Thursday November 7th, 2019

As usual, Andrew gets out of bed, dresses up, combs his hair, packs his bag, and has breakfast. During breakfast, his sister, mother and himself are the only ones there. Connor is still sleeping, because he has first and second periods free, and Ben is already at work.

"Hey, Andrew." His sister tries to get his attention, but he doesn't look at her.

"What is it?"

"Don't give me a 'What is it' in this situation." She pauses for a bit. "I'm worried too, you know."

Andrew looks at her.

"Well, thanks, I guess?"

[I don't really know what to say.]

"I shouldn't have expected a different reaction." She gets up and moves her plate to the kitchen. "Just be sure to come home with positive news, because I don't want you to go into the ice."

[Into the ice? What does she mean with that?]

"He won't, Melissa." His mother says. She notices the confused look on Andrew's face.

"She means that you'd have to go to Hulive, but that's not going to happen." His mother explains.

[As if she can read my mind.]

"Well, I don't think that'll happen any time soon. Doctor Mirad said my heart could act up during mid to late puberty, and that is what happened. Nothing more." Andrew gets up from the table. He and his mother put on their shoes and coats, and go outside. They drive into the city by car, between the colourless fields.

They enter the Clifftell Local Hospital, from the front, and they walk up the stairs. They have been at Doctor Mirad's office numerous times before, so they skip the reception all together. After the stairs, on the second floor, they head left into a hallway. Two thirds into the hallway they take a passage left again and sit down in the waiting room. The clock reads three minutes before ten.

"Just in time." His mother lets out a sigh. His mother's full name is Gabrielle Hillton-Mocrove. She is half French from her father's side, and she was born in small town of Montalivet-les-Bains in France. This also makes Andrew a quarter French, but there is no sign of that from his appearance. His sister is the only one with a bit of a 'French' face and body figure, resembling Gabrielle. Doctor Mirad opens the door to his office.

"Mister Hillton?"

They get up and go inside.

"So, Andrew, could you explain in detail what you felt, on both occurrences?" Doctor Mirad says. The doctor is from Indian origin, and, despite all the stereotypes, his pronunciation of English is excellent. Andrew explains what he felt during both instances, and Doctor Mirad is taking notes.

After Andrew is done, Doctor Mirad nods a few times and looks up Andrew's personal document on his computer.

"Don't let this worry you, but it looks like your case of arrhythmia has gotten a bit worse than I anticipated." He explains.

"Is it really that bad? Can it harm him more than just passing out?" Gabrielle asks on a worried tone.

"You know I don't like answering multiple questions at a time Miss Hillton, but I can assure you that both answers are no. I'll be right back, got to get something for you." He stands up and exits the office.

"That's good to hear, right mom?" Andrew asks.

Gabrielle nods. "I think he's getting something that'll help, hopefully it'll be something that prevents it from happening again."

Andrew smiles.

[That's a bit too optimistic, I already don't think it'll help any, I just got to wait until I'm through puberty.]

Doctor Mirad enters his office again. He has a large box in both of his hands.

"This device should help us out."

"Honestly, I was expecting to get a type of medicine." Andrew says.

Doctor Mirad unpacks the bag and continues talking. "We still don't know enough about your type of arrhythmia, so before giving medicine or a pacemaker we want to do more testing." The box reveals a device with four electrodes. Andrew recognises them and starts pulling his shirt over his head.

"With this portable ECG device we will record your heart for two weeks to see if we can catch any irregularities." Doctor Mirad explains while putting the electrodes on the heart region of Andrew's chest.

"You can still shower if you pull them off, but remember to reattach them after you're done. Also, keep note of when you do this, or when they fall off accidentally on this paper." He hands him a stack of papers.

[He really does like explaining stuff without interruption or pause.]

Doctor Mirad attaches the final electrode to his chest. "It won't send anything to us directly, so if something critical happens, call me before the end of the two week period."

Andrew carefully dresses up again. He puts the device in a small bag and wears it around his neck.

"Is this how you wear it?"

"Correct. You can also put it in your pocket if it gets annoying."

"This is fine. Thank you Doctor Mirad." Andrew thanks him, and so does Gabrielle.

They leave the hospital and Gabrielle drives Andrew to school. The fields are a bit brighter in the light of the rising sun.

