the bad boy's scared of bugs

Chapter 25- Hospital visit

25| hospital visit
R I L E Y

I stand outside the hospital room, unmoving. Taking a glance through the window, I see Maddie laying on a hospital bed. Her face is pale as she struggles for breath. I see her eyelids flutter as the monitor beeps steadily beside her. Mrs Grey is there too, her hand over Maddie's. Taking a deep breath, I push open the door. Maddie opens her eyes at the sound of my footsteps as I walk closer, and smiles weakly at me. Her mother, however, stands in front of the hospital bed with her arms out in a defensive stance.

"Why are you here and what do you plan on doing to my Maddie?" Mrs Grey demands coldly. I stand two steps in front of her and survey her closely.
"I'm here to visit Maddie, why?"
"I don't trust you." She narrows her eyes. I sigh in annoyance and cross my arms.
"With all due respect, Mrs Grey, if I wanted to do something to her I would've done it long ago." I reassure her. Her arms slowly fall back down to her side. Stepping past Maddie's mother, I walk up to Maddie's bed.
"Hey." I mutter softly. Maddie makes shooing gestures at her mother who leaves the room uncertainly.
"Hello Riley." She tries to sit up but grimaces so I reach out and help her into a more elevated position.

"I—You...What happened?" I question. How could this have happened to her? It seemed like only yesterday were we in the car with Liam going to Krispy Kreme.
"Leukaemia." Maddie spits out bluntly, avoiding my gaze.
"W-what? Leukaemia? But how? When?" I feel the shock hit me like a tsunami. Then guilt follows. Suddenly I felt so bad, I was so mean to Maddie all this time and...now she has leukaemia?
"I found out a while ago...when William was—" Maddie tugged at her hospital gown nervously.
"What? When William was still alive? When we were still friends? Why didn't you tell me Maddie?" I pull a chair towards the hospital bed and sit down.
"I-I thought you were going to judge me. I thought...." Her lower lip trembled dangerously as the tears began to fall.
"You should've told me. You should've told me..." I chant repeatedly, my mind stuck in an endless glitch of disbelief.
"I know and I'm sorry...I was going to tell you but then William...he... There was no way I could face you after that." She looks at me, eyebrows furrowed and eyes teary.

"Why did you become so...so...mean?"
" I had to be mean, Riley. You don't understand. When William killed himself he killed a part of me too. I couldn't possibly be friends with you anymore so I had to fake a mask for myself, a shield. I didn't know what else to do." She says, her voice soft and tearful.
"You should've told me..." I repeat again.
"I couldn't—"
"But I thought we were friends, Maddie. I thought we could tell each other everything!" I feel myself shaking and I can't stop it.
"I know..." she mutters weakly, as her tears flowed heavily.
"Look, I'm sorry I made you upset. I just...I... I don't know... I'll visit you later ok? I'm going to be late for school." I abruptly finish our conversation and head for the door before she could even reply.

N A T A L I E

I feel the rectangular packaging pregnancy test I had bought the other day in my purse as I walk to to class. I breezed in a good ten minutes before class started and saw Riley sitting there already, tapping her pen on her notebook impatiently. Maybe she will go to the toilet with me to take the test, I'd feel less nervous if my best friend was with me. I put my bag down on the desk beside hers and tap her shoulder.

"What?" she mumbles seemingly neurotically, her eyes slightly glazed over, not focusing on me.
"I know this sounds weird but do you want to go to the toilet with me?" I ask.
"No sorry, I just went." Riley stretches her lips into a smile.
"Well I have something to tell you and—"
"Natalie, I'm really sorry but I have a lot on my plate right now and...."
"Oh, ok. No, it's cool, I get it." I mumble. Seeing the look of disappointment on my face, Riley leans in to give me a side hug.
"Hey, I'm really sorry. How about I come over to your place after school and we can hang out?" She offers. A smile reappears on my face.
"Yeah, I'd love that." I grin.

Luckily, the rest of the day passes quickly and soon Riley and I were sitting in my lounge room watching a movie. We were clearly not on what was on the screen because the both of us were still staring intently at the screen even when the credit rolled, too busy thinking about our own problems. We only realise when the credits are over and the screen turns black. Jolting herself out of her daze, Riley turns and faces me.

"Great movie. Riveting plot." She comments vaguely.
"Yeah, absolutely thrilling." I agree, knowing damn well that the both of us knew that we weren't actually watching.
"Hey, I think we both have something to tell each other." She says, cracking her knuckles nervously.
"Yeah. We do." I reply, relieved that I wasn't the one who had to bring up the topic.
"You go first." She offers. I know it would be polite to let her go first, but I really had to get this off my chest.
"I think...I might be pregnant." I look down nervously as I say it. I expected Riley to scream in shock but instead I hear silence. I look up and see her flabbergasted face.

"What?"
"Yeah, and I got a pregnancy test...well, several actually, in case the first one didn't work."
"Have you already taken them?" She asks cautiously.
"No...I've been too scared to and I wanted you to be there."
"Is this what you wanted to tell me at school today?"
"Yeah..." I admit.
"Wow I've...I've been such a bad friend. I'm sorry." Riley apologies.
"No, no it's fine."
"You wanna take the tests now?" She asks, getting up from the sofa.
"Yeah..."

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Dun dun dundundundun dun dun!

Hey guys,

Assessment season is officially over yay! Well, it was actually over last week but I've just been too lazy to update, I apologise but it's called self-care ok? Also, we're at 3.75k reads rn which is effing ridiculous because I never thought I'd actually gain this many readers on wattpad. But TYSM!!!

Ok goodbye now I need to start on the next chapter. See ya!

hope xx

26 June 2019