Fallen from Grace

Chapter XV

Apollyon was well, but Eleanora wasn't. He noticed that she was stressing, a lot. Now due to that stress Eleanora was getting frequent migraines, along with loss of appetite and vomiting. All in all, she wasn't doing to well. Apollyon suggested that they go to the doctor's, but she refused.

He tried to persuade her, but his persuasion skills weren't all that good. Currently both of them were making their way to their lockers before the end of lunch bell rung. Apollyon wasn't wearing his leather jacket due to the cold weather, and all the wrong people noticed. They had stopped at his locker first as he exchanged his books then went over to Eleanora's locker. Across from her locker stood a group of people, the 'popular crowd'.

One of the guys nudged another one before jerking his head in Eleanora's and Apollyon's direction. Eleanora had her back towards them while Apollyon stood leaning against her locker, tapping at his phone screen absentmindedly.

"Hey, Masters." The guy smirked, as Apollyon looked up at him from below his lashes. "What happened to your all so famous leather jacket?"

"Well, prick." Apollyon spoke nonchalantly as the guy ground his teeth together. "Sadly my leather jacket isn't suited for such weathers."

"Oh, that's good." He continued in a pompous manner. "For a second you had me worried that you were turning into a freak like her."

Instantly Apollyon tensed as Eleanora glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, feeling a slight headache forming. His grip tightened around his phone before he placed it away. Standing straight, he used his height to his advantage as he glared icily back at the guy.

"I mean, why the hell would you want to spend time with that white haired b***h?" He continued as Apollyon ground his teeth, trying to reign in his temper as Eleanora had grabbed hold of the sleeve of the coat he wore. "She is just a freak, and her mom would be a freak just like her."

"Her mom, her dad, and whatever devil they might have spawned before or after her." He cackled along with his posse, and just Apollyon lost it, so did Eleanora. She whipped around so fast that it would have given her a whiplash as she slammed her fist so hard into his nose that his head hit the wall.

The jock cried out in pain as he clutched onto his bleeding nose and slid down the wall, his head pounding in his ears. Everyone watched Eleanora in shock that she had punched a guy twice her size and seemed completely unperturbed by the fact.

Leaning down, she grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pinned him to the wall, ensuring to hit his head against the wall again.

"Listen here, jackass." Eleanora growled dangerously calm. "I can handle whatever insult you might have towards me, but the moment you target my family and friends, I can assure you that I am a black belt in karate and I am not afraid to use that training on pricks like you to get you off your high pedestal. Are we clear?"

"Yes, ma'am." He whimpered as tears clouded his eyes.

"Great." Eleanora smiled sickly sweet before releasing him and allowing him to crumple to the ground.

She took a step back as a sudden pain shot through her. Her vision blurred and doubled as she clutched her head. An excruciating pounding resonated through her skull as the world spun around her, a high pitched sound ringing in her ears.

"Eleanora." Apollyon called out in concern as she stumbled backwards. "Hey, you okay?"

Just as the question escaped his mouth a pained whimper escaped her lips as her legs shook beneath her, the ringing growing louder and more high pitched in her ears.

"Make it stop." She gasped in pain as she clutched her head.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Apollyon rushed as he held her by her shoulders. "Eleanora?"

She grabbed hold onto his arms as the people around them watched in concern and in awe as to what was happening.

"Eleanora, talk to me." He coaxed as Eleanora shut her eyes, trying to make it all stop.

Eleanora suddenly lost all her focus as the hallway around her started to shake. The walls and floors, and lockers were all moving, was it an earthquake? An excruciating current shot straight through her brain as a searing, piercing, and brutal pain overcame her senses. Everything was spinning and Eleanora felt dizzy, a falling sensation overcoming her as all her limbs felt like jelly. She felt confused and tired and she was aching all over, pain being the last thing she felt before her world was overcome with darkness.

She never knew how scared Apollyon and everyone else became when she started to seize in his arms. He tried to hold her up and stop it, but she just wouldn't stop shaking. He yelled for someone to call a teacher, the nurse, an ambulance, anyone! Apollyon lay her down on the floor, trying to help her, but he wasn't of much use. Fear and anxiousness rolled off him in waves as he thought he might lose her right there and then.

A few teachers came running down the hall as they heard the commotion from the staff room, all of them running towards the scene. They all gasped in horror at the scene of a seizing girl on the hallway floor as one of them walked over to Apollyon, pulling him away as the biology teacher took over and helped her as best they could.

An ambulance soon arrived as they left with Eleanora, Apollyon driving close behind and one of the teachers was with her in the vehicle. Arriving at the hospital she was instantly taken inside as their biology teacher, Mr. Nathan Lam, and Apollyon were told to wait.

Mr. Lam helped Apollyon calm down, assuring him that she would be fine. Offering him a glass of water and a chocolate bar they both sat down on the seats.

"Can you tell me what happened, Apollyon?" Mr. Lam inquired kindly.

"I'm not sure." He informed as he held his head in his hands. "It all just happened too fast."

"It's okay, just tell me what you remember."

