Euphaia

What happened? I wondered, where am I? I don't feel like I died. In fact, I feel very much alive.

Although I had no will to, I slowly opened my eyes. I could hear a steady beeping, which could have possibly been my alarm clock. Maybe it had all just been a dream, and I had to go through another day, putting up with the agonising insults of everybody that surrounded me. I mentally sighed, knowing my dream would come true.

But where I found myself was not the comfort of my own bed, nor was it even my home; I was covered in white sheets, and dressed in white accordingly. As soon as I figured out where I was, I groaned.

Slowly getting my senses back, the hospital began to smell like medicine. Medicine and old people. My mother must have gotten home in time to find my body lying on the ground in a come-like state.

A nurse walked into the room, looking around at all the patients and, as soon as she saw my open eyes, smiled slightly and walked over.

"How long have I been here?" I asked as she fiddled around with some medical equipment.

"Two days," she replied mindlessly, "thought you wouldn't wake up, almost decided to pull the plug."

I groaned, "I guess it's lucky that you didn't then," I lied.

"Lucky I didn't?" she asked inquisitively, "those cuts on your arm look self inflicted to me."

"But nobody said they were, did they?" just then, a doctor walked in.

"Ah, Courtney, you're awake," he smiled.

"How did you know my name?"

"Your mother came through quite a few times to check on you."

My mother? I thought, it couldn't have possibly been her.

"Anyway, that's another matter." He turned my arm over and continued to ask, "how did this happen?"

"I-" I looked over to the nurse, "I would like her to leave."

"She's just doing her job," he replied.

"Please," I asked.

"She will leave when she needs to, please answer my question, Courtney." I sighed and scowled almost simultaneously.

"I did it myself." I heard the nurse laugh a little, trying to be as silent as possible. The doctor looked over to the nurse.

"Do not laugh at the patient's illnesses," he said to her before turning back to me, "may I ask more questions about this?"

"Well," I thought about it for a while, "I guess you're the doctor, and it's your job."

"Hiw did you do this?"

"With a knife," I replied.

"What kind of knife?"

"A steak knife."

"And how many times have you done this to yourself?"

"This was the first time."

"Did you have an incentive for it, a reason for hurting yourself?"

"I suppose it's stress and all the teasing and bullying I receive every day."

"Now, Courtney, I must warn you that this question may be a bit invasive of your personal life."

"What is it?"

"Did you mean to do this for harm or for..."

"For what?" the doctor looked somewhat uncomfortable.

"For suicide?" I could see why he was uncomfortable.

"I'm not going to lie to you, doctor, it was for suicide." The look n the doctor's face became one of uncertainty.

"Courtney, I need you to take some medication for this."

"What? Why?" I was confused; it wasn't as though this happened on a regular basis.

"You have given me reason to believe that you have depression. I would also like for you to see a therapist."

"Well, I guess if that's what I must do."

"I would also like for you to stay home from school for a few days." I weighed up my choices; home or school? If I went to school, all the trouble was definitely going to continue but, if I stayed at home, I knew my mother would just argue and prefer for me to go to school.

Either way, the outcome was going to be the same, or very similar.

I sighed.

"I guess I could stay home, though I don't see what difference that will make."

"It will stop you from having your schoolmates-" I laughed sadly at the idea, "from having to ask about these cuts on your arm, and it will give you some time to sort it all out."

"Sort it out?" I questioned, "how will time away from school give me a chance to think about it all? I'm sorry, but I don't think you quite understand-"

"I do, though, Courtney. When I was younger, I had the same mindset as you. Please, Courtney, just trust me."

"I guess I can." The doctor smiled.

"Now, we'll have to keep you here overnight, just to make sure you maintain a stable condition," I nodded, "I'll check in on you again later." I nodded once more, and the doctor left me by myself, allowing me time to do whatever I wanted.

Although, of course, it was a hospital, so the only thing I could do was sleep.