Aislinn's heart lurched as she asked again, "What happened? Is she…?"
"I don't have the authority to give you that information, but if you follow me to the doctor's office, he'll explain," the nurse replied, leading Aislinn down the hallway. Her emotions surged as she walked, anxiety building with each step.
When they reached the door, the nurse spoke again. "This is the office." She knocked softly before speaking through the door. "Dr. Carmen, Miss Aislinn is here."
"Ah, send her in," a voice responded from inside.
Aislinn entered the office and found herself face-to-face with Dr. Carmen. He stood to greet her, extending his hand for a handshake.
"Dr. Carmen," he introduced himself, shaking her hand before motioning for her to sit.
"Aislinn Park," she replied, brushing off formalities. "Please, just tell me the results. I left everything behind and rushed here. I'm quite busy, Doctor."
"Understandable, Miss Aislinn," he said with a calm smile. "But first, please take a seat. We're all busy, but this will only take a moment."
Reluctantly, Aislinn sat down, her impatience barely masked.
"Now, about the results," Dr. Carmen began, "I'm afraid I have some unfortunate news—"
"No!" Aislinn cut him off, standing abruptly. "Don't even say it. Don't you dare tell me she's dead. I can't… I don't want to hear it!"
"Miss, please," the doctor replied calmly. "That's not what I was going to say."
"Then what?" she snapped, her voice trembling. "What do you mean?"
"First, please lower your voice," he said gently. "This is a hospital, after all."
Aislinn bit her lip, forcing herself to calm down. "Fine. Then tell me," she said, sitting back down. "What's going on?"
"She's not dead," Dr. Carmen assured her. "But her condition has worsened significantly overnight."
Aislinn let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Thank God she's not dead," she muttered, before narrowing her eyes. Aislinn's hands clenched into fists in her lap, her breathing unsteady. "But what do you mean her condition has worsened? What exactly do you mean by worse? She's already been in a coma… I thought being in a coma was bad enough. How has it gotten worse? What else could possibly happen?"
Dr. Carmen sighed, meeting her gaze with a grave expression. "Her vital signs are deteriorating. We're doing everything we can, but the situation has become more critical."
Dr. Carmen looked at Aislinn, his expression softening with a blend of sympathy and professionalism. "Miss Park, I understand how difficult this is for you, but her condition has taken a sharp turn for the worse."
The doctor sighed, leaning forward slightly, choosing his words carefully. "We've noticed a significant decline in her brain activity. While she's still technically alive, the chances of her waking up are becoming slimmer by the day."
Aislinn's heart sank, the weight of the news pressing down on her. "So… what are you saying? That she's just… stuck like this forever?" Her voice wavered, and she could feel tears starting to burn in the corners of her eyes.
Dr. Carmen hesitated. "It's difficult to say with certainty, but… at this point, it's very likely that Bell may never regain consciousness. We've done everything we can, but… her chances of waking up have reduced significantly."
The words hit Aislinn like a blow to the chest. She felt her stomach twist, her mind racing as she tried to process what he was telling her. Bell might never wake up. All those nights of hoping and praying, all the guilt she carried for how she had treated her—none of it might ever matter.
Aislinn swallowed hard, her voice barely audible. "So... what now? Do we just give up on her?"
Dr. Carmen shook his head gently. "We'll continue to monitor her, of course. But you need to prepare yourself for the possibility that she may never regain consciousness. I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's important to be realistic about what the future may hold."
Aislinn blinked, staring at the doctor as if his words hadn't fully sunk in yet. "No... there has to be something else. Another treatment, another procedure. Something. You're telling me there's nothing more you can do?"
Dr. Carmen's gaze softened. "I understand your frustration, but we've exhausted every option. There's always hope, but it would be a long shot. We don't want to give you false expectations."
"Okay doctor thank you then. " She said standing up from the seat and moved to the door, opening it then closing it shut behind her.
Aislinn left Dr. Carmen's office, her legs feeling like they were made of lead. She didn't know where she was going, but her feet carried her away from the hospital's bustling corridors and into a quiet, empty waiting room. The fluorescent lights above flickered slightly, casting an eerie glow on the sterile surroundings. She sank into one of the plastic chairs, her hands trembling in her lap.
It was too much. The thought of Bell lying there, trapped in her own body, was unbearable. Aislinn buried her face in her hands, and the tears she had been holding back finally broke free. The sobs came in heavy waves, each one wracking her body as she tried to process the reality of it all.
How did it come to this? she wondered. Bell was supposed to be her rival, the one person who pushed her to be better, to fight harder. But now… now there was no fight left. Only silence.
After what felt like an eternity, Aislinn wiped her face, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. She needed to see Bell. One more time. Maybe talking to her would help, or maybe it wouldn't—but Aislinn couldn't leave without at least trying.
She stood on shaky legs and made her way to Bell's room. The air inside the ICU was heavy with the rhythmic beeping of machines and the sterile scent of disinfectant. Aislinn approached the bed slowly, her eyes taking in the sight of Bell—still, fragile, a shadow of the fierce girl she used to know.
Aislinn pulled up a chair beside the bed, her hands twisting nervously in her lap. For a long moment, she just sat there, staring at Bell's face, waiting for some kind of sign. But nothing happened. No flicker of eyelids, no twitch of fingers. Just the steady rise and fall of her chest, the machines doing all the work.
"Bell…" Aislinn whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I don't know if you can hear me, but… I need to say this."
She swallowed hard, the words tangling in her throat. "I've been so jealous of you. For years, I let it eat away at me. I thought if I could just beat you, everything would be fine. But look at us now. You're lying here, and I'm sitting here feeling like… like none of it even matters."
Aislinn wiped at her eyes, her voice breaking. "I don't know what to do. I thought I wanted to be better than you, to win. But now, I just want you to wake up. Please, Bell. Wake up. I don't know how to live with all this guilt if you don't."
"Please at least just let me be free from the guilt..." She said.
Whispering she said, "I guess I'm still selfish. I'm still thinking about myself and my guilt." Sighing she stood up and looked back.
"I guess this is it, bye Bell." Aislinn turned and moved out of the room, turning back to look at Bell one last time before closing the door and leaving the hospital.