Chapter 41: Who is going to die?

Raymond paced about the room, as he didn't know what else to do. He wanted to follow Alyssa to the Hospital, but he was stopped as they were trying their best to not create any drama in the hospital and reduce the crowd also. He stayed back with the drama coordinator, Mr. Tom who was going about, trying to find out what was wrong.
Alyssa's makeup box was taken to the lab, and a few experiments were carried out on it.
Mr. Tom was in confusion waiting for the results from it, "what exactly went wrong?" He kept on asking himself. Every single thing was in place, so how did things get haywire, endangering Alyssa's life also, "if only the dressing room had cameras attached to it, just if only?" He exhaled and let out a sigh of exasperation as he let himself fall back to a stool that was just beside him.
"Mr. Tom, the results are ready," a student with a lab coat, walked over to him handing him some papers. He allowed his eyes to begin to scan through the documents, and just as he was about to read it, "it's confirmed, a substance we tagged as poison ivy was mixed in her powder." The student said, with a firm face.
"Who would have done that?" Mr. Tom asked out loud, not expecting an answer, as it was obvious the student had no idea.
"Okay, thank you," he gabbled, and the student disappeared from his sight not long after. Mr. Tom left for the drama hall, as he deliberated on what exactly he was going to report to the school authority.
Charles, usually so unconcerned about issues was bothered this time as he was tired of consoling Raymond that everything was fine. He picked up his phone and dialed Jessie's number for the second time, hoping that the call will go through this time.
"Charles," Jessie uttered, her voice not having the usual excitement that Charles was used to.
"Is everything alright with Alyssa?" He questioned, concern evident in his voice.
Jessie inhaled a deep breath before she spoke, "I don't even know anymore. The doctors said that she is fine, but she hasn't woken up ever since. I am not supposed to, but I am panicking already."
"Relax, she will be fine. What did they say the problem is?" Charles inquired.
"They said a lot of things, I just know she came in contact with an allergen and she is reacting deeply to it because of her system build up. I just hope she is fine soon,"Jessie murmured.
"She will be, I guess we will talk later then," Charles said, deciding to give Jessie time so she could relax.
"Okay," Jessie hung up and let her hair fall back a little. She wanted Alyssa to be fine, and if Sophie was the cause of everything, then Sophie was not going to like it.
Luciana walked up to her as she was still lost in her thoughts, "how are you feeling, Jessie?" She asked, rubbing Jessie's back.
"I don't even know. I feel terrible that I actually dressed her up to experience this. Maybe she should have never done the drama from start," she complained, her voice filled with frustration.
"No, things happen. We can't control a lot of things, but I know for a fact that she will be fine, and you should stop blaming yourself," Luciana assured Jessie, with her hands turning Jessie's face to hers, "don't let any of those things trouble you, dear."
"We should go now, I'll inform Alyssa's mom that we are leaving," Luciana stated as she stood up.
"Do we have to?"Jessie said with a sad grimace.
"Yes, we should leave. We will be back tomorrow," Luciana assured her.
Languidly, Jessie carried herself up with Luciana holding on to her arms, and they made their way to where Alyssa's mom sat and informed her that they were going. She smiled at them and told them to leave as it was getting late already.
Alyssa's mom, Mrs. Jones kept on smiling, even though she wasn't fine with the turnout of things. The doctor had told her about everything that was wrong with Alyssa and it pained her so greatly. She felt the school authority was at fault, and she had already sent a query mail to them that she was going to take action if anything happened to her daughter.
Jessie and Alyssa stopped a taxi and made their way to the house, exhausted. On getting there, Luciana made her way to the kitchen to prepare dinner while Jessie took out her phone and began to go through the plenty messages from Raymond that came on her phone. She could feel that he was bothered, so she picked up her phone and decided to call him back.
After constant reassurances from Jessie that Alyssa was fine, Raymond finally felt better. He suggested going to the hospital, but Jessie shunned the idea for reasons that Alyssa's mom was there, and maybe she didn't appreciate Alyssa having male friends.
She finished putting herself together and came down to join Luciana who sat on a stool in the kitchen, waiting for the food she was cooking to be ready. Their day started quite well, and they had no single idea that it was going to end the way it did.
When Luciana met Miss. Selene earlier, she, the guidance counselor, told Luciana that she was going to inform Luciana's parents herself if Luciana did not want to. According to her, Luciana needed every affection she could get, so she doesn't end up doing something drastic from wallowing in the pool of her pain. It troubled Luciana so much, and she kept on begging the counselor to not do anything like that as she did not want to cause them pain before she go, as she felt she was going to die.
Luciana was having that conversation with her guidance counselor, till she saw Jessica's call and she picked up her phone to be greeted with a voice that held so much panic. She was terribly scared, as they were only a few times Jessie had behaved that way on a call. For that reason, she took an excuse from Miss. Selene and scrambled out, looking for Jessie hurriedly.
