Everyday Combat

I was quite literally stunned for the rest of the day. To be mentioned in the guys speeches as "the crazy ass midget who owns at art" was one thing (because they all said that about me in some way or another; that was just what Jimmy wrote) but to have a whole speech about me?

I actually spent fifteen minutes crying in the girls bathroom because of that, and Sarah got sent by the teacher to fetch me out and bring me to lesson, even with eyeliner tears across my face. Which made the guys laugh and I had to hit them with my bag to shut up. In fact, I think Brian had a bump on his head from it.

Since it was the first day back (it was so good to walk in as a Sophomore and see kids from our old middle school walking in as freshmen, whose grade we should have been in) we only had a few proper lessons - like English - since it was just us meeting new teachers and having all our books and stuff handed out.

Proper lessons never started for a week.

Which meant we got let out earlier. I decided to use this time to go searching for some new make-up. There was nothing wrong with what I already had, I just needed new mascara and wanted to have a look to see if there was anything else that would make my make-up collection look more impressive.

Heading down the aisle for the Barry M stand (I swear by Barry M make-up) I saw Sarah picking up different colours of eyeliner so I decided to jump on her back and surprise her. "Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!" I squealed as I fell to my ass on the floor; Sarah looked like she might have a heart attack. "Oops, sorry."

"God, now I realise why they call you a Silent Killer sometimes," Sarah grinned slyly at me.

"How comes you aint with the goons?" I then asked, staring at the display before me. My green eyes didn't know what to look at first to be perfectly honest, that was how much I loved Barry M. Fuck L'Oreal, it's Barry M you need to wear dudes. I even make the guys wear it.

"I needed make-up," she shrugged.

"Ahh, snap!" I grinned, pulling the tester gold from the display and drawing a big 'F' on the back of my hand. It was nice, so I shoved it back and got a different, unwrapped eyeliner. Besides, moms birthday was coming up and she was having a black and gold ball to celebrate.

"Zack's really made up over his essay you know," Sarah said after a few minutes. I glanced across and up at her. "He sent it to me once he'd wrote it and he wouldn't stop going on, asking if you'd like it and shit. I swear he annoyed the hell out of the guys going on about it, even if they didn't know who it was about."

I smiled. I didn't just like it, I loved it. And if the teacher didn't give him an A+ I will kick and scream and make as much fuss as I can until he corrects it.

Suddenly my phone began to sing out Ray Parker Junior's Ghostbusters drawing the attention of pretty much everyone who I was in sight of to me. Mostly raised eyebrows as if to say, "you are a high school student and that is your ringtone?" Fuck them, Ghostbusters owns their stupid hoity toity faces.

Ignoring them, I pulled out my phone, seeing the display read Brian the Dork. Grinning I pressed the answer button and put it to my ear. "And what can a fair maiden like me do for you Dorkus Malorkus?" I grinned, then mouthing the word 'Brian' to Sarah.

"Erm, there's err, there's kinda been, a erm an accident," he mumbled.

I froze, dropping my grin. An accident?

"What?"

"Faith, it's mom." Well duh, unless Brian got good at impersonations. "Your brother's been rushed to hospital-"

I let out a scream, dropping the phone instantly as I dropped to my knees in the middle of the shop floor. I had no idea what was up with him, other than the fact that it must be serious if he had been rushed there. Through my tears I could hear mom yelling my name through the speaker until Sarah picked up the phone.

Unusually, once she had disconnected the call and shoved my phone into her pocket she remained calm, helping me to my feet. I kept on crying, which was making it hard for me to walk but eventually we got out of the doors and after a few more minutes Mr Turner came to a halt in his car in front of us.

Sarah instructed me firmly to get in the back so I did so, wondering what exactly was going on. I just wanted to see my brother, know what was up with him and know he was okay.

Pushing tears from my eyes I moved across into the middle seat and sat forward. "What- what's up with him?" I sniffed. Sarah turned to look at me.

"I don't know exactly," she smiled sadly. Why she was smiling I don't know and it almost infuriated me she could smile whilst Zack was in hospital. "Your mom said something about he was complaining of real bad stomach ache then went under off his board."

I nodded. By then I realised we had actually just reached the hospital and the both of us flew out of the doors, yelling our thanks at her dad before hurrying at speed through the doors, trying not to knock over the old people with zimmer frames and little kids that were hanging about.

I knew the Emergency Room like the back of my hand having spent so much time in it in during my 14 years upon this planet so far. I couldn't find anyone though. No-one. Hurrying to the desk Sarah and I jumped in front of an uptight looking woman and ignored her complaints.

"Is Zack Baker here?" I asked, tiptoeing just to see the receptionist better.

"Yes," she smiled before collaring a nurse who took us to the room. The woman could totally have told us he wasn't in the ER anymore. I mean, we're on first name terms with some of the nurses and doctors and the amount of times we've given her our details...sheesh. Makes me wonder.

Upon reaching it, we saw through the window my mom and dad as well as Brian. I was guessing the rest of them were in the canteen or had gone home for food. They thought about their stomachs far too much. "I'm afraid only one of you can go in."

We just nodded before looking through the window at him. His eyes were closed right now, and the other three appeared to be quiet having not noticed us outside. He was already wearing one of those ugly gowns they make you wear and a nil-by-mouth sign hung above his head.

But that meant...

"So who goes in?" Sarah's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"You, you're his girlfriend," I said instantly, dragging my fists over my eyes to rid them of tears. "He'll want to see you before his surgery."

"But you're his twin," she retorted. "So you should go in."

Suddenly the door opened to reveal mom and when we looked through Zack was looking at us both. "I have a better idea," he mumbled sounding as if he was trying to grit his teeth against his pain. "Fuck what the nurse said and both of you get in here. I gotta have my fucking appendix out so she can piss off if she thinks I'm not having you in here."

I didn't argue. Instead I walked straight in, throwing my bag down at the side of dads chair before hurrying round the far side, climbing up onto the side of the bed and hugging him as tightly as I dared given the situation. He hugged me back too before one of his arms moved and Sarah joined in.

Then he kissed the both of us on the top of our heads (he was certainly gritting through his pain, I could tell).

"You are my girlfriend and you are my twin," he began, forcing out a smile for us both. "And you are both my girls."