The Hidden Sister of Red Band Society

stuck in the middle with you...mess around...i will be there

After the scans had finished, I immediately retreated to my room. Only after a few minutes had Leo stormed in.
"Where were you last night?" He asked me, fuming. I stared at him.
"Last night? Umm, I was sleeping, where do you think I was?" I replied.
"I know where you were supposed to be, but you were a no-show!" He hollered.
"Where was I supposed to be?"
"On the roof. We were having a goodbye party for Jordi's leg, and you were invited. Remember?"
"Clearly not, or else I would have gone."
"You a--hole! You should have gone!"
"Well, duh. You haven't made that clear enough already."
"Shut up. Jordi was so upset! But you decided to pull your bulls--t again and ignore what I tell you to do!"
"Fine. I'm sorry, Leo, I really didn't know. Can you tell Jordi that I'm really sorry?"
"No. I'm always stuck in the middle with you! Go tell him yourself. Besides, he's in surgery right now, so you can't talk to him until afterwards."
"Okay, how are you always 'stuck in the middle?'"
"Its always, 'tell him that' or 'tell her that' and you always drag me into your problems!"
"Leo-"
"You know what? Just don't talk to me. Stay out of my room, stay out of my way, stay out of my life!"
He got up and stormed away, but not before I jumped out of bed to chase after him. I grabbed his arm.
"I thought we were trying to make this better!" I cried desperately. He shook me off.
"Maybe you should try a little harder."
I wanted to reply, but I collapsed and blacked out. Leo's screams were the last thing I heard before I fell unconscious.

________________________

"She's awake, and breathing."

"Okay. Give her some pain meds."
"Are you sure that it's really the best idea for her right now? She just woke up, Doctor, and she's already on these pills." I squinted to see Nurse Jackson shaking three bottles of pills. My pills.
"Give her a small dose of pain medication."
"Okay, fine. You'll see what happens."
I groaned.
"How long have I been asleep for?" I asked.
"Almost a week. We thought you were gonna go in a coma, sugar," Nurse Jackson replied. A coma? I was gonna end up isolated and alone like Charlie? I swallowed.
"I need some air," I said. "Can I go walk around?"
"No," Nurse Jackson said. "You can't mess around at a time like this."
Coincidentally at that moment, Kenji walked in.
"Meghan?" He asked. I stood and nodded. "Asher wants to see you, but he's stuck in bed with a fever."
"I'm there! Lead the way," I cried out, jumping up. The doctor was about to say something before I dragged my IV machine thingy and left, following close behind Kenji.
"Here you go," Kenji said after we had arrived. "I'll give you two some 'alone time.'" I thanked him as he left, and crept inside Asher's room. There were hip-hop posters everywhere, and some pictures were tacked up on the walls of dancers.
"Hey," he said. I smiled and walked in. He saw me glancing around at his posters and groaned. "This is why I don't let people come in my room. It's-"
"So cool!" I interrupted him. "I didn't know you were into dance! Why didn't you tell me?"
"It's not one of those things I like to tell people, Meg. Especially a pretty girl like you." I blushed.
"We can totally...I mean. Um." I inwardly groaned, stammering off.
"What?"
"Well, I can't any more."
"Don't mess around with me, Meg."
"Well, I was gonna say that we could dance together sometime, but I can't, not anymore. I used to dance, and I was really good. But now, with my leg and all..dancing was my dream. I was going to move to New York and become a part of the ballet. And I hoped to become a Rockette." I heard whispers behind me, and saw the doctor casually leaning against the wall, whispering with Nurse Jackson.
"So that's the mysterious dream of yours," Doctor McAndrew said.
I turned around, said goodbye to Asher, then left in a running haze. My IV was ripped out of my arm, and, having the sensitive skin that I did, blood dripped down my arm. I ignored it and ran, partly because I was mad, and mostly because I didn't want anyone to see me crying again.

___________________

"Megan, you have to talk to me," the doctor said, running fast behind me on my heels.
"Just leave me alone!" I hollered, running faster. My leg burned. It felt like flames were coursing through my body, up my leg, through my tired lungs. I couldn't take running for much longer, but I had to leave. I ran to the elevators and pressed the button. One opened immediately, and I ran in and slammed the close door button. I was too late, and the doctor ran in before the doors shut.
"Meghan, stop running. You need to talk to me," he said, in between panting heavily and fixing his tie.
"I can't, you see. You haven't really made yourself into the ideal 'trustworthy doctor' ideal," I sneered at him. He sighed.
"All I have ever done is help you, and all you do is give me sass," the doctor said. "Trust me when I tell you that you're not the most trusting person in the universe."
"I can't trust people when they aren't trustworthy."
"Meghan, you're missing the point."
"Fine. You're right. I'm sorry."
Doctor McAndrew sighed, and I saw the fatigue in his eyes. Like my mom.
"Meghan. When you need me, you know that I will be there," he said. "No matter what. I'm your doctor, and this is my job. I get paid to do this."
Just then, the elevator doors opened. I walked out.
"When you need me," I said before turning and walking away, "I will be there too."
Then, I left to go explore, laughing at my cleverness. Looks like I wouldn't be needing an IV machine for a little while.
"Hey, wait!" The doctor called, chasing after me. I smirked and, in spite of myself, began running again.