Contagious Chemistry

The halogen lights were brimming on the hospital’s ceiling. Nurses, doctors or people who was visiting their families or friends walked around the hallway, giving a peek on the auburn haired girl who was sitting on the plastic bench outside the emergency room. Ally bit her nails in worry and her breathing was shallow and heavy. Her mind was filled with thoughts as she counted her heartbeat to pass the time.

Casey was at the kids’ wing with the nurse who offered to take care of her as Ally waited for John. It had been three hours since she took him to the hospital and since he was in the emergency room. It was scary to remember how John looked like. He was bleeding on his forehead because the impact of his head against the hard brick-covered road. Her fingers were tangled as her feet tapped onto the tiled floor.

Suddenly, rushed footsteps were coming towards her way. Ally snapped her attention to where the noise came from and saw John’s band mates, jogging towards her. Stephen came into her view first, but with Jess on his side. The breath that was in her throat was stuck. Jess’s eyes widened when she saw Ally, sitting on the plastic bench.

Jess stopped at her tracks, pulling Stephen’s hand so he stopped too. “What is it?”, he asked.

“Tell me the truth, Steph.”, Jess said through her teeth. “Were you out with Ally yesterday and today?”

Stephen’s eyes bulged out and he just stared into Jess’s identical brown orbs. “Tell me, Stephen! Just tell me the fucking truth!”, Jess demanded as she pulled Stephen’s shirt a bit.

Ally stood up as she watched the scene in front of her eyes. Stephen and Jess were arguing just a few feet away from her and all she wanted to do was take Casey home. Jess would go ballistic if she finds out about Casey and who was her real father. Suddenly, Jess’s eyes were on her. Ally froze on her spot, couldn’t run away. Jess stomped her way to Ally’s spot before pushing Ally harshly.

“I thought we were friends!”, Jess cried after she pushed Ally. “I thought we were friends, Ally, and a friend doesn’t take one friend’s boyfriend!”

“What!?”, Ally exclaimed as she gained her balance back. “What are you talking about?”

Jess’s face was beet red from the anger that was boiling inside of her. “You went out with Stephen last night and today, right? Don’t even try to lie, Ally!”

“I… I…”, She stuttered, not knowing what to answer. Before she could even think for an excuse, Jess’s fist collided with her nose. Ally stumbled back until she fell back onto the hard, cold floor. “What the hell, Jess?!”

Some nurses who were passing through them helped Ally sat up and covered her nose with a clean cloth. Her nose stung so bad and one of the nurse told her that her nose was broken.

“Stay the fuck away from Stephen! You only breaking his heart!”, Jess screeched as she struggled out from Brian’s and Stephen’s arms that were tangled around her frame. They dragged Jess to the corner until they disappeared from Ally’s view.

The nurses helped Ally up and sat her down on the bench where she sat before. They gave her a pack of ice before they left to get a doctor to take a look on Ally’s nose. Josh looked down to her and he sat next to her.

“I’m sorry… on Jess’s behalf.”, he spoke up.

Ally nodded. “It’s not your fault, and I mean, she’s right. We were friends, and I went out with her boyfriend, but actually, I didn’t even know that they’re dating.”

“Well, they started dating like, a month after the Warped where he met you. He’s dating Jess because he thought with that, he could easily forget about you, but we and all the goddamn world knows that’s impossible. His heart only belongs to you, Ally. You have to believe that.”

“I still don’t know about that.”, she muttered. Her eyes peeked to the ‘Emergency’ light that was still shining atop the emergency room double doors, meaning John’s operation hadn’t finish yet.

Josh leaned back onto his seat and sighed. “Now, can you tell me what happened to John?”

“He was running to my side of street and then, it happened so fast. The street light was still green, meaning the cross light was still red, but he just… ran through and didn’t see the car that was coming his way.”

“That’s John for you.”, he chuckled. “He’ll be fine, Al, we all know he’s a though kid.”

Ally smiled and nodded, mouthing a ‘thanks’ to Josh. Not too long, a doctor came, checked on Ally’s nose and taped it with bandage, telling her to come into treatment every day. After that, she waited for John again, along with Josh outside the emergency room. It was almost midnight and Casey was already sleeping in her lap.

“So, this is yours and Jack’s?”, Josh asked as he played with Casey’s locks.

The lump in her throat rose again when that question was asked. She wanted to tell Josh the truth but she couldn’t bare the stare or the shock that he’d go through. “Uhm… yeah.”

“Well, she do look alike Jack much, except her nose, hair, and eyebrows.”, he laughed quietly.

Ally faked a smile and nodded slightly. Then, the light atop the emergency doors went off. Ally put Casey in her arms as she followed Josh’s action, launching up from the bench. Then, a doctor came out as he cleaned up his glasses.

“Are you his family?”, the doctor asked when he saw Josh and Ally outside the doors.

“Yes, we’re his friends. Is he gonna be okay?”, Ally asked quickly, not wanting to miss a thing.

The doctor sighed but smiled a little. “The operation went well, but he broke his leg and he’s going to wear a hockey helmet for two weeks because there’s a crack on his skull, but other than that, he’s perfectly fine.”

“I-Is he going to be fine with a crack on his skull?”, Josh asked.

“He’ll be fine, but don’t put him on a pressure or even make him think really hard for those two weeks, or he could faint easily.”
Ally and Josh nodded in unison as they thanked the doctor and went back to the seats. “You know, Al, you could take the kid home first and go back here in the morning.”

“Yeah, maybe I should.”, Ally mumbled as she stood up again, adjusting Casey’s position in her arms. “See you later, Jobe.”

Josh grinned at his nickname. “Later, Al-maister.”

Ally rolled her eyes at her silly nickname and walked towards the hospital’s lobby. When she reached the lobby, Stephen was waiting for her as he leaned back against the wall.

“Ally.”, he stepped into Ally’s track, but she walked through him like he wasn’t there. “Ally, wait up.”

She sped up and walked out from the hospital to the parking lot but she still could hear Stephen’s steps behind her. She stopped and turned around. “Stephen, we shouldn’t do this. Especially to Jess.”

“We didn’t do anything, Ally. Are we having sex? No, we don’t. We didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that you’re with Jess!? I could’ve stopped you and stop this from happening!”

Stephen looked at her bandaged nose and the blood stains that were on her shirt. “Ally, I’m so sorry.”

“You know what? Save it! I don’t want to hear anything from you and please, stay away from Casey and I. I think it’s the best way.”

“W-What!? You can’t do that! You said it yourself!”

“But one can change her mind.”, Ally replied sternly before turning around and walking away.