As Andrew enters the school building, the bell rings. He is able to claim a table for him and his friends, before most of the students arrive. May, Sarah, Lin and Keil notice him and sit down behind the table.

"So, Mister Hillton, when are you going to die?" Keil jokingly asks.

Andrew laughs. "Come on Keil, I'm not going to die. At the hospital I got this device I have to wear for two weeks." He pulls it out of the bag and puts it down on the table. "It'll record my heart so they can research my arrhythmia further."

"So they still don't know what's up." Lin says.

"Nope, he said it turned out different than he expected at first so they want to do more research."

"It's all just here to worry us, it seems." May says to Andrew. "Can you shower with that thing?"

"No, but I'm allowed to take it off when I do." Andrew replies.

[Bit of a random question.]

"Anyway, it's not in the way or something, it'll just be a pain to explain it tens of times from people asking about it the coming two weeks."

While they continue talking about the device and other stuff, the break passes quickly and the bell rings again. They all head to maths class, but they split up between C14 and C15, because the school split up the maths classes given the amount of people. Andrew, May and Keil enter C15, while Sarah and Lin enter C14.

Andrew and May sit next to each other, and Keil is behind them. They unpack their bags.

"Hey, Andrew." Keil pokes him, and Andrew turns around. "Who exactly are coming to the party this Saturday?"

"Oh, mostly people you know. Of course Sarah, Lin, May, you and I, but also May's family will be there, and mine of course."

"Family is a bit misleading, it's just my mom and dad." May says without looking up from her work.

"Lisa isn't coming?" Andrew asks.

May looks at Andrew and Keil. "No, she said she had work to do for a school project. I don't really believe her, though. She probably just doesn't want to come."

"Jealous she hasn't got a boyfriend probably." Keil jokes.

"She has a girlfriend, but I get what you mean."

Keil makes a gesture of understanding. "Well, I still remember the day I had to push Andrew to ask you out. I can't believe that happened almost two years ago."

Andrew smiles and looks at his desk. May does the same.

"Really, man." Keil says. "I thought you got over your reserved self after you asked her out."

There is no response.

"Andrew?"

Andrew points up with his finger, just enough so that Keil gets the signal. Keil looks up.

"Oh."

"You should get back to work, Keil." Miss Yeung addresses him. "Looking at your grades, you should probably spend your time better." She walks away to check on the next student.

"Yes, ma'am."

Keil is a relatively strongly built young man, with spiky brown hair. He prefers classes like Physical Education and outside activities above all else, and likes helping his friends out with physical work. He is also really protective to all of them, and most of his classmates too. If someone is trying to pick a fight with a weakling, and Keil sees it, he will protect them. To compromise for all of these aspects, Keil has a hard time learning things in general, and relies more on instinct than rational thought. His worst subjects include Maths and Economics, although he blames his hard time with these subjects on the teachers.

Break time arrives, and they were able to get a table.

"Hey, do I need to bring anything for Saturday?" Lin asks.

"No, we're good." Andrew replies. "If you want to bring something you could, but we've got everything we need prepped."

"Hmm, okay. I might bring something if my mother insists, but I'll see."

"Also," Lin continues. "are you going to PE with that device? I heard from the other class that we will practise flips and stuff like that."

Andrew thinks for a short time. "I'll probably go and see where I can practise. Otherwise I'll just sit on the side."

"Just don't overexert yourself, you know."

"I won't."

"You sure?" May says rhetorically.

"Yeah, yeah, trust me. I wouldn't want this thing to strangle me."

They have lunch and continue to talk for a while, until the bell rings. They proceed to the gym changing rooms.

The changing rooms are located diagonally above the two gyms, with a walkway between them, where you can look down. The two gyms are of the same size, and have two changing rooms each. All of them are labelled G, with a number, counteracting the usual A-B-C classroom format. The five of them enter their respective changing rooms, the ones assigned to the furthest of the two gyms.

Andrew starts changing clothes.

"Hey Andrew, what's that?" A classmate of him asks.

[I don't even know your name, sorry.]

"It's a device that monitors my heart. I've had an arrhythmia since birth, and it has been acting up since this week."

"So that ambulance on Monday, was for you?" Another classmate asks.