"We-we were at her locker, getting her books, when a jock was badmouthing her and her family. Eleanora punched him and told him off, but then she was stumbling and clutching her head. I steadied her and tried to find out what was happening when she suddenly started to shake uncontrollably." Apollyon informed in distress. "Will she be alright? Why was she shaking?"

"Apollyon, has she ever done this before?" Mr. Lam questioned in confusion. "How has she been the past few days-health wise?"

"Uh...stressed." Apollyon informed, not understanding where he was going with this. "Very stressed with everything, and she was constantly having headaches, they first were just faint throbbing, but now are full migraines. Eleanora was having trouble maintaining her balance, and kept on saying that her vision was blurry. She hasn't been eating much and throwing up a lot, and now this."

"Why do you ask?" He questioned in suspicion as to where his teacher was going with this.

"Loss of appetite, disbalance, headaches, blurriness, vomiting and now a seizure." Mr. Lam repeated to himself. "These symptoms can only mean one thing."

"What are you talking about?" Apollyon demanded with a fluster expression.

"Nothing." Mr. Lam rushed. "Let's just hope it's nothing."

They both sat in tense silence once more as they awaited the arrival of the doctor. Mr. Lam could see how worked up Apollyon was, having his best friend seize in his arms wasn't a pleasant experience, and would scar him psychologically. Apollyon Masters and Eleanora Clark were two of his best students, always attentive in class and actively participating along with scoring remarkably on their tests.

"She'll be alright." Nathan assured the distressed Apollyon with a clap on his back. "I hope." He muttered under his breath.

Soon the doctor came out as both the men stood to their feet, greeting him.

"Hello, I am Dr. Liam Harold, Eleanora's physician." Dr. Harold informed. "We are just running some tests, but you can go in to see her, she is awake."

Instantly Apollyon ran in the direction of her room as Mr. Lam trailed behind, not being in a rush to affirm her well-being. Upon entering the hospital room, he was greeted by the sight of Apollyon hugging her tightly as he had his face buried in her hair. He stood in the doorway, allowing them to reconcile before entering.

"How are you feeling, Ms. Clark?" Nathan inquired with a care-free smile as she looked at him in slight surprise.

"Mr. Lam." Eleanora spoke in astonishment. "I'm feeling better now, thanking you for asking."

"That's a relief." Mr. Lam smiled. "You gave everyone quite the scare back there."

"Dr. Harold said that I had a seizure in the middle of the hallway?"

"In his arms as a matter of fact." Nathan informed while jerking his head in Apollyon's direction. "Mr. Masters informed me about your health over the past few days, and I am surprised that you didn't go to a doctor before."

"I didn't think of it as much." Eleanora confessed. "I just thought it was due to the stress and exhaustion."

Apollyon sat in the seat beside Eleanora's bed, admonishing her for giving him such a fright as Mr. Lam stood against the wall, smiling at the two. Eleanora smiled sheepishly at Apollyon as she continuously apologized and promised to listen to him the next time she wasn't doing well.

Soon the doctor came in with a serious expression as he shut the door behind him, holding the clipboard in his hands. Everything fell silent as they looked at Dr. Harold for news. The tension in the room was so tangible that a person could cut it with a knife.

"Well?" Apollyon prompted.

"You'd want to sit down." He informed Mr. Lam, who took the seat next to Apollyon's in confusion. "You're test results came back."

"And what do they say?" Eleanora inquired, looking at the doctor curiously.

Liam sighed tiredly as he looked down at the clipboard, adorning a poker face so not to give away what they were up against. Silently, he flipped through the pages, reading and re-reading the text.

"We had thought that maybe it was all due to exhaustion and stress." He started before muttering under his breath. "How we wish that was true."

"Apparently, the symptoms you stated didn't sit well with me and we ran a few tests." He continued in an even voice. "And we finally know what is wrong."

"Which is?" Mr. Lam urged for him to continue.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Clark." He spoke gently, looking in her eyes as she looked back in confusion. "It wasn't exhaustion that caused the seizure, but Stage 3 Brain Cancer."

Eleanora and everyone looked at him with wide eyes. It felt like the entire world had shifted beneath her as she numbly noticed Apollyon's hand squeeze her's as he stared at the doctor in stupefaction, a similar expression adorning Mr. Lam's features. She didn't realize she was crying until a wet sensation tingled her cheeks.

"I deeply apologize to bear such news to you, but..." He trailed silently as he took in the pain-stricken expression of his patient. Dr. Harold was no stranger to delivering such news, but never has he had to warrant such a sentence to such a youthful person who was in ideal health the last time she had come for a check up a month ago. "But...that's not all."

Eleanora looked at him with wide and tearful eyes as he could see the emotions swirling inside her eyes. Swallowing nervously, he decided that there was no way to soften the blow.

"We are deeply remorseful to inform you that due to the rapid growth of the tumor." He spoke professionally, his voice sounding monotonous to his own ears. "You have a maximum of only 18 months to live."

"I am sorry." He apologized faintly before looking down and hurriedly rushing out the room.