Chapter 1
The call
Ohhh... how I longed for peaceful mornings. The kind where I didn't have to worry, where silence didn't feel like a warning. But peace never knew my address.
" Macy!… we are going to be late for class, better hurry up!" I raised my voice, fully dressed in a black knee-length dress, flat shoes on my feet, my hair falling freely down my back and a tote bag hanging from my shoulder. Everything blended perfectly just the way I needed it to.
"I can't afford another issue with that professor." I added. "You know I'm already on her blacklist. One more mistake and she'll gladly make me retake her course. I really don't need an extra year".
No response.
I sighed, glancing at the clock for the fifth time in a row.
Macy finally stepped out of the room, looking beautiful as usual and her confidence unbothered.
I often wondered how she could be so unbothered when it comes to things that would easily throw me off guard. I envied her when it came to that.
"Fine, I'm done. Let's go" she said casually, as if time had never been an issue.
She locked the door behind us, slipping the keys into her bag.
"You worry too much, Anna. We both know you are way too smart to get an extra year,"she added, as we went down the staircase.
I scoffed lightly. "I'm not worried because I'm not smart. I'm worried because I'm not the professor" I replied. "You know she could fail me any time if she wants to and by the way, she never really liked me, not for a single day"
Macy laughed "Anna please, we both know she won't do anything". I smiled but said nothing more.
Macy didn't really get it. I won't blame her though, she didn't have to. Her family could afford whatever she needed. Well, mine can't. I survived on scholarship and careful choices. One mistake was all it would take for everything I had worked for to slip through my fingers.
"You are awfully quiet," Macy said suddenly, snapping me back to reality. "Something on your mind?" She asked.
I forced a smile." Not really, I was just thinking about class" I said, knowing fully well my thoughts had nothing to do with lectures.
I adjusted the strap of my tote bag on my shoulders while Macy chatted casually beside me, but I was clouded with my own thoughts.
As we headed towards the campus gate, the sharp vibration of my phone in my bag made me wince.
I immediately reached out for it, my fingers already trembling as I saw the caller ID.
Mom.
My chest tightened the second I saw her name flash on the screen. My heart began to race so fast that I could hear it pounding in my ears. For a moment, I froze.
" Anna, what's wrong?" Macy asked, noticing the sudden change in my expression.
I swallowed hard, my throat immediately dry.
"It's my mom," I replied.
We both knew my mom never called this early unless something was wrong. I hoped desperately that this time, it wasn't anything serious
Before Macy could say anything else, I answered the call.
"Mom" my voice came out barely above a whisper.
There was barely a sound from the other end.
"Anna…." Her voice was shaky, strained and thin.
"It's Ashley," she added.
My heart dropped instantly
"What happened?".
"Where is she?".
"Is she okay?"
"Mom, speak to me".
I asked, the words came out before I could stop them.
"She collapsed this morning," she finally said. Her voice, still shaky, her breath uneven.
Everything around me blurred instantly.
Collapsed
The word echoed in my head, as I tried to make sense of it. I had spoken to Ashley yesterday, and she seemed fine.
"We are headed to St. Mary's hospital," Mom said. I could hear the fear in her voice over the phone.
"I'm coming mom". " I'll be there as fast as i can".
"Anna.….you don't need to.."
" I'm coming, Mom!" I interrupted, my words urgent, almost desperate. I ended the call before she could protest.
Macy watched me silently, her brow furrowed.
"What's wrong, did Ashley hurt herself?" She asked, her usual light tone gone and replaced with worry.
I tried to speak but nothing came out at first. My chest felt tight, my hands shaking.
"Ashley just collapsed" finally, the words left my mouth heavy and terrifying.
"WHAT? Collapsed?" Macy's eyes widened instantly, shock filling her expression.
"We have to go now," I said quickly. "They are already on their way to St. Mary's hospital."
Without another word, Macy raised her hand and flagged down a cab.
The cab stopped in front of us. Macy pulled the door open and practically pushed me inside before sliding in right after me.
"St. Mary's hospital," she told the driver, her voice firm. "Please we need to get there quickly".
The driver nodded and pulled away immediately.
The cab moved, but barely. Cars were stuck like bricks, brake lights glowing red all around us.
Traffic.
My stomach dropped.
"No…...no,no" I muttered, my hands curling tightly in my lap, slick with sweat.
The driver glanced at us through the rearview mirror "looks like there was an accident," he said apologetically. "Might take a few minutes"
A few minutes felt like a lifetime. My fingers dug into my bag, my nails pressed into the leather. As much as I tried to stay calm nothing seemed to work.
Then finally, the traffic began to inch forward. Slowly, one car at a time.
"Thank God", I whispered underneath my breath.
Macy reached over, her hands brushing mine as she held them tightly. "Anna calm down. Everything will be okay" she said softly, her warm voice like a small anchor in the midst of my panic
I nodded. Even though fear twisted tightly in my chest. Strength didn't always win, life had a way of reminding me of that too brutally.
I leaned my head back against the seat, closing my eyes briefly. Tears already slipping down my cheeks, uninvited but inevitable. I tried controlling them but I couldn't.
Macy stayed quiet beside me. I could feel her silently sharing the weight of my panic and it helped at least a little.
Maybe if I was there, all this wouldn't have happened.
I should have been there.
Why wasn't I there?. This is all my fault.
All these thoughts ran through my mind as I stared out the window.
There was nothing I could do but hope
Ohhh God, please save my sister.
Ashley….. please be strong.