Kana stared at her phone and then at her journal, which lay open on her bed, untouched. She sat motionless, watching both objects from a distance, as if waiting for one of them to blink first.
She thought that maybe, just maybe, if she stared long enough, some new ideas would spark in her mind, some hidden inspiration waiting to be unlocked. But nothing came.
Absolutely nothing.
Frustration bubbled up inside her. With a sharp sigh, she ruffled her own hair, scattering the neat strands into a wild mess.
Kana: I thought this would be easy for me to write. But now I'm stuck with writer's block… Why?
She slumped back against the pillows and closed her eyes. The words were supposed to come naturally. She had been excited, motivated, even after her conversation with Rose and John. They had encouraged her to join the writing competition, and she'd felt confident, like it would be a breeze.
But now… not so much.
Kana: Maybe I shouldn't participate if I'm already finding it this difficult…
Letting out another sigh, she reached for her phone instead, needing a distraction. She tapped on the Twibbler app, and was immediately greeted by a flurry of notifications, likes, shares, and comments flooding in on her recent posts. It was nice. Comforting, even. But it didn't chase away the frustration in her chest.
She shifted to her messages tab and glanced through her friend list. Rose's name popped up & she happened to be online at that exact moment. But when she scrolled down to check for John, her heart sank a little.
"Last seen 14 hours ago."
Kana: He didn't text me last night… I wonder if everything's okay?
She hesitated, thumb hovering over his name. Then slowly, she lowered the phone again, her mind racing through all kinds of worst-case scenarios. She was about to set the device down and go back to staring at her blank journal when—
John's online status suddenly changed.
"Online."
And then, he began typing.
Kana's heart skipped a beat. Her body tensed as her eyes glued to the chat, watching the little dots appear and vanish again.
When the message finally arrived, it was not at all what she had expected.
> Hey sorry I didn't text last night. Something crazy happened yesterday and I ended up in the hospital. But I'll tell you all about it later. I'll call you in the evening.
Kana blinked at the message. Then rubbed her eyes.
Once.
Twice.
She had to make sure she was actually reading that right.
Kana: HUH?! THE HOSPITAL?!
She shot upright in bed, panic immediately gripping her chest. Her mind reeled. A thousand thoughts and questions hit her all at once.
But then, logic kicked in.
He had texted her which meant he was okay enough to type and even promised to call her later.
It couldn't be that bad… right?
Still, that didn't stop the knot of worry from forming in her stomach. She clutched the phone tightly and stared at the screen, reading the message over and over.
Kana: Please be okay, John… Whatever happened… please be okay.
**************
Hours passed slowly, each minute stretching endlessly as Kana checked her phone more times than she could count. She had tried to write, to distract herself with music, even attempted to take a nap, but her mind was fixed on John's message. No matter what she did, the image of his words lingered in her head like a warning bell that wouldn't stop ringing.
Kana (softly): What could've happened? Why the hospital? I hope he's really okay…
Not wanting to bottle everything up, she eventually told Jane when she brought in her dinner tray. Jane's reaction was calm and reassuring, gently urging Kana not to panic until she heard from him directly. A few hours later, Rose called her, and Kana explained everything again, right down to the exact wording of the message John had sent. Rose, too, tried to soothe her nerves, insisting that if John could text, then he was still functioning and probably fine.
But despite their reassurances, Kana's chest remained tight with worry.
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a dusky orange light across the walls of her hospital room. Twilight crept in, painting the sky in hues of lavender and fading blue. Just as Kana was about to pick up her journal in a half-hearted attempt to write again, her phone buzzed sharply in her hand.
> Incoming Call: Gamerboy115
Kana's heart skipped a beat. She sat up quickly, hands trembling slightly as she tapped the green icon. The screen lit up, revealing John's face. He looked a little battered, there was a visible bruise along his cheek and a bandage taped across the bridge of his nose—but despite it all, he wore his usual crooked smirk.
Gamerboy115
> Hey…
Lonelygirl4556
> J-John?! What happened to your face?! Are you okay?!
John scratched the back of his head with a sheepish expression, his eyes slightly tired.
Gamerboy115
> Yeah, I know I look like I fought a lion or something… but I promise, it's not as bad as it looks. I'll tell you everything.
Before Kana could ask another question, both of their phones buzzed again. The screen split—Rose had joined the video call.
RecklessSoul06
> Hey you guys. I saw you were both online and figured I'd jump in. Hope that's cool.
Gamerboy115
> Yeah, it's a free country.
Just then, Rose caught sight of John's injuries on the screen and gasped.
RecklessSoul06
> John! What happened?! Are you okay?!
Gamerboy115
> Yeah… I'm fine, really.
RecklessSoul06
> Is that why you disappeared yesterday? You better start explaining.
