Turn Right

When I started to open my eyes, everything was still blurry. “Nick,” I heard a gentle voice and I started to blink my eyes a lot.

Once my vision was clear, I saw I was in a hospital room and Rachael was sitting on the bed, right in front of me, Indian style. “What happened?" I asked and noticed her eyes were watery again.

“Well you passed out and fell to the ground, I ran over to you and yelled for your mom, she came out and we all brought you here…they all went to go take a break because they’ve been in the room for a few hours now,” she explained.

“How long was I out?"

“A few hours…it’s 7:00 now,” she said and my eyes bulged.

“Well why am I in here?"

“That’s also part of the reason why they left, they wanted me to tell you, if you woke up, I‘ve been sitting here in this same spot ever since we were aloud in your room to see you…but I don’t want to say it yet…first I want to say I’m sorry”

“Why are you sorry? I’m the one that should be sorry…”

“No you shouldn’t be, it’s not your fault for your mood swings and weight loss…”

“Well you were just worried…”

“Nick…the reason why I was acting different today was…because Drew was cheating on me,” she said and I just starred at her in shock. “That’s why he didn’t want us to hang out, outside of school, because that was when he…went with other girls,” she said with a little bit of hint in my tone.

“Oh,” I nodded.

“Yea and I don’t know why but I didn’t even like him that much…and it just still hurts just as much…I guess it’s because I actually thought he liked me…it was stupid”

“No it wasn’t, but Rachael there are so many other guys out there…you wouldn’t believe how many guys like you but are too nervous to ask you out,” I choked out and she showed a weak smile.

“Why didn’t you tell me?" I asked.

“Because I felt bad for always telling you my problems…about my dad, my old town, my old friends…my old life…I didn’t want another problem to tell you…”

“But that’s what best friends are for, I like listening to your problems, I like it when you talk to me about them…you should’ve told me”

“I’m sorry,” she said lightly.

“Ew so you kissed that guy? Who knows where his lips have been,” I joked and she laughed.

“Yea…no I never kissed him though, he always stuck to my cheek…but I’m glad he didn’t…and I’m also glad I didn’t have to worry about him giving me my first kiss,” she said and blushed a little and I knew I was blushing too.

“Nick…the reason you’re in here…is because you have diabetes,” she said suddenly and my face flushed as I just starred at her, with her eyes avoiding mine.

“I what?" I choked out.

“It’s the reason for your loss of weight, and for your mood swings…you have diabetes…type one actually…I wasn’t really sure what that meant, but my mom brought my lap top over once I asked her to and I looked it up, because I wanted to help somehow, so I looked it up and I found out that…well do you want to know what it is? I don’t want to tell you if you don’t want to know,” she babbled a little.

“No, I want to know what’s going on in my body”

“Okay well type one diabetes is when your immune system starts attacking and destroying the cells in the pancreas that make the insulin you need…once the cells are destroyed, they wont make insulin ever again…” she explained but then paused, as if waiting for a response from me but I waited patiently for her to continue.

“There’s no way to make it go away but there’s this treatment that you would need to do…I think it something to do with pricking your finger about five to ten times a day…I didn’t look too much into that part…” she added but her voice trailed off.

“There’s no way to tell who will get it…and your mom said it’s not my fault but I believe it is…I saw the symptoms, I should’ve said something, maybe you wouldn’t be in here…”

“Rachael this isn’t your fault, you said it yourself, no one can tell who will get it,” I said as I grabbed her hand and looked into her eyes.

“But I saw what your body was doing and I did nothing!" she exclaimed and I saw tears build up in her eyes.

“Rachael I don’t blame you…so please don’t say this is your fault,” I said and she nodded.

I noticed we were looking at each other intently but I just couldn’t look away. "Well I see our patient is up" a doctor came in. "Hello Nicholas...how are you feeling?" she asked as she came over to us.

"Kind of tired"

"I'm guessing your friend told you hear what happened," she said and gave a sympathetic look at both of us.

We were all quiet for a few long seconds as she was checking the machines around me...then i found my voice, "Am I going to die?" i asked quietly as I felt Rachael stiffen.

The doctor looked back at me. "No...but this is something that you'll have to live with for the rest of your life...you'll be fine just as long as you keep yourself healthy" she replied.

“Nick!" multiple voices interrupted us and when we both looked, we saw my brothers and my parents rush in toward us and I was bombarded with hugs and a lot of kisses from my mom. The doctor discreetly left the room.

“Okay mom, that’s enough,” I mumbled and laughed as Rachael giggled.

“How are you feeling?" mom asked.

“Better…I guess…Rachael told me,” I muttered and I got sincere looks as the room fell to silence and I really didn’t like it.

I knew Rachael was about to say something but mom beat her to it. “Rachael, honey do you need a break, why don’t you go for a walk, or I’ll call your mother if you want to come pick you up,” she said.

“No, no I’d much rather stay here…if that’s okay”

“Of course it is,” Rachael was about to say something else but then her stomach growled.

“Maybe I’m a little hungry,” she admitted and mom laughed lightly.

“I’ll go take Rachael to the cafeteria to get her something to eat,” mom said.

“Alright and I’ll call Tara and let her know she’ll be with us,” dad added and they both left with Rachael and Frankie, leaving me with Joe and Kevin.