However, by the time Luciana was out, Alyssa had already been wheeled to the ambulance with Jessie in also. So, Luciana had to take a taxi there. She was lucky to get in, as she used the excuse of meeting her sister, and also, a nurse identified her as the daughter of Mrs. Ranez who presently was not stationed at that hospital.
Jessie met Luciana lost in her thoughts, so she quietly walked over to where Alyssa was, placed a stool just in front of her, and sat.
"What is the problem, dear?" She asked Luciana, smiling at her, "you know you can always tell me anything," she assured her.
"There's nothing," Luciana forced a smile that didn't go unnoticed by Jessie.
Jessie raised her head to Luciana and fixed her gaze on Luciana's eyes, "I don't know how long you want to lie to me, but I think it will be good if you realize that I can see through your lies. Please don't lie to me, Luci...," Jessie pleaded, raising her hands to her nose, holding it together as though she wanted to say her prayer.
"Please don't beg me, Jessie," Luciana said as she reached out to Jessie's hands and took them apart, "I'm fine, it's just...," She started, Jessie paying close attention to her.
"I have been feeling more terrible lately, coupled with the terrible head pains. At the hospital earlier, I paid close attention to every detail there, and I just couldn't put myself to like the place," Luciana voiced out, her face filled with worry and sadness that she was fighting so hard to hide.
She leaned closer to Jessie, resting on her shoulders, "I don't want to die, Jessie. I am scared."
"Come on, who said you were going to die now?" Jessie pulled her out, staring at her face, as she wiped the few tears that had dropped on Luciana's cheeks, "you worry for nothing, and I don't like it. You are not going to die, who do you want to leave me with?" Jessie asked in genuine concern as she no longer appreciated the fact that Luciana always filled her mind with dying thoughts.
"Who is going to die?" Alyssa's mom walked to them, catching them unaware.
"Mom, you are here?" Luciana quivered, her lips trembling.
"Yes dear, so who is going to die?" She asked as she walked over to them.
Luciana looked at Jessie, staring intently for answers. She wished she could formulate a lie and sweat beads began to form on her face. She was thankful that Jessie had wiped out the tears in her eyes earlier, at least it helped reduce the stress of formulating a lie by a point.
"Answer me, dear?" Mrs. Ranez questioned again in genuine concern. She had closed earlier that day, so she got back quite early. In the process of trying to surprise the girls as she never informed them when they called, she slept off and woke up to hear the girls talk about death, so she was confused.
"Mom, when did you come back?" Luciana forced out a smile, moving closer to her, "I had no idea you were around."
"Mmm... I wonder why you don't though, my car was parked just outside," she informed Luciana.
"Really? I didn't notice," Luciana bubbled.
"Yeah, it's not your fault... you have gotten so used to not checking the car garage," Mrs. Ranez acknowledged, folding her arms together.
"I'm sorry, Mom. How was work?" Luciana questioned, trying to keep a sorry face.
Mrs. Ranez noticing just what her daughter wanted to do, changed the topic back, "it was fine dear. But who is going to die?" She asked, taking glances at the two girls randomly.
"Luci...," Mrs. Ranez began, "I get that I have been busy with work lately and you are grown so you don't feel comfortable telling me about things. I am sorry about that," she vociferated.
Luciana became scared thinking that her guidance counselor had already spilled the beans to her mother, or had she not? The little she knew, Miss. Selene always asked for permission before interfering with her life.
"But I am asking a question, and I feel I deserve to know. For goodness sake, it's about death and not any random relationship issues that your friends can handle," Mrs. Ranez paused as she turned her face to Jessie, "can you tell me, dear, what is wrong?"
At that moment, Jessie felt like she was caught up between two webs. On one hand, she had promised Luciana to give her every support she wanted which included keeping it away from their parents, and on the other hand, there was Luciana's mom who not only saw her as her daughter but deserved to know everything concerning Luciana's health as it was for the good of Luciana.
Mrs. Ranez waited patiently for the two girls, staring keenly at both of them. She made a mental note to spend more time with the girls, as it was obvious they were beginning to keep things from her. That was how it happened two years back when Jessie tried to kill herself. She was not going to take any chance anymore, and risk the lives of her girls.
"Mom, the thing is...", Jessie started, and was cut abruptly by Luciana.
"The thing is... Umm, we were talking about the person experiencing the anaphylactic shock, my friend whom I called you for. She had not woken up when we left, so I was just scared something might happen to her, but Jessie reassured me that everything was going to be fine," Luciana blurted out, grinning in a manner that felt weird.
"Yes," Jessie supported her as they grinned widely, showing their teeth to Mrs. Ranez who felt the grin was odd.
"Well if that is the issue, my arms are feeling so lonely. Why don't you girls come and hug me?", She beckoned, spreading her arms apart, as the two girls, Jessie and Luciana hurriedly went and fell into her embrace.