ChapTEr EiGht

The three finds ran into the hospital and looked around for the paramedics that brought in their friend.

They collectively ran towards the receptionist table, the girls stood back and allowed the boy in their midst to do the talking.

"We want to know about Claire Pickford, she was brought in here in an ambulance, "the boy said to the nurse, sounding worried.

"And who might you be? " the nurse at the reception desk asked the young teens, her eyes moving from one person to the door. And judging by the smell oozing off them they looked like they have been drinking and the nurse wasn't impressed by it.

"We are her friends, we want to know if she is alright, " Rachel pleaded with the old lady, while the others stared earnestly at the woman to give them some information.

Rachel was scared for her friend was hoping against all hope that she makes it through.

"I am sorry I can only release information about a patient to family members, " the nurse said not sounding sorry at all.

Amara who had seen the look in the old biddy eyes of the nurse when they had come up to her, was fed up with her high and mighty attitude.

"All we are asking is to fucking know if our friend is alright not some state secret, " she yelled at the woman, drawing the attention of some people in the common area also. waiting to hear about their loved ones.

"Even if is the state secret that you are asking about I still wouldn't tell you, " the nurse replied not moved by the angry tone of the enraged teen.

Amara opened her mouth to yell more at the insensitive nurse but was pulled back by her friends who led her to her seat.

"Why don't we wait here till someone comes out asking for Claire, " Donald said in a calm tone helping the angry dark teen to a seat.

"Why don't you guys wait here while I step outside a bit, " Rachel said to her friends, and without giving them a chance to answer headed towards the entrance and out of the hospital.

Rachael has been feeling very uncomfortable since stepping foot into the hospital. Her presence inside the white-walled sterile and bleach-smelling environment reminding her of the ordeal she went through the past few months.

If it was left for Racheal she will never step foot in the hospital again, but she had needed to come for her friend's sake.

Rachael felt the sudden urge to smoke badly, it was so bad that she could feel the taste of cigarettes in her mouth.

Rachel was distressed about this unfamiliar craving. She has never smoked a day in her life, so where was this urge to smoke coming from. She could understand that she was a little stressed by what happened to her friend but that wouldn't turn her into a smoker, right, or maybe is part of the weird things happening to her since she woke up from her coma.

Since Rachel opened their eyes in the hospital room she had felt like things were not the same with her.

Is it the weird dreams, that have been plaguing her dreams, or her sudden knowledge of things medical, when she had never stepped foot into any science class except for the ones she was forced to in high school?

So what the hell was going on, Rachel asked herself in a slight panic.

Ever since she started noticing the little difference in her actions, Rachel has been scared to tell anyone about it, fearing that she might be locked up some more in the hospital which is what she didn't want.

The last time she was nearly driven insane by the lack of things to do, so she had kept these little mysteries to herself, which she can no longer do seeing her friends will be asking for an explanation soon, and nothing other than the truth will save her. Let hope they believe me, Rachel mused to herself, leaning against her boyfriend's car, where she had escaped to.

Rachel's phone rang out in the park pulling her away from her thoughts. She brought out the blue encased iPhone to see her dad calling.

Damn is it already midnight she asked in her mind taking a glance at the slim golden wristwatch encircling her slender wrist.

The time read ten pm, making Racheal wonder why her dad was calling. She picked the call, deciding to find out instead of trying to figure it out.

"Hello, " she spoke on the phone.

"Hello pumpkin, are you having fun with your friends."

Rachel rolled her eyes at her dad's words, she couldn't believe that is why her dad called to find out if she was having fun.

Typical of her parents always trying to keep an eye on her, that was one of the reasons, Rachel had moved away from home, preferring to move into the dorm than be subjected to her parent's constant monitoring but because of the accident, Rachel has to be home again.

"Dad are you checking up on me, " she asked her dad not amused by his action.

She had promised them that she will be home by midnight the least they could do was give her that time without badgering her with calls.

The older man at the other end heard the exasperation in his daughter's tone and apologized to her.

"I am sorry Pumpkin, we didn't mean to badger you with calls, we are just worried about you that is all."

I am fine dad, you and mum are going to have to understand that you can't keep me protected forever. I know you guys nearly lost me but is not going to stop me from living my life or being in a situation that puts my life in danger, so I am asking for you and mum to let me some breathing space you guys are beginning to suffocate me, " Rachel ranted, unable to hide the frustration she was feeling.

"We are sorry pumpkin, " her dad apologized again, feeling remorseful for putting her daughter through more stress which has not been their intention.

"Is okay daddy, " Rachel said accepting his apology.

"So where are you now? " the older man asked unable to help himself.

Rachael shook her head at her dad but decided to let it go.

"I am at the hospital, " she said.

As soon as the words left her mouth, she had a scream in the background and knew immediately that it was her mum, who probably had assumed the worse.

Before Rachel could explain to them what she meant, they were both screaming into the phone, her dad's voice louder.

"Pumpkin what do you mean you are in the hospital, did something happen to you, why didn't you tell us? "her dad shouted into the phone, his tone worried and alarmed.

Rachel kept her cool and waited for her dad to finish bombarding her with his so many questions.

"Dad, I am not the one in the hospital, is Claire, she explained to her agitated parents.

Her words cause the couple at the other end to breathe a sigh of relief.

Their daughter's words had scared the shit out of them.

Their minds flew to the moment they had heard the news of their daughter's accident, the worry, the torrent the fear they had gone through, the unknown all those days they sat in the hospital not knowing if their daughter was going to make it.

They never want to relieve that again.

"Sweetie, what happened to Claire? " this time it was a woman voice that was speaking.

The woman had to take the phone from her husband wanting to hear her voice and make sure that she was really alright. Hearing that she was in the hospital had scared the bejesus out of her.

"Rachel, " a voice called out to her in the darkness.

Rachel looked up to see Claire's mum staring at her.

They had called the woman en route to the hospital and she had told them she was on their way.

She was flying in from Boston where she had gone for a business meeting.

"Mum I gotta go Rachel said to her parents before disconnecting the call, despite her mum's words for her to wait.

"Hello, Mrs. Pickford, " Rachel greeted the older woman, who bore the same resemblance to her daughter, except for her eyes which are pale green while her daughter is hazel courtesy of her dad.

"How is she? " the woman asked sounding worried and stressed.

Taking in the woman's appearance, Rachel surmised that the woman had come straight from the airport.

She looked tired and her clothes were wrinkled in so many places and her eyes like someone who has not had a decent sleep.

"I don't know, Mrs. Pickford, they refused to tell us anything, " Rachel muttered in an apologetic tone.

"Is alright, why don't we go in and I will find out, " the woman said leading the way back to the hospital.