Reality

Chapter 10

"But you two like each other, no?" Asks my mom.

"Mom!" I protest.

"What?" She asks innocently.

"He's Ethan Chase. And I'm just.... Me. A guy like him wouldn't be caught dead dating someone like me. It's just the messed up ways of high school. It's a reality I have to face."

"What's wrong with you?" Asks my mom.

"Everything. I have like literally one friend, who has been hanging out with her boyfriend and is now too busy for me. My crush seems to have bipolar issues and friend zoned me. My life was been crap for the past 3 months, mom. But I'm fine. Fine as in tired, lonely, upset, angry, and not at all fine."

My mother looks at me sadly.

"You have to see you how others see you."

"That's the problem, mom. I do. I see an ugly girl who is falling for the guy every girl wants. Except for this time, the cute, dorky girl doesn't exist. It's just me."

"When I see you, I see this admirable girl with a beautiful personality, but most importantly, a strong heart. How many people could deal with what we are? And to make it worse-" my mother breaks down in sobs.

"What?"

She doesn't answer.

"What mom?! What makes things worse?!?"

"The hospital. They're going to... to unplug Lily if she doesn't wake up within the next two weeks."

It's not even a second before I'm sobbing, too.

"But... They can't... how can... No. No, no, no, no. NO!!!"

I run upstairs to get my jacket, then get in the car and drive to the hospital.

"No visitors allowed after 9 o'clock ma'am," says the nurse.

"I don't care. Please, just please let me see my sister."

"I can't, I'm sorry."

"Please. You don't understand, I need to see her."

The nurse hesitates, clearly aware I don't plan on leaving.

"You have ten minutes. Strictly. Ten. Minutes."

I thank her and run off into the elevator.

"Hey. How are you?"

Stupid question.

I sit next to her and grasp her hand, which is freezing cold.

But I don't let it go.

I caress her face with my other hand.

"Lily please wake up. Don't do this to yourself, to mom, to me. Please."

I'm already crying.

"I need you here, so I can tease you and play with you, and so I can talk to you."

I lay my head on her stomach, sobbing.

I squeeze her hand.

"I'm sorry. For taking your food that one time at Disney Land. For pushing you too high on the park swings. For ruining mom's red dress and blaming it on you. And... I'm sorry for this."

And so I just lay there hugging her, until the nurse lets me know it's time I go.
***

I walk to my second period, Ethan next to me.

"You're so going to be late to class." I say.

"It's worth it. If I get to walk you to class."

Why does he do this to me. I can't tell whether he means it or not.

I sigh. "You are an idiot."

"Mr. Chase, I believe you are not in this class," says my teacher.

"You are most certainly correct," he replies, nonchalantly.

"Get to class, before I write you a note."

"Oh, but notes shouldn't be passed during class time," Ethan says.

I snort, and my teacher gives me the evil eye.

"You should get going," I tell Ethan.

Then I walk into class, where this girl is sitting in my chair.

Who. The. Fudge. Is. She?

"Excuse me, I think you're in the wrong seat," I say politely.

"And I think you're messing with the wrong guy." She says.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Oh don't act like you're so innocent. I know your type. Slutty whores like you only act like they're so helpless and vulnerable so the charming guy can come and save you, then poof! You have trapped him in your nasty little web." she says.

"My...type? What the hell are you talking about?" Then I catch on. Ethan. Fricken. Chase. "Oh I see, well for your information-"

Then she cuts me off. "Don't waste your time trying to give me fake explanations. Just know, Ethan will never look at you that way. Ugly girls like you will never add up to someone like m-"

And so I slapped her.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you get a ticket to detention.

I wasn't going to let who ever the hell that was treat me that way, or make me feel bad about myself.

She doesn't even know me.

I sigh and lean back in my chair. I'm dying of boredom.

Then I remember Ethan always has his phone on. So I text him.

Me: Hello?

Ethan replies only a moment later.

Ethan: Who is this?

I roll my eyes.

Me: It's your mom. Who does your contacts say I am, idiot?

Ethan: But Catherine would never ever text in class.

Me: Yeah well, I'm in detention.

Ethan: Who are you? What did you do to Cathy?

Me: I slapped a girl.

Ethan: Nice.

Me: I'm. so. bored.

Ethan: Don't worry, I'll save you.

Me: What?

Ethan doesn't reply.

10 minutes later, he bursts through the door, and walks up to the secretary and gives her a note.

I stare at him in disbelief.

"Did she deserve it?" He asks.

"What?"

"The girl you slapped, did she deserve it?"

I nod. "She deserved worse, how I see it."

"Well, damn."

"What did you do?" I ask.

"Well it was hard," he admits. "But... I pissed off Mrs. Hathburn to the point she kicked me out."

"Well, then."

"Shh!" Says the secretary.

"Shh," Ethan tells me.

I roll my eyes.

"Why did you slap the girl?" He asks.

"She called me a slutty whore."

Ethan fake gasps. "How dare she, want me to hold your hoops?"

"No I'm okay, but she did piss me off."

"Then I say we find her during lunch and destroy her," he says.

"Okay," I say grinning.

And we talk about our attack plan, which is completely fake because I would not do anything to come back to detention, for the rest of the day.