GROUNDED
” Her iPhone drowned too. It completely destroyed. Now, tell me why you care about it, Milly. You don’t need to think about her phone when you could have died today.” Jason said seriously. I know he won’t say this if he knows what happened.
” It’s the phone which caused this, Jason. Ryder was right on that day when we three went alone to sort this issue. Crystal was spying on me to get photos. She’s been following me all this time. She caught the moment on her phone when you proposed to me on my birthday. She did the same when I was with Ryder. She even took a photo of us when we stayed in a hotel for one night. I don’t know how she’s capable of getting the photos. She threatened me that she send it to my parents and ruin my whole chance of graduating.” I started telling him and explained the part happened in the locker.
” Now, you know why I did that, Jason. Tell me the rest of the part. I want to know what happened after I blackened out. Why did you say Crystal’s grounded?” I urged him in stress. But there’s no more fear. The phone is no longer an issue.
” I didn’t expect that something big happened in a short time. I left you in the hospital after knowing you could gain consciousness in an hour. I called your parents and came back to school to take your things.”
” You called my parents? Why did you… I don’t know what should I tell them?”
” Don’t worry. There are waiting outside. They won’t be bugging you with a question. Let me tell you everything.” Jason assured me. I tried to look outside through the glass and turned my attention to him.
” Since I was the one who spotted you, I told the others that Crystal must have done this. You don’t know swimming. You won’t jump in without anyone’s presence. Everyone agreed with that. The coach and some students found Crystal after she ran away. She was almost on her way out of the school without
her bag. The coach called her father and by the time I reached the school, he was there.”
” Does this news gone to principal’s ears?” Of course, it would. Why do I even ask that.
” Yeah, it did. Crystal refused to tell anything about you. I was mad at her for causing the problem. Before I could say anything, Ryder started an argument with her.”
” Ryder was in principal office too?”
” No. It all happened outside the room. He was the one who started shouting. In anger, he let out whatever she did at the beginning of this year. Her father and the principal heard everything. That was so embarrassing and awkward moment.”
” What do you mean by everything? Are you talking about the pregnant thing?” I lowered my voice.
” No. Ryder doesn’t say that. He told about Andrian and how she’s trying to get revenge and do all those shits without being a high school girl. Her father got embarrassed more than anyone. He got no clue about anything. The principal can’t deal with any drama. She stomped off without any punishment or detention. But the argument continued outside the school. Ryder was with us the whole time and….” Jason hesitated to finish the last sentence.
” And…”
” And I told her father about the break-up. He doesn’t know anything. She hid it from her family. I also told about the pregnancy issue. I wasn’t planning to do that but she really tested my patience with her arrogant character.”
I can’t say what Jason did was right or not. I don’t know whether I feel guilty for her or not. But if I did, it was the past until she almost killed me. Right now, all I could worry about is how I was the reason for spoiling Jason’s father and Crystal’s father friendship. It must be damaged beyond repair after this day.
” Jason… How did her father react? It would cause a problem with your father’s friendship with him, right? I feel like I caused this.” I regretted.
” Don’t blame yourself stupidly, Milly. She caused this. I know that one day the truth might come out. It did. It happened for the good. Her father wasn’t angry at me. He slapped her and she was grounded. They left after that. He doesn’t even look at me. After all these happenings, there’s no way both the family could be the way it used to. Deep down, everyone knows Crystal’s the reason. I’m not worried about that. My father was a little upset. But things will change. He would be better.”
” I would be happy if it does. Will Crystal come to school tomorrow? Is she allowed?”
” Don’t feel sympathetic for her, Milly. She was selfish to run away after causing everything. I don’t think she will step her foot on the school for a week or two. Who knows?”
” Right. I’m glad it’s over. I guess she won’t be coming up with something again.”
” If she does, then it’s her loss again.” Jason finished saying it and there’s a knock on the door. I can somehow make out the person who’s standing outside.
” It’s my mom. Can I go? I don’t think I need to stay in bed forever.”
” Not forever. It’s just been two hours, Milly. I will go, you can talk with them. And another thing, Ryder is also waiting for you outside. I will let him in, once you talked with your parents.” Jason informed and opened the doorknob.
I feel like a patient. It feels horrible to feel this and see this surrounding. I hope I won’t come here again unless it’s a natural cause instead of an accident.
Both mom and dad entered at the same time. I stuttered to say something. But they didn’t question me. They are too grateful that I wasn’t in serious condition. All that everybody knows is that Crystal and I had an argument which made me end up here. Since the phone is destroyed, I won’t get into any trouble.
” Can we just go home, mom? I really hate to stay here. I’m not in a critical situation. My head isn’t hurting anymore. Can we go?” I asked her and looked at my dad for approval.
” Of course, we are going home now. We will pay the bill and can leave now. But I want you to put leave tomorrow. I wish you could atleast have a day rest. Plus I would leave in two more days. I want to spend time with my daughter. ” My dad said emotionally. I know it hurts him to see me in a hospital. Why does it have to happen right when he arrives?
After they made their way out of the room. Ryder pushed the door wide open and came in. I made him wait for a longer time.
” Hey, sorry, I made you wait for….”
” It’s okay, Emily. I don’t give a fuck about the time I waited. I’m glad I got to see you now. If I know that something would happen like this, I could have taken the bitch down three days ago.” His voice contained both happiness and anger.
” It’s all over for good now, Ryder. Anyways, you took her down by breaking into an argument. I can feel that awkward moment even when I wasn’t in school.”
” Oh, you know that all. Did Jason tell that? I thought he would only tell about what he did and his pride?” Ryder teased and he broke into a laugh.
” You are wrong. He told more about your part.”
” That’s good. But I did nothing. I only stopped her game. But Jason saved you. On one side, I wish you weren’t in swimming class so I wouldn’t have been apart from you. On the other side, I’m happy that Jason was there at that place.” Ryder told me as he intertwined his hand with mine.
” Yeah, and I don’t think I would go to swimming class again. I got so many bad memories in one day which is enough to keep me away from that place for some months.”
” Are you afraid of the water now? You can’t be panic. Of course, it’s important to be safe but…”
” I’m not saying I won’t keep my feet underwater. I just won’t do that in our school. I can rather learn it somewhere else. In vacation times. That would be a good thing, right?”
” Yeah. This time, I would be joining you. I don’t know swimming either.”
” That’s good to hear. I need a companion too. I know Pearl won’t be interested in it.” Pearl? How could I forget about her? Or did she forgot about me? No, she won’t.
” Speaking of which, Pearl’s waiting too. She came here some minutes ago. I will call her.” Ryder said. When the first ring rang, the door opened as Pearl entered. ” I was waiting for this,” Pearl showed her phone which is ringing. And then there’s my best friend. Now, I feel like I’m surrounded by the people who love me more than I’m feeling like a patient.