[I don't know your name either. Now that I think about it, besides Keil, Mike, Sam, Rajib and Florian, I don't know any of their names. Maybe I should learn them sometime soon.]

"Yeah that was me. I just passed out, and instead of waking me up first, May called an ambulance. Though, it was for the better."

"It's true that we could've just waited for you to wake up, but you were pale white and your eyes rolled backwards." Keil says. "You looked like a way too expensive prop for some cheap scary movie."

[What do I even say to that. Thanks?]

Keil notices the confused look on Andrew's face.

"Kidding, of course." He adds. "At least it made the day somewhat interesting."

They put on their shoes and go to the gym. They look down into the large room.

[Looks like we will indeed be doing flips and stuff, looks like some parkour too. I hope I can at least lend a hand somewhere.]

Andrew and Keil go down the stairs.

May, Sarah and Lin are already there, together with most of the class. While Lin and Sarah are helping with setting up, May is sitting on the side. Andrew sits down next to her, while Keil starts helping the others.

"You probably got a few questions about it." May starts.

"Just one, and a comment about the ambulance too."

"One? I would've expected more." She pauses. "We will be doing a parkour course, and I don't believe there are any parts where you can participate, or should participate that is."

Andrew looks through the room again.

[Flips, running, jumping from bench to bench, jump rope, looks like she's right. There will probably be a team part too.]

"Well, I can cheer you on from here." Andrew says as he turns his head to her.

May giggles. "That would be embarrassing." She lays her head on his shoulder. "But it's better than you going out on the course and hurting yourself." She adds as she embraces him.

He leans in closer as well. "I probably won't do either. I'll probably get some eyes looking at me if I start shouting."

"I get it, it's fine."

"You'll get people to look at you this way too." Lin suddenly stands in front of them. Sarah and Keil follow up right behind her. May slowly pulls her arm away from Andrew.

"Well, you're the only one I've seen looking at us thus far. You're probably just jealous because you don't have someone like Andrew."

Lin gets flustered. She doesn't know what to say.

[That's a bit mean, but that also means Keil hasn't done anything yet. Acting so strong but not making a move.]

"You mean yet, May. She will probably get someone soon enough."

"What do you mean?" Lin snaps out of her flustered state. "You mean there's someone that likes me?"

Andrew remains silent, and he shrugs.

"No, you're just joking." She sits down next to May, and Keil sits down next to her. Sarah is already sitting next to Andrew, almost unnoticed.

"Do you know anything?" She asks May.

"No, I really don't."

"And you?" She turns to Keil.

Keil shakes his head almost instinctively.

[C'mon man.]

"And you Sarah?"

Sarah shakes her head.

"Hmm, it might be a joke then. Andrew if it is not you're horrendously bad at giving hints."

[Horrendously, been a while since I heard a word like that. I'll ask Keil about this after class.]

Lin continues thinking and mumbling, until the teacher stops her. The lessons starts, but Andrew is stuck sitting at the side, as he didn't think it was worth the risk.

Sarah is the first to run the course. It starts with jumping over a few benches, then climbing up and down the climbing frame, and climbing over a few gymnastic horses. It ends with a flip onto a large mat. She completes the course perfectly, and the teachers and students are astonished. She walks away from them without saying anything, and settles down next to Andrew.

"That was quite the sight to behold." Andrew compliments her.

Sarah nods.

"I've done gymnastics before." Sarah says.

[Good to hear her voice every once in a while.]

"But I stopped."

"Why? It doesn't look like it's because you lack skill or anything."

She looks at Andrew.

"They said I didn't listen." She starts. "I listened, I just didn't like to respond."

"They kicked you out because of that?"

"No, I stopped." She says and looks at Andrew. She looks back into the room. Someone else is climbing up the climbing frame. "I stopped, because I didn't want to talk to them." She adds.

[I guess everyone has their own reasons.]

"Was that not the right choice?" Sarah asks as she turns to Andrew.

"Well, I get where you're coming from. I would've done the same if I were in your shoes."

Sarah remains silent, as if she is processing what he said, but without a response.

"Also, you shouldn't bother with things that have already happened, like this."

Sarah nods.

[I hope that was the right thing to say, but I am happy she wants to talk with me, or someone that is. She was always so lonely up until now.]

"Hey, what are you two chatting about?" Keil walks up to them, as he had just finished the course.