“So how are you feeling little bro?" Joe asked as he ruffled my hair.

“Okay I guess…”

“You know…Rachael has been in this room with you ever since we got here at 3:30” Kevin said.

“Yea and no matter how many times we offered to take shift to wait for you to wake up, she would always say ‘No it’s o.k.’ so then we would either wait with her or we would let her be alone,” Joe said as he wiggled his eye brows.

“She doesn’t like me that way,” I said with a sigh as I rolled my eyes at him.

“Nick you are seriously blind if you think that,” Kevin said.

“Yea, no girl would stay in this hospital room for four hours straight for nothing…and you know Rachael absolutely hates hospitals,” Joe added.

“Yea, Maya stopped by and she stayed for an hour or two but she left,” Kevin added.

“Wasn’t that because she wanted Nick to wake up to Rachael’s face?" Joe asked Kevin, trying to not let me hear but failed miserably.

Kevin just chuckled and shook his head. “Anyway…she likes you and we know Drew cheated but she wasn’t meant to be with him in the first place,” Joe continued.

“I hate to say it but Joe’s right…” Kevin added.

“What’s Joe right about?" a voice said and we all looked at the door and saw Rachael was standing there.

“Oh umm nothing…did you eat?" I asked as she came in and shut the door.

“Eh, I don’t only hate hospitals, I hate hospital food as well”

“Doesn’t hospital food count when you said you say hospitals,” Joe asked.

“I don’t know” she scowled at him and he just laughed.

“But I got a cookie and it’s big enough for you and I to share, I already asked the nurse and she said it would be alright,” she said as she sat in front of me, placing the cookie in between us and she looked at Joe and Kevin.

“Yea I got you guys cookies too,” she sighed and gave them both two big cookies and shook her head at them.

“Didn’t you say you finished the song you wanted me to hear?" she mentioned.

“Oh yea,” I said excitedly as she pulled up her guitar and my key board I just gave her a look.

“I told you, I was here for a while so I also got my mom to bring my guitar too and Kevin went home to get your key board and we all started working on your song…I found the lyrics in your book bag and we were looking on the music,” she said and handed the guitar to me and she set the key board on her lap.

“I know you got the guitar part down but now I have the piano part down, so come on, go ahead,” she pushed and I just laughed as Joe and Kevin sat on both sides of her and I started playing and then she added the piano part and it sounded really good.

Then Joe started singing as he placed the lyrics in front of Rachael so all three of them could see the words.

Her voice is echoed in my mind
I count the days till she is mine
Can't tell my friends 'cause they will
laugh I love a girl from senior class

She played keys on the key board that made it sound like a violin playing and it sounded really good.

I daydream through my freshman math
While she fills our her college apps
I'll show her a world where we belong
But she'll have to drive us to the prom

Then we all started singing at once.

That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
You can call me crazy
She is so amazing
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
Girlfriends I've had plenty
But she's the one that I need
That's what I go to school for

That's what I go to school for {Joe sang alone}

Her boyfriend's just turning nineteen
But that doesn't bother me
He's back at college out of town
I find a reason to go round
I started to sing with Joe.

I climb a tree outside her home
To make sure she is alone
She looks up and sees me there
Still I can't help but stop and stare

We all started singing again.

That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
You can call me crazy
She is so amazing
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
Girlfriends I've had plenty
But she's the one that I need
That's what I go to school for
That's what I, what I, that's what I go to school for

Then Joe and Rachael began singing alone.

Everyone that you see all day knows you're looking at me in a different way
I guess that's why
my marks are getting so high
Rachael and I started to sing together.

I can see those tell tale signs
Telling me that I was on your mind
I could see that you want it more when you told me that
I'm what you go to school for I'm what you go to school for
Joe began to sing.

She's made her choice and I'm the one
At least 'til graduation comes
We drive past school to wave goodbye
My friends they can't believe their eyes
We all started singing again.

That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
You can call me crazy
I know that she loves me
That's what I go to school for
Even though it is a real bore
Girlfriends I've had plenty
But she's the one that I need
That's what I go to school for
That's what I go to school for
We finished and Rachael giggled and squealed as we all cheered and we heard claps. We turned around and saw a few doctors and nurses standing there with mom, dad and Frankie. When the doctors and nurses left, mom, dad and Frankie came in.

“That was really good you guys, is it new?" dad asked.

“Yea, Nick finished the lyrics today and then Rachael helped with the music,” Kevin said.

“You four make a great team,” mom commented. “And the doctor said you have to stay here for a few days before you can come home,” she added, lightly.

There was a small silence. “Sweetie are you sure, you don’t want to go home? I’m not trying to get rid of you but you seem exhausted,” mom said to Rachael with a half laugh.

“No, if it’s okay I’d like to keep Nick company tonight,” she said.

“If you really want to,” mom said and she nodded.

“I’ll go check with the nurse to see if it’s okay,” dad said.

“And I’ll let Tara know,” mom added and they both walked out.

“Rachael you really don’t have to stay…”

“I want to…is that okay with you?"

“Yea of course, it’s fine but I’m just saying…” I started to say quickly but my voice trailed off as I gazed her as she smiled perfectly.

“I’m glad you’re staying” I finally said and she kept smiling.