Six

Everything was dark. Kay-Lee was standing all alone. Adam came out from the shadows एंड walked up to Kay-Lee with a smile on his face. He held her face in his hands and leant down to her ear, whispering “I love you”. Adam kissed her and she put her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Suddenly, Adam disappeared into thin air, and Kay-Lee opened her eyes.
Kay-Lee looked up at the white ceiling, thinking about the dream. It had all seemed so real, and a part of her wished that it was. Everyone assumed that Adam was her boyfriend, and she’d never thought about him that way. What if Adam was her boyfriend? Would it make things weird? Kay-Lee stopped that train of thought. Adam obviously didn’t feel for her that way, so she shouldn’t even be thinking about it.
Kay-Lee heard the beep of the heart-monitor machine and saw the drip in her arm. She smelt the strong anaesthetic smell of the hospital, and groaned.
“Kay-Lee? Are you awake?” A voice asked from across the room.
“Yes. Who’s there?” She whispered.
“It’s me, Adam”.
“What happened?” Kay-Lee asked in an exasperated tone. Adam was standing over the bed now, holding Kay-Lee’s hand.
“You collapsed in your room. You don’t remember? I should get the nurse now that you’re awake”. Adam said, absentmindedly tracing patterns on the back of Kay-Lee’s hand with his fingers.
“That feels nice” Kay-Lee said, closing her eyes. Adam reached over and pressed the button above the bed to call the nurse. Kay-Lee looked up at Adam’s arm. She liked the way Adam’s arms were muscular and the way he always had a smile just for her. Kay-Lee thought back to her dream. Would anything ever happen with them or would they always just be friends? Would Adam get a girlfriend and how would she feel about that? Kay-Lee didn’t like the idea of Adam having a girlfriend. She thought that in some way, Adam belonged to her and she found herself wishing that Adam was her boyfriend. “But that’s just silly”.
“What’s silly?” Adam asked. Kay-Lee hadn’t realised she’d spoken out loud. “Nothing for you to worry about” Kay-Lee said smiling. “You know you can tell me anything right?” Adam asked her. “Yes, I know” Kay-Lee said. “But not this” she silently added. Kay-Lee would just die if Adam didn’t feel the same way and things got weird between them because of it. She would rather be just friends with Adam forever then not at all.
The nurse came in a few moments later, followed by Kay-Lee’s mother. The nurse checked everything out and told Kay-Lee the doctor would see her in a few minutes. Kay-Lee’s mother, Katherine, asked her if she was alright and filled her in on the events that had taken place. She had been getting coffee when Kay-Lee had woken up.
“Thank Goodness for Adam or I don’t know what we would have done...” Katherine said, smiling.
“He’s the best” Kay-Lee said, squeezing his hand and looking up at him.
“I don’t mean to pry, but are you sure there’s nothing going on between you two?” Katherine asked. Kay-Lee saw Adam blush and turn away. Kay-Lee smiled and said “We are the best of friends and if one day it turns into something more, I’ll let you know”. Adam smiled as well, just as the doctor came in.
“I have some good news and some bad news” The Doctor said, looking at Kay-Lee. Kay-Lee glared at him. It was just so cliché of him to say that. He looked like your typical middle age doctor too. Kay-Lee smiled to herself, it looked like he’d just stepped out of a daytime soapie. “Well?” The doctor said. “Well what? Go on, just spit it out, get it over with” Kay-Lee said. “Kay-Lee! Don’t be so rude!” Katherine said. Kay-Lee just glared at her. She hated being told off by her mum in front of people, it was so degrading and it made her feel small and insignificant. “No, no, it is quite all right. She is probably just anxious, yes?”
“Yeah” Kay-Lee muttered. At least that would get her mum off her back.
“The good news is, you can leave now. The bad news is that you’ll have to come back for a check up in a month” the doctor said with a cheerful smile on his face.
“Why so long until the check up?” Katherine asked, curiosity and anxiety in her voice.
“We still are not quite sure why Kay-Lee collapsed. There will most likely not be any new developments straight away. These things take time, yes?” the doctor said.
“I see. And in a month you’ll find out what’s wrong with her?” Katherine asked.
“I can assure you it is probably nothing to worry about. If she collapses again or feels dizzy before her check up just bring her straight in” the doctor said, reassuring Katherine now. It obviously worked, because the worry left her eyes and the doctor told her they were free to go as soon as they had signed out.
“Adam, I’m going to sign all the necessary paperwork” Katherine said rolling her eyes. “Can you take Kay-Lee to the car and wait for me there?”
“Of course” Adam replied, helping Kay-Lee out of the hospital bed.
“I’m not disabled you know” Kay-Lee complained as Adam pulled her out of the bed.
“That’s what I love about you Lee Lee” Adam said, a smirk on his face.
“The fact that I’m not disabled?” Kay-Lee asked.
“No. The fact that you are still sarcastic and just, well, YOU, no matter what the situation. You amaze me Kay-Lee Thomas” Adam said.
“And YOU, Adam Hunter, are the bestest friend anyone could ever have, even though you are incredibly annoying” Kay-Lee said, pushing his arms away and jumping out of the bed. For added effect, she did a cartwheel across the floor.
Laughing, Adam said “I don’t think ‘bestest’ is a word and that was not a cartwheel”.
“It was so!”
“No it wasn’t. It was more like a somersault crossed with someone falling over. Badly.” Adam said.
Kay-Lee rolled her eyes and walked out of the hospital towards the car, with Adam holding her hand the whole way.

