Stephanie decided to get me a phone over the weekend, which I was grateful for. I spent the day backstage at Falsettos setting it up and playing around with different games. 

"Jay?" I heard someone say. I closed out of the game and Anthony was standing there. Though Anthony was a few years older than me, we became pretty good friends, and he was the older brother I've never had. But no one will replace Katrina, even though I barely knew her.

"Yeah?" I asked, shoving my phone in the back pocket of my jeans. 

"Don't we all have a funeral to go to or something?" Anthony asked. He was changed out of his costume and into a formal suit and tie. And that's when I realized I had totally forgotten about Katrina's funeral. 

"Yeah, be right there. I have to change, I think Stephanie left me a dress or something." I said. Anthony ducked out of the room and then I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket.

It was my friend Lydia from school. 

"Lydia?" I asked upon answering the phone.

"Josie...Ivy's in the hospital." Lydia said over the phone.

I gasped, put Lydia on mute, then slipped on my Vans and ran out of the theater at lightning speed.

"Where are you going, Josie?" Andrew asked, but I cut him off.

"Look, does anyone mind taking me to the hospital? Or if you guys care more about your stupid little show than me, I can just walk there myself." I screamed. 

Dead silence from almost everyone. Crap. I made a mistake. A horrible one. Before I could say anything more and before anyone could lecture me, I made a run for it.

_________

"Josie?" Whizzer asked as I approached him at the front entrance of the hospital. He hugged me and said, "Where's Stephanie? How did you get here?"

I pushed back my hair and said, "Hi...I ran. Where's Lydia?"

"In Ivy's hospital room. Um Josie...she's in a coma. I know this must be so much for someone so young to handle, but you're strong."

First Katrina died...and now one of my best friends was on the brink of death? What was going on?

"Is she gonna make it?" I said in a barely audible voice. Whizzer sighed and adjusted his beanie, fixing the strays of blond hair that were getting in his eyes.

"I'm not sure. The doctors won't update me on her condition because I'm not a family member." Whizzer said. He knelt down and put his hands on my shoulders.

"Hey. Josie, look. Why don't I walk you upstairs so you can see Ivy. Lydia's already there, I'll text her and tell her I'm dropping you off so you can see her for a few minutes, okay?" Whizzer said. I nodded slightly and Whizzer let go of me, fishing his phone from his back pocket. 

He leaned against a lamppost and frantically typed whatever message he was sending to Lydia, then I saw him open another app and scroll through it while he waited for Lydia's response. I fished my own phone out of my jean pocket and checked my school email, mainly because I had nothing else to do.

I heard a noisy ringtone and Whizzer hopefully gasped. "Hey, kid. Lyds just texted back, she's ready for you, let's go." We stopped at the front desk and the receptionist gave us visitor badges. 

I reached for Whizzer's hand and he took it. He smiled at me and said, "Hey, dork."

"Hey. Are we almost there?" I asked. Whizzer laughed as he fumbled with the elevator buttons.

"Whizzer, I'm nine years old, and I can work an elevator better than you can." I laughed, pressing the correct button and watching as the children's hospital elevator sailed up to the fourth floor. 

When the doors opened, all I could hear was beeping. Whizzer stepped out of the elevator first, and I followed behind him shortly after. 

"Where's Lydia?" Whizzer asked under his breath, adjusting his sea blue glasses. He looked at me and said, "Eh, it's probably nothing to worry about Josie, Lyds is probably in the bathroom, and we're in a hospital so there's bound to be a bit of beeping. Come on, I'll wait with you outside of Ivy's hospital room."

Before we could even take one step further, Lydia came scurrying up to us. 

"W-what's going on?" Whizzer asked.

AN: Josephine, honey, time to torture you (and the readers) with the first cliffhanger of this book! And possibly the first evil chapter. I am so sorry, everyone. I can't guarantee Ivy will be okay, but you'll just have to wait and see. Hope you enjoyed! Catch ya later!