Chapter 22: Chapter 22

Liam's pov;

After seeing Bella rushing out of the class in a hurry, I couldn't sit still in my place. My thoughts were filled with many questions like 'why did she rush out of the class like that?' 'What would have happened that made her rush like that?' 'Where is she running to?'

Noah poked me and asked, "Do you know what happened?"

Why does he think I know everything about Bella?

I shook my head and said, "No idea."

Noah asked, "Should we go after her to find out?"

Mr Brett shouted, "Guys in the back, silence."

Evelyn turned towards us and asked, "Guys, what are you talking about?"

"About going after Isabella. I think she's in trouble. Anyways, We're going. Are you coming with us?" Noah answered her.

"Can't you see we're in the middle of the class?"

Noah turned to me and asked, "Let's go, bro."

Evelyn asked Sophia, "Liam and Noah are going after Bella. Shall we go meet her too?"

Before Sophia answered, Mr Brett shouted at us, "Students in the back! Silence!"

Noah stood in his place and said to Mr Brett, "Sir, I need to go to the bathroom!"

"Go!" He replied.

Noah looked at me and signalled me to follow him.

I asked the same excuse and came out of the class.

Noah and I stood in front of the window of the class and Noah signalled Evelyn and Sophia to come out of the class.

After Evelyn and Sophia came out of the class, we walked to Ms Devlin's since she's the one who talked with Bella before she left school.

After seeing us standing in front of her office, she asked, "What are you doing here? Don't you have classes at this hour?"

Noah asked her, "Can you tell us why Bella ran out of the class after you talked with her? What did you say to her?"

"She left to see her mother. Her mother's in the hospital."

Evelyn asked, "What happened to her mother?"

"I don't know the details. I got informed that her mother is in the hospital."

When we were about to leave, Ms Devlin asked us, "Where are you leaving?"

Noah whispered to us saying, "Don't say that we're leaving for the hospital." And turned.

She asked us, "You guys are going to the hospital, right?"

While Noah was stammering, Ms Devlin said, "Whose class was it now?"

Evelyn answered, "Mr Brett."

"Okay. I'll ask permission from Brett."

"Permission for what, mam?" Evelyn asked her.

"Aren't you leaving for the hospital?"

We left school and came to the hospital and asked the reception. With the help of the receptionist, we found Bella. We saw Bella waiting outside the intensive care unit, so we walked towards her.

"How's your mom? What happened to her?" Noah asked Bella.

Evelyn asked, "Did she get into an accident?"

Bella shook her head and stood silent without responding to us.

I walked to her and said, "What did the doctor say?"

"Some months ago, when mom fainted in her workplace, I got informed that she was admitted in the hospital. When I went to see her, she was lying on the bed unconscious. I asked the doctor about what happened to my mom. He said that my mom is in the second stage of pancreatic cancer. He said that surgery has to be performed to cure my mother. Do you know what that felt like? Hearing that my mother won't survive in this land unless she has the surgery? It felt like the whole world stopped moving around me, it took me a week to come back to my senses. When I asked around where I work about pancreatic cancer, they said pancreatic cancer's survival rate is 7.3%. My mom's life is based on a 7.3% survival rate... 7.3%..." And started crying.

Seeing her crying like that, it hurted me. I have never seen her cry like that. I sat beside her and patted her shoulder.

She continued, "The doctor said it cost more than twenty thousand dollars for the surgery. That's why I took as many jobs as possible to earn the money for the surgery. I didn't know it'd be this soon. I don't have enough money for the surgery yet. I don't know what I am going to do now. I'm going to lose my mother forever."

"Hey, don't say that. We're here for you." Noah said to her

"How much do you have on you?" Noah asked me

"Around two thousand or something." I answered him.

"I have three thousand dollars in my account." Evelyn came forward.

"Let's ask for money from whomever we know. Come on, let's go. Someone has to be here. Sophia, you stay with Bella. We'll be back with the money."

Evelyn, Noah and I left Sophia with Bella.

I asked Noah after coming out of the hospital, "How much do you have?"

Noah scratched his head and said, "Five hundred dollars."

"What did you do?"

"We just had a basketball match. Did you forget? I brought dinner for the team since we won the match."

I let out a sigh and asked him, "How are we going to do this?"

Evelyn said, "Let's head to school first."

Evelyn, Noah and I headed to the school.

After coming to school, we slowly headed to our class. Noah peeked through the door of our class to check whether Mr Brett was around. He turned to me and signalled that it's okay to go in.

"Then what are you waiting for? Open the door."