[This timing works too.]

"Nothing, really. We were talking about her performance." Andrew replies. "Anyway, Keil." He changes the subject. Keil sits down next to him, and Andrew gets closer to him.

"Why haven't you taken your shot yet?" He whispers to Keil.

"Wait, what do you mean?" Keil also goes into whisper-mode, without realising it.

"With Lin, of course."

Keil's realisation is visible on his face.

"You're too loud! What if anyone hears us? Sarah is right next to you!" Keil whispers, a bit too loud himself.

"I don't think she'll tell anyone, even if she hears it. That aside, you said you would ask her out before the end of this year, and it's already November. Didn't you want to celebrate Christmas with a girlfriend before the new decade?"

"Too many questions, man. On the last one, yes, of course. On asking her out, I still haven't done it. I don't think she..."

"You're overthinking it." Andrew interrupts Keil.

"Says the guy who spent half a year thinking about all the negative outcomes of asking May out."

"That's true, but look how it turned out. Even if she declines, Lin isn't the type to completely trash the friendship too."

Keil isn't able to formulate a reasonable response.

"I know, I know, it's just that..."

"Lin, you're next." The teacher says. Keil looks up, and Andrew eyes follow. Lin briefly sends them a cheerful wave. The teacher starts a countdown.

"Start!"

Lin elegantly jumps over the benches.

"Don't you think she's out of my league?" Keil asks, speaking on a normal volume again. They both look at Lin climbing the frame. Sarah is also watching her.

"You won't know that until you ask her out, and I can't tell you either." Andrew responds. "Besides, if any of us four were to ask her, she could easily complete the puzzle."

"That's true."

Lin completes the course, and starts walking towards Keil, Andrew and Sarah.

"I'll make a promise with myself. I will have asked her out before the end of November."

"And if not?" Andrew tries to commit him further.

"There won't be an 'if not'." Keil says determined, and Andrew smiles.

[That's more like the Keil I know.]

"What are you two talking about?" Lin asks as she walks towards them.

"Our performances on the course." Keil answers. "And with that I mean mine and Sarah's."

"How was mine?" She asks.

"It was great, the best I've seen so far!" Keil says.

[So you can say this, but not ask her out?]

"It was great, but I still think Sarah's run was better, sorry."

"It's fine, I get where you're coming from, but thank you both!" Lin responds happily.

Lin is a tall girl coming from Chinese origin. She has short, brown hair and hazel eyes. Even though she wants to diet, there is nothing wrong with her weight or health. Andrew, Keil, May and Sarah are all concerned about her health, however, Lin herself hasn't realised the dangers, or she doesn't want to accept that her lifestyle is dangerous.

It is time for May's turn. The four of them all look at the course and follow her with their eyes. Her run of the course is okay, but not excellent by any means. After she finished the course, she also proceeds to sit next to them, next to Sarah to be precise.

"Man, that sucked." Is the first thing May says.

"It didn't look that bad, don't be that harsh on yourself." Andrew says.

"I'm not too hard on myself, I just accept the truth."

"Poetic." Keil comments.

"Instead of saying that, you should say 'It didn't go as good as I'd hoped.' or something similar." Andrew says.

"Well, I didn't expect anything beforehand, so I can't say that." She responds. "It doesn't matter that much anyway. I also didn't expect this lesson to be so short, it's almost over already and we're just done with the first activity."

The lesson was indeed short, acknowledges the teacher. They finish the lesson with a few rounds of dodgeball, and then head back into the changing rooms. After changing, they all meet up outside the school.

"At least we don't have another class after PE. I pity the people who do." Lin says. "Anyway, I need to run to get my bus on time. See you all tomorrow!" Lin runs away, towards the bus station. They wave at her. Keil, May and Sarah all go in the same direction, while Andrew bikes the opposite way. Andrew cycles down the long, straight road and he gets lost in thought, as he smiles up to the sky.

[I hope Keil keeps his promise. There is no 'if not', huh? I wonder how long that's going to last. He'll probably make up some odd 'punishment' for himself, just so he can procrastinate longer.]

Andrew laughs at himself.

[What am I worrying about? It's not my life.]

He passes the barren fields with empty trees again, however, some green grass and colourful flowers have started to sprout. Bizarre, for this time of year.