(Eek. Meant to post this sooner...0-0) (TW: Normal stuff+allergic reactions) Chapter 12: June Things in my emergency pack: ~Toothbrush and toothpaste ~Most basic hygiene stuff ~Three granola bars ~Ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc ~...not an EpiPen Saturday, Oct 6th, 5:12 I did what I do most often when I feel threatened. Retreat into books. Unfortunately, we'd turned the library into our sort of home base. So in less than an hour, Kai Brooks wanders in. He stares at me for long enough for it to be uncomfortable. Like he's trying to decide something. Finally I sigh. "What?" Kai blinks. "Uh-do you have a snack?" I don't say 'go look in the kitchen' because I'm trying to use as few words as possible. Instead, I just reach into my bag and chuck a granola bar at his head. Sadly, he catches it. Kai sits down on the floor across from me. "What are you reading?" I flip it so he can see the cover. 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen. He tilts his head to read it. "You really like your old-fashioned literature, don't you?" I nod. A few moments of silence. Then the annoying crinkling sound of Kai struggling with the package. "Do you need-"I was about to say 'help', but he bites it with his teeth and rips it. I stare slightly horrified. He doesn't look even the slightest bit fazed at my disgust, taking a bite absentmindedly while he watches me flip a page. I can't concentrate while he's staring at me. Finally I set the book aside and give him a 'what?' look. An annoyed one. As all of my expressions aimed at this boy right now are. "I just wanted to say...sorry." Kai says, then pauses. "Though, honestly, I'm not really sure what I'm sorry FOR. You could've just said 'no'. I promise I would've listened. And then I would just get humiliated! Double win for you." "I really don't want to talk about this right now-" "June, please, I don't know what you think I was doing-trying to string you along or whatever-but I wasn't. So lets just talk it out like civilized people so I can understand what I did-" "Not right now, Brooks." I snap, standing to go. Surprisingly, Kai doesn't argue. When I turn back to see why Mr. Talkative is suddenly d34d silent, I see him frozen, staring at the food in his hand. "Crap." "What?" I ask tentatively. Kai gives me a miserable look. "I'm allergic to peanuts. Like...really allergic." "Crap." I echo, my heart dropping as I drop my book and hurry to his side, anger forgotten. "What do I do?" Kai's face is a blotchy red already, his eyes watering. "I think...there's-EpiPen. In my bag. Locker." His breathing is shallow and he rests his head on his arms, mumbling something under his breath. I sprint down the hallways to the lockers. I don't want to leave him alone any longer than necessary. I scan the hall, trying to pull up an image of Kai Brooks during a Monday morning...trying to remember which locker is his. I hurry to it and-thank goodness-it's unlocked. For once in my life I feel like praising the boy's chaotic lifestyle. I dig through his backpack until I find the pack and fly back down the corridor. Kai is propped up against one of the chairs, but he looks very much out of it. I rush to his side and start unzipping the pack. A few years ago, one of my cousins I've only seen a few times in my life-Bryan-showed me his EpiPen and told me how to use it. I think he'd meant it as some sort of horror story-jabbing something sharp into your leg-but honestly, medical stuff fascinated me. I thought it was more of a wonder story. Something that could save your life. And right now? I needed that. I rack my brain, trying to recall everything he said. Swing it back, wait for the click... "...have it?" Kai mumbles in-between coughing. I nod. But in his state, he probably can't see too clearly. "Yeah. I think I know how...?" "Good. Hurry." Kai taps the outside of the middle of his left thigh gently then shuts his eyes tight. I feel a quick pang that this is going to hurt him...but it'll hurt worse if he doesn't get medication. I inject it and wait for three seconds before taking it out, then massage the area lightly to help the medication spread. This would be a wonderful time to have access to google. This is as far as I know. I wrap my fingers around Kai's, watching him nervously. How long does it take to work? What if it doesn't? We're trapped inside this building...what do we do if he needs medical help? Maybe break a window? Not sure how, but it might be necessary. I feel tears well up in my eyes. I should've been more careful, giving him anything after I literally just learned he was allergic. Something to do with elevating the patient's legs...that was something you did after, right? I gently help Kai lay back, propping a couch cushion up under his feet. Gradually his breathing returns to normal and his dazed expression clears slightly. "June?" He asks softly, reaching for my hand. I don't pull away. "Yeah?"
"Can we not be enemies anymore? Like...friends?" I smile lightly, squeezing his hand. This boy could've asked me for the moon and I'd find someway to give it to him. I'm just so happy he's okay. "Sure. Friends." And honestly? I mean it. Chapter 13: Kai Scariest things that have happened to me: ~Jumped off a diving board, missed the pool ~Wyatt scaring me with his m^rderous clown costume in third grade ~Hearing my English teacher go 'I'll take the worksheets you all filled out yesterday now' ~Having an extreme allergic reaction inside a locked building Saturday, Oct 6th, 9:29pm I don't know if I've ever been so scared than the moment I realized what I had just put into my mouth. And not only once...no, no, I'm too much of an idiot for that. What I had been eating for the past two minutes. That sinking, doomed feeling. Like someone just threw you out of an airplane and you're sailing through the sky, waiting for the inevitable 'splat'. I've only ever had a serious reaction like this once, when I was seven, and first learned I was allergic. It was at a friend's birthday party, and I started to feel pretty weird after eating a pack of peanut M&Ms. Fun fact! That was the first time I got my stomach pumped. Yeah...not actually so fun. Over the years I'd had some scares, checked ingredient boxes in a sudden fright. But never like this. I'd been so focused trying to make up with June, I had neglected the one thing I'd actually been pretty good and organized about for most of my life. Probably because knowing I could possibly d13 at any moment from something smaller than my thumb wasn't very comforting. Somehow...thank goodness-June knew what she was doing. And so I'm here. Breathing. Heart beating. Alive. She might've saved my life. From a peanut. Sometimes, I hate my life. But that doesn't mean I'm in any hurry to lose it. I glance over at where June has paused her reading aloud to study me. She's been doing that a lot. I fidget with my blanket. "Thank you." I say, staring at the ceiling like it's some fascinating piece of art. "That...could've been pretty bad." "Could've been?" June asks incredulously. I shrug. "Could've been better. Could've been worse. But thank you." She waves her hand like she's swatting away my words. "No need. All I did was stab you with a needle. Anybody could've done it." "You're calm under pressure." I insist. "That's important." "Not in my head." June argues. "Up there I was panicking." "I didn't notice." I tell her. "Yay." June says s4rc4stic4lly. "We should get some rest. We've got another full day ahead of us. Tell me if you need anything, okay?" "Yeah." She flicks out the main lights, turning on a small, low lamp instead. A nightlight. My face goes hot even as I repress a smile. June isn't afraid of the dark. Maybe she's warming up to me. (Next: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1319862874 First: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1306595253 ) (ALKSNLNSKBNLSNDBSKK-this chap was so hard to write, cuz every five seconds scratch told me i had written a 'bad word'. so some random stuff is coded...agh took forever. Srry for the wait!! Comment to be pinged, and check out the 48 Hours studio to find all parts!) (Also: I am not a medical expert, I've never even used an EpiPen irl, all that came from the internet XDD)
