The hospital lobby was quiet, except for the sound of fast footsteps and soft voices coming from the nurses behind the front desk.
Mandy and Alina rushed in, the glass doors slidding shut behind them with a soft whoosh. The air smelled clean and sharp, like disinfectant. Mandy was breathing heavily, and Alina held her arm to keep her steady.
The receptionist stood the moment she saw Mandy approaching.
"Miss Mandy," she said quickly. "She’s in the ER. Room 3."
Mandy didn’t reply. She was already hurrying down the hallway. Her hands were clenched at her sides, her steps getting faster until she broke into a run.
Outside the emergency room, her parents were waiting. Her dad was pacing slowly, clearly anxious. Her mom sat on a bench, hands tightly clasped, eyes red as if she’d just w