John gave a weak laugh, rubbing the side of his neck.
Gamerboy115
> Yeah, yeah… you both deserve an explanation.
And so he told them everything.
How he had noticed what Liam was searching for on his phone during class. How something didn't feel right. How after school, he followed him and witnessed Liam trying to end his life by jumping into a canal. John explained how he'd rushed in, yelling and fighting to stop him, and in the struggle had taken a nasty hit, breaking his nose. Still, he managed to pull Liam out of the water, call for help, and get him to the hospital.
By the time he finished, both girls sat in stunned silence.
Kana stared blankly at the screen, her mouth slightly open. Rose wiped at the corners of her eyes where tears had gathered.
RecklessSoul06
> All of that… happened?
Gamerboy115
> Yeah… kinda crazy, right?
Lonelygirl4556
> Crazy doesn't even begin to cover it… John, that's… that's huge.
RecklessSoul06
> You could've died. You were hurt. Why didn't you tell someone? Why didn't you call us?!
Gamerboy115
> There wasn't time to think. Everything happened so fast. I just… reacted. And afterward, I didn't want to scare you guys.
Lonelygirl4556
> But we were scared… I—I couldn't stop thinking about it. I didn't know if you were okay or if…
Kana's voice faltered. Her eyes began to sting.
Lonelygirl4556
> If you were gone.
John's expression softened. His usual confidence faded into something gentler, more vulnerable.
Gamerboy115
> I'm sorry, Kana. I really am. I didn't mean to scare you like that.
RecklessSoul06
> You're always trying to carry the weight alone. But you don't have to. Not with us.
A long pause followed. The call was silent, but not empty. The moment held the heaviness of everything that had gone unsaid between them.
Lonelygirl4556
> What about the boy… Liam, right? Is he okay?
Gamerboy115
> Yeah. He's stable now. I visited him just before I left. He was quiet, but grateful.
RecklessSoul06
> You saved his life. That's not something people forget.
Gamerboy115
> I didn't think. I just saw someone who looked like they had no one. And I know what that feels like.
Kana and Rose exchanged a look through the screen, both of them feeling the weight behind those words.
Lonelygirl4556
> He's lucky you were there. Just like we're lucky to have you.
RecklessSoul06
> Yeah. Even with your busted nose and impulsive hero complex.
John let out a genuine laugh, shaking his head slightly.
Gamerboy115
> Gee, thanks. Appreciate the love.
Kana giggled softly. But then, John's face lit up slightly as if he'd just remembered something.
Gamerboy115
> Oh! Also, Kana… I hope you don't mind, but I kinda told Liam about you.
Lonelygirl4556
> Oh?
Gamerboy115
> Yeah, I told him I knew someone who might understand what he's going through. Someone who could talk to him... since I'm not exactly good with the deep emotional stuff.
Lonelygirl4556
> Wait… me?!
Gamerboy115
> Yeah.
The news caught her completely off-guard.
Lonelygirl4556
> What?!
RecklessSoul06
> John, are you serious right now?! Why would you do that?!
Gamerboy115
> I know, I know… I just thought that since you two had similar experiences, maybe she could help. But I didn't mean to pressure her—
He stopped mid-sentence when Kana shot him a look—half disbelief, half something unreadable. She went quiet, her expression conflicted.
Rose, on the other hand, didn't hold back.
RecklessSoul06
> You can't just throw her into someone else's storm and expect her not to drown. Kana's still recovering, too. She's not some emotional hotline.
Gamerboy115
> I'm not asking her to fix anything. I just thought… she might be able to say something that I can't. But if it's too much, I'll drop it.
Lonelygirl4556
> Rose… it's okay. He didn't mean it like that.
RecklessSoul06
> But—
Lonelygirl4556
> You asked me for help too, remember? When you had writer's block? It's not the same, I know… but still.
The tension thickened, but after a long sigh, Kana finally spoke.
Lonelygirl4556
> I'll think about it. If talking to Liam might help him, maybe it's worth it. But I'll decide when I'm ready.
Just then, John's phone buzzed. He looked at the screen.
[Text Message – From: Beethoven110]
Hey… It's Liam. I just wanted to say thanks again. For everything. And… if your friend is okay with it, I'd really like to talk to her.
John stared at the message, then slowly looked back at the screen.
Gamerboy115
> It's him. He just texted.
Lonelygirl4556
> What did he say?
Gamerboy115
> He said… he'd like to talk to you. But only if you're okay with it.
Kana looked down at her phone. Her thumb ran softly along the edge of the device. The fear still lingered inside her—but so did something else. A quiet strength. A whisper of purpose.
She looked back up and nodded.
Lonelygirl4556
> I'm okay with it. You can tell him to follow my Twibbler page. I'm ready to talk to him now.