From bad to worse

I sat there in class, bored out of my brains, wishing time would go faster. Mrs Henningar sat at  desk at the front of the class reading her book, rest of the class at in silence as they pretended to read, I felt a tingly feeling run down my right side as I felt a familiar pain begin in my left temple, I took out some paper and a pen and began to write, as my grip on my pen slackened my writing became messy and disorientated, the pen slipped out of my grasp and that's when I knew.

The bell rang, I struggled to put my book back into my bag, I hoisted myself out of my chair and leaned against the table, my legs grew weak and I knew my time was limited, "All right class you can go" Mrs Henningar's powerful German voice echoed around the room, I slowly pushed myself around the room as Aisha, Alexis and Christine gave me daggers, I threw the door open and slowly walked into the cupboard way (a room where the toilets are located along with reception, lockers and tables attached to chairs) I soon became disorientated, I could feel myself panic as the world around me soon became to feel like a lucid dream, the more I stood there, the weaker I became to feel, I walked towards the heavy glass door, pushed it open and found myself outside, I could see Mathew walking towards me.

"Laura?" He asked as I collapsed in front of him, he caught me and lifted me up, I tried to answer him but my words slid into each other and what I came out with was inaudible.

He rushed inside with me in his arms, he got the receptionists attention "Open the medical room now!" he demanded as she clumsily felt the button to open the door, he pushed the door and placed me on the doctors bed inside, as I lay there looking at the ceiling he slammed the door shut, the receptionist came out of the second door which joined the medical room to the reception area.

"We have called the ambulance for her Mathew, is there anyone we can contact for her?" she asked him calmly, he looked back to her in frustration.

"Is that a trick question?" he snapped "Call her Mum!" he exclaimed, the woman's face dropped as she fiddled for the door handle.

I felt my eyes drooping as the pain consumed my brain, and my entire left side became numb, I could see the fear in Mathew's eyes as he stared at me, his face was taken over with fear, as I looked at him it reminded me of the fear in my Father's eyes the first time it had happened, I could remember him shaking me in fear hoping I'd snap out of it, if only I could.

The receptionist re-entered the room as I weakly held onto Mathew's hand.

"We can't get hold of either one of her parents but I'm sure one of them will get back to us when they get chance, I've left them both a message, is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked comfortingly

"I want to go with her." he said back

"We can't let you go without permission" she said sadly

"My Mum will let me go" Mathew replied confidently

"We will have to phone her to ask her for consent" the receptionist replied

"Then get her on the phone then!" Matt hissed

Again the receptionist left the room, moments later she came back "Your Mum wants to talk to you, she said she will call your mobile" she informed then left again

Mathew's phone began to ring, he pulled his hand away from mine as my breathing weakened and the pain became worse.

"Can I go?" he asked

"Of course you can!" I heard his Mum scream as she cried "My God Matt, don't you dare leave her side! Please promise me you will look after her!"

"Of course I will Mum, please try not to worry." Matt said trying to console his upset Mum.

He hung up.

****

I awoke later in a strange room, I was sitting upright in a wheelchair with a blanket around me, as I looked around the room I saw other people there along side my Mum, Dad and Mathew, I can't remember anything else which had happened. That's when I was diagnosed. Hemiplegic Migraine. Those polysyllabic words ringing in my head, it wasn't a stroke at all, they got it wrong the first time, my brain still felt fuzzy and my body seemed to be floating in the air.

"Where am I?" I asked feeling a little dazed

"You're in the hospital" Mum replied calmly

Dad's eyes pierced Mathew as he looked worriedly at me.

****

When we got home, Mum put me straight to bed, I was there a couple of hours but then my phone rang around about the time Mathew got home, I picked it up and weakly pressed the answer button.

"Hello?" I answered

"Hey Laura, how are you feeling?" he asked sweetly

"I'm" I paused, desperate to get my words out "I'm Okay." I finished my sentence simply, I heard Mathew's Mum in the background saying "Is that Laura?"

"My Mum wants to talk to you" Matt chuckled handing the phone over to her

"Midge!" she yelled "Are you okay now?" she reciprocated

"I'm okay" I reiterated trying to keep it simple

"Oh I'm so glad, are you coming down to see me on Sunday, I will make you a lovely Sunday dinner and you can choose what film we watch." she offered

"Yeah sure, I'll come round" I said forcing my words out

"Great!" she bellowed "I'll see you soon bye Midge!" she exclaimed hanging up the phone

****

Needless to say she didn't make it to Sunday.

Saturday morning I awoke to the sound of tears, I rushed down the stairs and into the kitchen, Mathew was standing in the kitchen corner, tears falling down his face like Niagara Falls, he grabbed on to me and my Mum cried into my Dads chest.

"I'll never let anything bad happen to you again Laura-May, I made her a promise. I'll never let you go" Matt whispered.