SHE

EIGHTEEN

Another day had passed without her reaching out. Seriously, how hard was it to send a text? I was looking out of the window, trying to figure out what went on in her head.

"Princess! Come down, please," dad shouted from downstairs.

I ran my hands across my face, getting up, dizziness making me hold on to my bed. I looked around, my vision was blurry. 1..2..3..4.. 5.. I counted, breathing slowly, waiting for my vision to return. And so, after a few seconds, it did.

Putting on a cardigan, I walked downstairs, following the sound of soft laughter.

"What's up?" I asked, walking in the living room, finding it empty,leading me to the kitchen. I walked in, stopping when I saw Lucy there, chatting and cracking jokes with my parents.

"Lu!" I smiled, hugging her.

"I've missed seeing your beautiful face in my house, dear," she winked.

"Speaking of which. Ru, we're having dinner this evening. Last time it was up to you and Eden, and we never even got to the dinner part, so we decided to handle this on our own," mom smiled, putting me in my spot.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"I have plans.." I said, trying to get out of this.

"I'm sure you can cancel them for us, princess," dad reasoned.

I tried to find a reason in my brain that my parents wouldn't argue against. Cheer team, right.

"I can't, it's a team practice, sorry guys," I smiled apologetically.

"Well that's too-" dad started, buying it.

My mom glared at me, not having it: "you're the captain, Ru. You'll explain why you can't come."

I looked at the ceiling, knowing I wouldn't be able to get out of this.

"Right, Ru?" mom asked, burying me 10 feet down with her eyes.

"Yes, mom," I smiled sarcastically, knowing that in this household, neither I or my dad could disobey mom.

Dad and Lucy were looking at the two of us, their eyebrows raised. "We're leaving in 30 minutes," mom ended the conversation.

I nodded: "I'll get ready then."

"You're already beautiful, princess," dad said, but I was already heading out of the door.

Halfway up the stairs, I once again had to stop, steadying myself against the rails. My surroundings became blurry, my legs nearly giving out.

"Princess?" dad asked, rushing upstairs as he attempted to support my body.

I turned my head, barely seeing a thing, but smiling, not wanting to worry dad. "Yes, daddy?" my voice came out weak.

"What's wrong, Ruby?" his voice was serious. He never called me by my full name.

A headache joined in, making me flinch. "I'm just tired," I said, "I'll get ready now."

I turned, doing the impossible by taking a few steps up.

"Your mom can be a pain in the ass sometimes, but if you're not feeling well, I'll cover up for you, princess," dad offered, sounding genuinely concerned.

"Thanks, dad," I replied, trying my best to make my way up.

As soon as I was in the room, I rested my back against the doors, sliding down until I reached the ground. Pulling my phone out of the pocket of my jeans, I dialed the needed number.

"I knew you'd eventually call again, Ruby," a cheerful woman's voice replied.

"Listen... I have a problem," I said, my voice far off from the usual.

"Tell me what you need," her tone changed into a serious one within a split second.

///

Someone was knocking the door, making me wake up. I had passed out on the floor right after the call.

"Princess?" dad knocked again.

I quickly got up, opening the door. "You look pale, Ruby," he furrowed his brows.

"Yeah, I'll have to skip the dinner after all," I smiled weakly, massaging my temples with my fingers.

"You need something?" he took my arm around his shoulder, helping me to the bed.

"No, thanks dad," I whispered, my eyes closing as soon as I hit the soft matress.

"Alright, sleep tight," dad kissed my forehead, leaving the room.

///

"Hey, Ruby. Wake up, I'm here," Hanna's soft voice woke me up.

"Sorry, I fell asleep," I tried to get up the best I could, my head against the huge pillow Hanna had placed against my back.

"Jeez, Ruby, you look like crap," her green eyes searched mine.

"Yeah, sorry about that too," I laughed, "did you bring it?"

She put her backpack on my bed, taking needles and empty blood packages out, smiling.

"Of course I did," she prepared the needle, positioning my arm on a pillow, putting a tight band around my upper arm, "have you talked with anyone about this?"

I shook my head, squeezing my arm: "I need to be certain first."

She smiled sarcastically: "I feel like you are already even without the tests. You've researched it inside out."

She put the needle in my vein, as I saw my blood fill the container. Her fingers found my hand, making me unclench it, so my blood would run faster.

"Listen, if you need somebody to talk to.." her smile was now gone.

I laughed: "Hanna, don't give me the talk, I'm sure I can figure out a way around this if it turns out to be that bad."

She finished taking the blood, placing a piece of cotton wool on my skin, plaster over it, then putting the blood bags away.

"Now that that's done," she smiled, sitting next to me in the bed, "how's your girl?"

"I'm not sure if she is mine anymore," I sighed at the mention of it.

She moved closer, intertwining our fingers: "that's good. You can finally give me a chance."

I laughed, rolling my eyes: "Hanna.."

We had known each other ever since we were little, her mom had been a doctor for our family, her following her mom's footsteps. She was only 2 years older than me, yet already had a successful career thanks to her talent and my family. We used to be best friends, but after she had openly admitted she was into me, while I had a boyfriend and left to study in France for a year, we were forced to fall apart. She had returned just a few days ago, and surely I contacted her as soon as she did.

"I don't get it, how did she manage to turn you from straight to very wavy?" she joked.

"Well.." I started, but in walked the girl herself.

I couldn't help but just stare at her. That was something I didn't have a chance to do in the past few days, and I must say I enjoyed every second of it. She looked as stunning as ever. But why were her brows furrowed? Why was she mad?

I followed her gaze to my arm that was still connected with Hannas. Oh.

"I came to check on you," she said, "but I see someone's already doing that, so I'll get going."

It was my turn to furrow my brows. She didn't even ask, she just assumed and it made me angry, but I still got up, following after her.

I was feeling as dizzy as ever, the loss of blood making it worse.

"Eden?" I asked but she was already halfway down the stairs.

She turned around, raising her brow at me. I shifted uncomfortably: "is that all you wanted to say?"

She looked at me: "there are only a few days left of the holidays, we need to do that math project."

Was she seriously playing that game? I clenched my jaw: "right, I can do it on my own, I'll send it to you by tomorrow."

"I'll come by later," she shrugged me off, walking out of the house.

I smiled, knowing she hadn't given up on us yet. Yet I let the weakness get to me, having trouble walking, as I nearly fell when Hanna caught me.

"You and your stubbornness always get the best of you Ruby Gold," she helped me back to the bed.

"Can you get me some meds? Something that would keep the weakness and dizziness away," I asked, too ashamed to look at her.

"Hun, you have to wait for results-" Hanna started.

"If I'm like this it's only a matter of time before my parents find out, and I just can't let it happen," I reasoned.

"Come on, Hanna, please help me out," I pleaded.

"Fine," she sighed in relief, "only if you promise to go for that scan tomorrow."

I rolled my eyes, knowing I had to agree. "Deal," I nodded.

Hanna grinned, kissing my cheek: "I'll see you tomorrow then, Ruby."