Thursday, October 12th, 2023. My room.

"I called the doctor and they say they have no idea what's wrong either." Mom said.

I was surprised. I thought the doctors would know more than a middle school nurse. I began coughing hoarsely again. I grabbed the trash can and hacked. More flowers. Great. 🙁 I picked up the can and showed mom. She look shocked.

"My word! This is so strange! In all my years, I've NEVER seen someone cough up flowers." Mom said, shaking her head. 

There was a knock. Mom went downstairs. Then, she came up.

"Your friends are here, sweetie." 

"Let them in." I said. 

Zoey and Chloe came in. Chloe waved and held Zoey's hand.

"Hey, Nik. What's happening?" Chloe asked.

"Sick." I replied, "Very sick."

I felt more flowers come up my throat.

"Z, can you pass me that trash can?" I asked.

Zoey did so. I coughed into the can. Flower petals fluttered to the bottom of the can. Zoey and Chloe gasped.

"Wow! You were not kidding!" Chloe said.

"It can't be. No. But, we're in the U.S." Zoey muttered. "It originates from Japan."

"What does?" I asked.

"Nikki, do you have a crush on someone?" Zoey asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Is now the best time to-"

"Nikki, this is urgent!" Zoey snapped, cutting me off. "Do you have a crush on anyone?"

I sighed. "Yes. I have a crush on Mackenzie. But she has no idea." I explained.

"It's just as I feared. Nikki...you have Hanahaki." Zoey whispered.

HanaWHAT? What the heck is Zoey wafflin' about?

"What's that?"

"It's when you have a crush on someone and they don't know it, you get really sick. You start coughing up flowers." She explained.

"Is there a cure?"

"No, the only way for it to go away, is if you confess. If you don't confess within a month..." She took a deep breath. "You die."

BUM! BUM! BUUUUM!