"𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝
𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐
𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢𝚋𝚘𝚍𝚢'𝚜 𝚋𝚛𝚞𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐
𝚓𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎"

---

What the fuck did he just say-

Oh wait, you might be a little confused. Let's rewind.

***

Hours after the sun rises and I haven't gotten a wink of sleep, I put the guitar down and crawl back into my room. Yes, I'd been in the balcony all night and no, I haven't died of pneumonia... yet. Once inside, I'm glad to have the warmth of the cashmere duvet someone had brought from home, and wrap it around my shoulders. Then I sit by the window in front of my suitcase and begin to sort through the clothes.

Assuming it was Agatha who packed my clothes (because I'd die of embarrassment if Dad went through my knicker drawer), I smile contentedly at the choices. There are the comfy sweats I'd missed like hell, then those jeans I adore, my favourite vintage t-shirts... My nanny may be as severe as a 20th century schoolmaster but at least she knows what I like. After I've separated my pants and tops and underwear, seeing as I'm not into alphabetically organising each article of clothing like Astrid, I pick out my outfit for the day: some black leggings and an old Weeknd t-shirt - don't fool yourself into thinking you're a bigger fan than me.

It's currently 8:54 in the morning but seeing as my cheery nurse loved to-

The door opens. "Hey, Teagan!"

-be here bright and early, she'd be here at least five minutes earlier. Apparently, her cheer-ometer was close to bursting today because she was six minutes earlier.

"Morning, Honey," I reply and no, that was not a term of endearment. It was actually her name.

The golden haired nurse sees my residence in the floor, and frowns. "Munchkin, you're going to get a cold sitting on the floor like that. You can't at any cost get a cold because of your- never mind. Pick yourself up and I'd rather you sit on the sofa."

Obediently, I do just that and don't mention my late night escapade to the balcony. "I was just sorting my clothes. Any idea who sent them?"

"Yes, a Ms Black?"

I sigh in relief. So Dad didn't touch my bras and knickers. "Yup, my nanny." I should be mortified at this fact but I'm pretty sure this nurse has changed me several times when I was 'sleeping'.

"Oh, I didn't know you had one," she says, genuinely surprised but then carries on as if it was no big deal, "Well, chop chop. You have an appointment with your doctor in three minutes."

"I do?" I'd only seen Doctor Singh yesterday but he hadn't informed me of any meeting.

"Yes, at nine, which is in two minutes now." She stares at my unmoving body pointedly.

I stagger out of my position, and grin at her. Swiftly, I take my clothes and scurry into the bathroom to change. As I slip out of my blue paper gown and into a sports bra, something feels weird above my right breast. Probably just a rash and I don't have time to think about that now. In a record time of forty-six second, I'm dressed and following her down into Doctor Singh's office.

"Ah, Teagan," the brown skinned man says as we enter.

After I've taken a seat in front of him, Honey leaves and I stare at him expectantly. The doctor finishes what he was typing on his ancient Blackberry and faces me.

"So, Teagan Wilde. Any idea why you're here?" he asks, with a gentle smile.

"Yeah, a car accident..." I trail off, not knowing all the details.

"Exactly, but there's more. As you're aware of Teagan, you have a disease called Lupus, which is I'm sure you already know a malfunctioning immune system. Generally, it's quite common but the severity of your case is rare. I have another question: have you been having chest pains recently?"

"Uh, yeah." Now that I think of it, I have.

"Well, there's a cause behind that. The white blood cells in your blood have been eating away at the tissues of your heart, like parasites. Before the accident, it is to my understanding that you were admitted into hospital for a cardiovascular attack., and your heart stopped a couple of times. Then, you had surgery to remove the aggressive cells."

Wait, wha-

"I've also heard about your great escape in a very flashy getaway car," he laughs before his tone sobers. "After that, you and your sister got into an accident."

I nod, cautiously. I didn't understand half of the things he said, but I was too dazed to ask.

"Currently, you're admitted into Florida's biggest research centre for cardiovascular diseases, one of the best in the world. Teagan, you've also had a heart transplant."

What the fuck did he just say? The beating organ inside my rib cage wasn't my own?

"You're heart was put under a lot of strain, and I'm not sure you understand how close to death you were. It was the only option."

I feel dizzy but I don't tell him that, in case he thinks I might need a brain transplant. I don't want to think about what I've read in medical journals. But the thought of my heart in a 'medical' trashcan somewhere was like a train repeatedly slamming into my skull... maybe I needed some fresh air.

"I understand this is not the pleasantest of news, Teagan but you're father was adamant you survive, especially after he lost-" Suddenly, he stops but I already know who he's talking about.

"My mom."

"Yes, exactly," he says hurriedly. Was that sweat on his brow?

"Whose is it?" I stammer, repulsed by the idea of having a dead body's organ within me.

Doctor Singh falters again. Then he says, "I can't share the details of the donor with you. That's confidential information."

"That's not fair!" I burst, unable to repress my restless, angry thoughts, "I should have been at least asked. I'm 18!"

"You were unconscious, Teagan," he replies dryly, with a raised eyebrow.

Oh yeah. Embarrassed, I try damage control: "I don't mean to sound ungrateful, Doctor Singh, but isn't this pointless? It's only a matter of time before my body tries killing itself again."

"I understand your reservations. And well technically yes, but that gives us plenty of time to find treatment and a cure."

"How long?" My voice is blunt. I don't want bullshit and I hope he got the message before he starts sputtering nonsense to please me.

"A decade, tops."

I sigh, unsurprised, and ask the dreaded question, "And the least?"

"A year."

I'm speechless. I knew my death was inevitable, like everyone else's, but soon. I hadn't ever thought of what leaving Astrid and my dad would be like. I don't want them to hurt or mourn about something they had no power to change. I sniffle.

"Of course, this must be distressing news to you Teagan. If you need it, this facility has many counsellors and therapists-"

"Doctor Singh, please can I go back to my room?" I interrupt, before my uncontrollable anger tells him exactly where he can stuff his fucking shrinks.

He doesn't speak for a moment. But I look down, focusing on my clenching and unclenching fists, rather than gauge his reaction.

"Yes, go ahead."

Eyes cast down, I make my way out of his office, down the hallway, up the stairs, across the ward-

Something rock hard slams into me.

"Watch it," the speaking concrete wall seethes.

I don't see anything but black cotton until I look up. And I'm met by a pair of icy cold eyes.

What did he just say to me?

"You watch it!" I growl back at the uncivilised boy, standing my ground. This stupid idiot walks into me and tells me to watch it?

He growls. "You walked into-"

"No, you walked into me, dickhead," I tell him before turning my back to the short-tempered stranger.

Ugh, I didn't have time for arrogant losers-

"Bitch," I hear him mutter.

-even if they were kinda... hot.

—-

𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷𝓴𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕘𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕤 𝕔𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕝𝕖 ❤︎
𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚟𝚘𝚝𝚎, 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎 ☻︎

xoxo
Aviana