Rebecca:
That's when the noises started except today there was no argument. No, nope, not shouting today. They'd most definitely made up... or my brother was just using her. Did they forget I was home already? I scrunched my face up and turned the tv up to drown it out. Thankfully, it was over when I wanted to sleep. I could get some peace and quiet- so I thought. My body ached, my eyes drooped and I looked like one of my good days during my treatment. I hadn't felt one hundred percent since. Once I'd got ready for bed, I climbed in and turned my light off. There were an awful lot of cars outside which meant a lot of people inside. Sometimes I forgot my brother was only 18 and still has parties. I never understood why so many people were his friend. I'd gotten sleepy before the loudness started but when my door burst open, I immediately was awake. A drunk couple stood awkwardly at the doorway before quickly closing my door and giggling to themselves. It was only 1am. The party was still going strong. At least I was feeling tired and with a bit of music, I was back to sleep. It went like that all night and I kept feeling worse and worse. By the morning, I felt more awful that I'd ever felt in my life. I'd turned my alarms off because I was too sick to go to school but my brother was still insisting.

Ray:
"Emily, we are leaving in ten minutes so get yourself up and out of that bed." He grunted. "If I am late to work then you'll face consequences."

Rebecca:
I could've cried right there.

I grabbed my phone and texted the first person I thought of.

Rebecca: He is making me go to school I feel
awful. Stupid parties.

Jayken: Walk to the corner and I'll pick you up

Rebecca: He is taking me though, please help

Jayken: Calm down, you're ok. If you take a slow walk round the gates I'll find you and pick you up

Rebecca: What if he sees? I feel so sick Jayken please help I feel worse

Jayken: You'll be ok. Get some comfy clothes on and do what he says, then text me when you're five minutes from school x

Rebecca
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before hauling myself out of bed. Everything was spinning including my stomach and I leant against the wall. I got to my wardrobe and changed into leggings, a plain top and a hoodie.

Ray:
"We are leaving! I need to get to work."

Rebecca:
Ray bellowed across the house. Even that made my head hurt. I put deodorant on then shuffled downstairs to my shoes. The door was wide open. The ride to school was silent but I was terrified. He was tightly gripping the wheel and his jaw was clenched. I remembered to text Jayken and did as he said when I got to school. Ray sped off.

Jayken:
"Rebecca, I'm here sweetie."

Rebecca:
Someone called. Jayken's head was poking out a car window across the road and I went across to it. Practically falling into the seat, I burst into tears. He put the window up then wrapped his arms round me and rubbed my back.

Jayken:
"You are not going home tonight and that is final. Come on, we're going to the hospital to get you sorted."

Rebecca:
He grabbed a cover from the backseat and handed it to me, then drove to the hospital as quickly as possible. I cried the whole way there. It was impossible not to. Overwhelmed with emotions, confused and sick wasn't a good combination. Elliot was waiting for us in the waiting room and led us back into a proper room.

Elliot:
"Are you feeling any worse?"

Rebecca:
He asked as I sat on the bed. I nodded lazily then let myself fall back. He took my temperature and blood pressure while Jayken held my hand. I let them do whatever they needed really, I was too sick not to. When I was in hospital, this happened so many times everyday that I barely even noticed. I wasn't surprised nor was I nervous.

Jayeken:
"Is your stomach still hurting?" I stuck my lower lip out and nodded again.

Jayken:
"Alright, Elliot's just gonna figure out where. Is it like an ache or a sharp pain?"

Rebecca:
He continued. "Sharp." I mumbled. Elliot gently lifted up my jumper and started pressing on my stomach. To say it was uncomfortable was an understatement. I jerked back when he hurt me and Jayken had to stop me from falling off the bed. He pulled my jumper back down and put me back on the bed before he sat on it with me. Being back here made me tear up, because it was so conflicting. An older doctor had performed the tests before I was diagnosed, but I'd taken such a liking to Jayken that when he graduated, he became my doctor. An older doctor had performed the tests before I was diagnosed, but I'd taken such a liking to Jayken that when he graduated, he became my doctor. So did Elliot and Robert.

Elliot:
"We need to do a blood test but that's the last thing," I nodded and let my head fall onto Jayken's shoulder.

Jayken:
"Have you eaten today?" He asked. I shook my head and he threw me an apple.

Jayken:
"Eat that, you can have a proper meal later."

Rebecca:
Without a fuss, I let Elliot do the blood test as well as give me a relaxer. They hooked me up to a bunch of wires and an IV. The sad thing was, I didn't think twice. This was just my reality, and so many others. "Is mum ok?" I asked tiredly. Jayken had climbed back onto the bed with me and I felt a lot safer. He ran his fingers through my hair and covered me with a blanket. "Is mum ok?"

Jayken:
"Shhh, go to sleep hun. Everything's fine." But his tone suggested otherwise.

