50 Weighed-down Shoulders

Long eyelashes fanned against the bright light. The girl dressed in a green hospital gown tried to lift her arms but she's benumbed to even lift a finger. She forced her eyes open one more time but only saw a serious figure donned in a white lab coat. He gave her a sincere smile before moving his attention back to his clipboard. He passed the clipboard to the small figure beside him whom Zoey guessed was a nurse. After a minute of checking her pulse, the doctor turned on his heel, however, he took a step backward when Zoey grabbed the sleeve of his coat.

"Water," she asked. She felt her throat dry and parched — its inside walls sticking together. The doctor looked around the room and regrettably, there's no bottle of water in sight so he dipped his hand inside his lab coat pocket and opened a turquoise blue stainless steel water bottle that has an eagle print on it. Zoey lifted her head when she saw the water bottle's mouth come closer to her.

Once she's done with her fill, Zoey bobbed her head from side to side, trying to figure out where her parents are but the sedative took over, sending her back to that dark and lonely slumber.

The doctor looked back one more time at the sleeping patient — disappointment written all over his face. He had seen multiple people fight for their lives yet this little girl took hers twice.

"What's the patient's name again?"

"Sai Xinyu, doc."

The doctor nodded his head and strode outside toward the patient's family. He bowed his head and skipped the introductions, focusing on the after-care of the patient and left as soon as he said his piece.

News got out and soon loved ones filled the halls of the military infirmary.

Jenny kept mum the whole time as she pondered on how to ask for forgiveness from her friend. "Don't blame yourself." She felt Hugo's warm and comforting hand over her weighed-down shoulders and she responded with a soft smile.

Grant, whose back was against the wall and his hands inside his pants pockets, glanced at Jenny who stood beside him. He pulled out a hand and shuffled her damp hair — a clear sign that she rushed to the hospital and didn't even bother to towel dry her hair. "We all have our battles, Jenny. Let's cheer each other up until the finish line."

Cora gave the three a cheering hug, resting her head on Jenny's chest. She could not find the right words to say, as she had problems of her own to solve too. And if she's going to be honest, the hug might be to comfort herself and not her friends.

Down the hall, Auntie Greta saw Matriarch Sai ceremoniously walking towards her, making her stand up in attention. A healthy sound of slap caught everyone by surprise when Matriarch Sai decided to say her greeting with her hand imprinted on Auntie Greta's face. The latter did not even flinch in her spot from the impact while her hands were clenched into a fist as she fought to urge to fight back. Once Matriarch Sai was satisfied with her greeting, she walked towards the doctors to have a word with them. She wanted to move Zoey to the Sai Mansion, away from her garbage of a mother.

Zoey's parents' heads were ducked the whole night, unable to face the growing size of their guests. Uncle Long rubbed his thumb on the back of Auntie Greta's hand and would whisper into her ears from time to time to which she would reply with a nod.

Finally, everyone in the hall moved their gaze to the door when a nurse gently stepped out of Zoey's room. It has been four hours since the surgical team wheeled Zoey out of the operation room and they were starting to get a little drowsy. "Patient is looking for Grant," she whispered.

"That's me! That's me!" Grant took quick and long strides towards the room, his friends trailed behind him but before they could go inside the room, the nurse stood guard by the door, her hand in a stop sign.

"Sorry, but only Grant could enter. We don't want to shock the patient."

Grant faced his friends and made a promise, "Cross my heart I will ask her the soonest I enter the room." The rest of the Hilltop Friends pouted and could not do anything about it. Zoey's mental state was top priority so they dragged their feet back to their minicamp tucked in a corner away from the elders.

Inside the room, Zoey laid on the bed — her skin dull and her lips lost its color too. Grant felt the cavity of his chest tighten at his friend's unsightly condition. Grant dragged a stool, placing it beside the hospital bed and sat on it. He really wanted to lie down and give her a hug but he's upset at her to give in to his feelings.

"They said I missed an artery," Zoey mocked herself. This was her second attempt yet she miserably failed again — like how she always fails with everything that she does.

"You know why you missed that f*cking artery, Zoey?" Grant asked, his tone challenged Zoey. She bit the insides of her cheek and looked across the room where the window was left open.

"The truth is… you don't want to die, Zoey."

She felt a blob of salty tear fall on her cheek but when she tried to wipe it away, her face was rather dry. Her lips quivered with every heave of breath. She wanted to cry. She wanted to get mad. She hated everything and everyone. She even hated herself.

"I don't know why I'm like this."

Grant stood up and sat on the bed, he hugged Zoey until their heartbeats and breathing were in sync. He sniffed her hair before he gave it a light kiss.

"It's okay, Zoey. We will figure it out. Together."

Zoey nodded her head that was resting on Grant's shoulder. Grant pulled away a little which made her frown but he immediately kissed her creased brows. She knew what he was about to say so she beat him to it. "I want to see my dad first."

Edited By Swaning