Five

Kay-Lee was feeling really sick. It had been dusty and windy all day, a terrible combination. Kay-Lee had terrible hay fever and she was already sick of boring daytime soaps on television. She was really bummed about not being able to go to school either, because the casting list for the school play was being posted. How unfair. Nothing ever goes the way you want it to. Guess that’s how the universe works though. One person can’t be happy all the time, it has to be passed around equally and shared out so that more people can find happiness. Kay-Lee smiled and her little theory and then scrambled around the lounge for the tissue box before erupting into another round of sneezes. This was getting to the point of beyond ridiculous, Kay-Lee thought as she got up to get a glass of water and yet another allergy tablet. Kay-Lee was so bored, so she decided to log on to her facebook page. She was a member of the school page and there was a new announcement from the drama club posted on the school page. It was the casting list for the school play. Kay-Lee eagerly leaned towards the screen to read the results. Adam had got the male lead! She squealed in excitement and then hurriedly searched the page for the results of the female auditions. Kay-Lee huffed in frustration when she couldn’t find anything referring to who had got the female lead and supporting roles. She clicked off the computer in fury and went back to the television to wait until Adam got home.
* * * * *
Adam was heading home from school, feeling pretty pleased with himself. The buzz at school had been huge! All anyone said to him all day was “congratulations” and “you’re so gay”. Adam ignored the ‘gay’ comments, because he didn’t think acting was gay. Hell, look at Hugh Jackman, he thought. Acting seemed like a good business to go in to. You get truckloads of cash to do an easy job and girls suddenly like you. It all seemed pretty good to Adam, so what were a few gay comments going to do?
Adam had dropped into the supermarket on the way home to pick up some things for Kay-Lee. She had looked really bad that morning and Adam wanted to cheer her up. Plus, he knew she’d be totally psyched when he told her that the casting list was posted and they were both playing the leads. He couldn’t wait to tell her.
Adam arrived at Kay-Lee’s house and was greeted at the door by her mum. He was like their own son now; he basically lived at their place. Kay-Lee’s mum let him in and told him that Kay-Lee was in her room.
Adam bounded up the stairs and knocked quietly on the door.
“Mum, I told you. I’m not coming out until Adam gets here” Kay-Lee said. Adam stifled his laugh and burst through the door.
“Hey! I thought I made myself clea...” Kay-Lee broke off mid-sentence and jumped into Adam’s arms.
“You have absolutely no idea how boring my day was...” Kay-Lee started to say before Adam stopped her.
“You can tell me all about it later, but first, I have something to tell you” Adam said.
“I already know you got the lead, Adam. Congratulations! I knew you could do it, you were amazing” Kay-Lee said with a smile on her face.
“Uh, thanks, but how did you know?” Adam asked, confused.
“Facebook” Kay-Lee said.
“Arr, yes, the wonders of the internet” Adam said, sarcastic now.
“Who got the female lead?” Kay-Lee asked with burning curiosity.
“What happened to facebook?” Adam asked mockingly.
“It didn’t say” Kay-Lee said disappointed.
“Well then, you’ll just have to wait and see” Adam teased, a huge grin spreading across his face.
“ADAM BRENDAN HUNTER DON’T YOU DARE DO THIS TO ME!” Kay-Lee shouted staring at him.
“Aw, did you really have to use my full name?” Adam complained.
“It seemed necessary. Now spill” Kay-Lee demanded.
“Okay then! And the female lead goes to...drum roll please...” Adam said, dragging it out for effect.
“Adam...” Kay-Lee said, her patience wearing thin.
“Okay, okay...sheesh!” Adam said, putting his hands up in the air in surrender.
“I’m serious. You’re killing me here” Kay-Lee said.
“KAY-LEE MAY THOMAS!!” Adam shouted at the top of his lungs.
“What? Are you serious?” Kay-Lee asked in disbelief.
“As serious as I can possibly get” Adam said, his smile even bigger than before. Kay-Lee wondered for a brief moment how it was humanly possible for a smile to be that big, before running around the room in a victory dance.
“You know what I like most about you Kay-Lee?” Adam asked.
“What?” Kay-Lee asked, narrowing her eyes. She expected a sarcastic response but was still mildly curious of what he could come up with this time. It was bound to be lame.
“Your maturity level” Adam said, his voice heavy with sarcasm.
“Ditto” Kay-Lee said with a smirk on her face.
“Fine, we’ll call it even” Adam said, defeated.
“Fine with me” Kay-Lee said in victory.
Suddenly, Kay-Lee felt as if her head weighed a million tonnes. The room started to spin and she put her hand to her head, swaying ever so slightly with the movement.
“Kay-Lee, are you alright?” Adam asked; his hands now on her shoulders. Kay-Lee didn’t respond.
“Kay-Lee?” Adam said in a frantic tone.
“Adam, I don’t feel so...” Kay-Lee started to say, before collapsing in Adam’s arms.