. If I may add, there's one person in this... whatever-ship you want to call this thingy... who has a certain debt towards the other and that is him. Pittyful of me... I know. And it's not healthy to keep longing for such a person to be by your side but I just can't help it. The girls went to the party and they claim I haven't missed anything nor did he ask any of them about me and why I didn't come. Oh! Have I forgotten to mention? I didn't text him any apology yet nor do I intend to. I matter. He doesn't.
Back to the present. My day was going just about the usual, classes rolling after another. We had chemistry next. What could go wrong? We had an experiment scheduled for today which was a rare sight in our schools given the fact that our government gives zero shit on practice 'cause surely it must be smarter to just theoretically prepare us for the real world. We were paired by the teacher last week. I got paired with Maya. She's grown on me a bit since New Year's Party. She's very indifferent and objective when it comes to school drama but I've seen her non-judgemental heart. And she's freaking obsessed with medicine lately. She wants to become a neurosurgeon. I do hope she makes it there 'cause we could use more competent minds in this field. 
We took our places at the desk in the laboratory and followed the teacher's precise indications. Well... more like tasks that we had to solve. It was after all an experiment in which we were supposed to get graded. Naturally given the rarity of experiments none understood what we have to do. Maya was like 'What the hell. Let's add a bit of this and a bit of that and put it over the flame'. Sooner than you could say 'failed experiment' the vial with the chemicals blew and started a huge fire. The explosion knocked both of us off our feet. She hit her head hard on the desk and blood was dripping from her wound. The fire alarm went off as we could hear over the speakers 'Attention! This is not a drill! Please take the nearest exit'. According to protocols, the teacher is to leave last but with an injured and unconscious student there was a big question mark. Do we abandon her? Do we risk our lives for her? 
I slapped her on her cheeks in a futile effort to wake her. I then tried to drag her to the door. Damn she's heavy. By now I could feel my lungs burning from the chemicals and smoke I was inhaling and I think more than two-thirds of the class already evacuated the room. The fire then extended to the next table and I could hear another explosion. If I don't get us out of here in the next two minutes the whole laboratory is going to explode. I could hear our teacher screaming for me to just get out already. 'Not without her!' I screamed back. She ran out of the room as she gave me one last terrified look. There goes protocol out the window. 
I felt my eyes get heavy as my body was shutting down due to lack of oxygen and carbon monoxide intoxication most likely. Just as I was losing consciousness I saw feet approaching me. Strong arm lifted me and carried me to safety. I tried to mutter 'Don't forget about Maya'. But I barely got out a 'Ma' before I passed out.
I woke the next day in the hospital chocking on something. Oh... it's a bloody tube. Help! I'm choking! Somebody! Why can't I talk? I am not hearing any sound coming out of my mouth. I hope it's the tube. 
At last, somebody noticed I was lively and choking. They pulled the tube out and checked my pupils with a flashlight. Asked for my name and if I could tell them in which year we were. I was so pleased at the sound of my voice. For a moment I thought I lost my ability to speak. 
I was then greeted by a very momma bear hug from none other than my mom of course. 
'I'm fine' I said with a very weak voice.
I too worried at my voice now. I mean don't get me wrong. At first, it was a huge relief to just hear it but now that I can really hear myself... Everything flashes in front of me... I could have died in there! 'Maya!' I thought immediately.
'Mom? Do you know anything 'bout Maya?'
She looked at me briefly before her gaze fell to the floor. It must be bad news... 
'Honey... Maya hit her head hard against a desk when the explosion occurred. Doctors aren't sure she won't wake up. Or if she does they are not sure she'd be able to walk again. The part of the brain she hit is directly linked to the locomotion nerves and all. Add oxygen deprivation which was worse in her case than in yours...'
My heart skipped multiple beats and I could hear the monitor beeping faster. 'That's not helping' I though... very unsettling. 
I felt exhausted and I made a sign towards whoever was there in the room with me that I feel like sleeping and they left.
I woke up two days later. I felt much livelier. They still wanted to keep me under observation for the next 24 hours but my wounds are all healed. I still have to do oxygen treatment for the next week or so but besides that no further medication needed. 
Sadly, I could not think of anything else but Maya. I pressed the button to call for a nurse and I asked her if she could give me information about her but alas, I'm no family. So I couldn't find out anything but that her condition is still the same. 
The next day I was discharged and I was leaving when I could hear a scream in the next room. I couldn't help bu peak. It was Maya's family. She woke up. I smiled knowing that she too survived. I just hoped I could go in there to see whether or not she's moving. 
My train of thought was interrupted when a team of doctors swarmed in and the screams of joys were replaced by tears. She couldn't move any of her members. She could move her head but just that. 
I read something the brain a couple of years ago. It was this article where they described the brain. They claim that if a certain area of the brain is removed or damaged, though neurons can't regenerate the brain can compensate with what's left by creating new synapses or something like that. But by the damage, it seems Maya suffered I don't know how easy nor fast will she be able to recuperate.
I felt sick to the stomach knowing that I survived with almost no scratches and she's paralyzed from the neck down. I stormed in the first stall and threw my guts out. No one deserves this. 
I went home after I calmed myself down in that hospital restroom.
I hated everyone at that moment. I couldn't understand why us, why her. I mean one would blame her for causing the incident but any of us could've mistakenly mix something together and get the same outcome. And it's neither the teacher's fault. Even if she would've been the perfect teacher she couldn't have done anything to prevent us from mixing something together that would blow up.
I fell asleep with the hope that she'd recuperate some of the mobility. And when you think of how much she wanted to be a surgeon one day.


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Hello guys! I'm trying to get back from the hiatus and the writer's block with this new chapter. I thought it was about time Maya was properly introduced to her story as she'll have a more and more pregnant part to play in Aiden's upcoming years of life. This is an image for you to have an idea of how she looks like, I think it does her justice. I know I'm not really describing how my characters look like. I don't see the relevance as Aiden just loves people and he doesn't really care about the appearance so long as we're not talking about someone he's crushing on.
I hope the one reader or two I have enjoy this chapter <3.
Also, I'm thinking of whether or not put all 4 high school years in one book or make 4 books but for the second option I'd only do it if my readers skyrocket :)))