When I woke up, Jayken was gone. The room was empty and an eerie tone buzzed through the air. My head still hurt but I felt a lot better... I guessed I was in a hospital now. The whole point of them was to become better. The computer had been left on which meant someone was bound to come back soon. How long had I been sleeping? When I looked down I realised I was in a hospital gown now. I was staying over night. Taking my attention away from that, I noticed there was a lot of shouting outside. Whenever I thought of shouting, I thought of when I was younger. Mum and Ray would always argue, and then I'd be left for chemo alone. For the first couple of months really, she found it hard to balance, but Robert always read me a story or Parker came to surprise me.

Ray:
"What do you mean she is staying overnight?"

Rebecca:
That would be my brother.

Elliot:
"She is too sick to go home! In fact, her being at your house is causing a lot of problems for her."

Rebecca:
I didn't know who that was. My head was still fuzzy.

Ray:
"So you're saying you can do a better job?"

Elliot:
"That's exactly what I'm saying. We aren't the ones throwing parties and arguing so much that she doesn't sleep and drag her way over to hospital every night- in the cold-just to get away from it."

Ray:
"There's nothing wrong with a walk Elliot."

Rebecca:
I could tell his fists were clenched tightly while he spoke through gritted teeth. Funny, I thought, how I knew exactly which aggressive gesture would be Ray next.

Elliot:
"It is when your body has been through torture like hers! Her coat is too small for her, it's a long way from school to here, and you know she has weaker bones and a weak immune system!" Elliot cried.

Ray:
"Why don't we ask Rebecca what she thinks?"

Rebecca:
I froze. I considered pretending to sleep, but Elliot would definitely know. Ray would hate me and if I had to go home with him then I was screwed. The door burst open, startling me. Elliot shot me a sympathetic smile while Ray stormed over to my bed.

Ray:
"Rebecca, you like it with me right? It's much better than living with Elliot isn't it."

Rebecca:
I stayed silent and looked down.

Ray:
"Did you hear me Rebecca? You don't want to stay with Elliot, do you?" Gruffly, coming closer to my face. I gulped and leant back, reaching for Elliot's hand.

Rebecca:
"A-actually I do want to stay with Elliot." I mumbled. I turned my shaking body away from him, not wanting to see the fury ignite in his eyes.

Ray:
"Fine. Mum gave you the choice to decide who you'd be given to, but you won't be hearing much from me."He huffed. Elliot glared at him.

Rebecca:
Their hidden conversation woke me up, a burst of energy bolting through my body. No IV was attached to me so I sat up, biting my lip. "I'm not an object to be given away Ray, what is wrong with you! You don't speak to me anyway, and what do you mean mum gave me a choice? She told me to stay with you, I didn't get to choose," I asked. Elliot closed his eyes and went to speak but Ray got in first.

Ray:
"Well she wrote a will didn't she? That tells us what to do with her money and everything once she's."

Rebecca:
"She's dead?" I choked, looking at Elliot. He bit his lip and nodded. I turned to Ray, waiting for him to say something. To be sorry. To be upset. To be nice. It was his mum too.But when a smirk appeared, I slapped his face; it sure felt good. All this anger that had built up inside of me for years, I could finally let it out. Since I was no longer attached to any wires, I slowly climbed out of the bed. Elliot was quickly calling someone on the phone but I didn't care. I didn't care for anything right now. So much fire pulsed through my veins, rushing so much I felt slightly dizzy. "You ignored me when I was sick, both times!" I said, hitting away the arm that he went to put on my shoulder. "You've ignored me while mum has been in hospital, just letting me come here every night."

Ray:
"That was your choice." He said

Rebecca:
"But it wasn't! If it wasn't so loud that I couldn't do my homework to please you then I wouldn't have had to come! If you didn't throw so many parties that stopped me sleeping then I wouldn't have had to come! If you would've brought me to the hospital and actually let me speak to you,then maybe I wouldn't be such a mess right now." I shouted. He looked taken aback for a second but again, a small smirk came onto his face. It was like the energy had popped, bursting over Ray. Elliot might witness something horrible. Ray scared me sometimes, and he had that look in his eye. Fury.

Ray:
"You're such a brat Emily, you think everything is about you." He chuckled, lightly pushing my shoulder. I grabbed his arm and threw it away from me.

Ray:
"You cost so much money, I couldn't even get an iPad for my birthday." He said simply.

Rebecca:
I couldn't tell if he was being serious or not. Was he telling me...he was. "I'm an actual human, you know, and me living and getting the treatment is so high up the list that you can't even see getting an iPad for your birthday as a priority. Leave me alone." I sobbed, pushing him back. He went to speak but just closed his mouth again. Jayken and Robert came into the room, Robert guiding me out of the room as quickly as possible. I tried to resist but he held me tightly, everyone staring. The hospital floor was freezing on my bare feet while we walked to his office. He kept his hand securely on my back the whole walk. It was a blur.