We entered the class and said the situation about Bella and asked for money. Everyone came forward and gave me the money they have.

While I was counting, Noah said, "I'll go try my basketball team. Can you handle it here?"

I nodded and he left the class.

After some time, he returned with some money in his wallet. We counted the money and came to know that we still lacked nine thousand dollars.

Noah asked me, "What shall we do now? We still need nine thousand dollars."

Harry walked to us and asked with a straight face, "How much do you want?"

"What?"

"How much does it cost for the surgery?"

"Twenty thousand dollars."

He took his phone and typed something and said while pointing at me, "I transferred twenty thousand dollars to your account."

Noah said, "No, no. We only need nine thousand dollars. So we'll take nine thousand and send the remaining back to you."

While Noah was talking with Harry, I got a call from Sophia so I came out of the class and answered it.

As soon as I took the call, Sophia bolted, "Stop collecting money. It's already paid."

"What? Who paid for the surgery?"

"Don't ask me anything."

"Why do you sound mad? Is everything alright over there?"

"Listen to me,Just stop asking everyone you know for the money" and ended the call abruptly.

I walked into the class and informed Noah and Evelyn about what Sophia talked to me. After exchanging questions between us, we gave all the money we collected from our friends.

Harry didn't come up to ask for his money back. While I was thinking about what Harry did, Noah hit on my shoulder saying, "Bro! What are you staring at? Send the money back to him."

I gave a nod and returned the money back to him.

Noah asked me, "Who paid the money for the surgery? Did Sophia tell anything about it."

"No, but she sounded mad."

Evelyn told us, "She gets mad when she's worried."

"After school, let's go and visit her." Noah said and went back to his seat.

Mr Chavez entered the class.

We all went back to our places. While Mr Chavez was taking lessons, I looked at Harry. Why did he come forward to give that much money to Bella? They're rivals, right? What's going on between them? That day, Bella called Harry as babe in front of the class but later when we asked about that, she said she was teasing to make him irritated about her. But today, Harry stood by himself and gave the money. Not just in some parts but the entire money needed for the surgery. Why did he give that money? If Harry hates Bella then why did he give that money for?

On the next day,

Bella's seat was empty. She must be with her mother.

I asked Noah, "Did you go to hospital yesterday?"

"No, I had practice so i didn't but I will today. Are you coming with me?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. Then let's go today."

Evelyn asked, "Why are you always forgetting me? I want to see Bella's mother too so count me in."

Sophia entered the class.

We three surrounded her and asked many questions but she didn't answer any of our questions and left the class.

Noah asked, "What's with her?"

Evelyn shrugged her shoulders and went back to her place.

Did something happen between Sophia and Bella?

Ms Devlin entered the class and started her class.

Sophia returned after some time and sat in her place.

Sophia didn't talk to any of us for the rest of the day and left.

Noah, Evelyn, and I came to the hospital. When we came to the ICU, I couldn't see Bella around. We asked the nurse to know Bella's mother's condition. She said that the surgery has been successful but the patient hasn't come to a conscious state. After that, we asked Bella about her. She said that she left yesterday and didn't come yet.

I took my phone and tried calling her but she didn't pick up.

"She's not picking up my call. You call her." Said to Evelyn.

After making some calls, she shook her head and said, "She's not picking my calls either."

Noah said, "Guys, guys. She may have gone home. I think we should give her some time. We don't know how she's feeling right. It's better to leave her alone for some days."

We left the hospital.

After school got over, i was riding on my bicycle

on the way home.

I got a call from Laila. I answered.

She said, "Liam, pick me up. I missed the school bus."

"Again?"

"Please, come quickly."

I ended the call and returned to the school again and looked for Laila. I spotted Laila eating something.

When I got closer to her, I saw the girl who approached me before during the event but I don't remember her name.

"Brother, you're late."

"Did you buy this?" I asked Laila.

"No, Jenny did."

Jenny it is.

I took my wallet and took the money and gave it to her.

She said, "No. It's fine. It looked like she was hungry so I bought ice cream for her."

I turned to Laila and asked, "Why did you lose the bus?"

"I didn't lose the bus. The bus left me."

"Hop on. Let's go home."

While Laila was trying to board my bicycle, Jenny helped her to get on and said, "I didn't know that she's your sister."

I ignored her and started driving the bicycle.

I asked Laila, "How many times have I said to you that don't eat anything from strangers then why did you still do it? When are you going to listen to me?"

"Jenny wasn't a stranger."

"Then who is she?"

"She's my piano teacher. She's the one who's teaching me the piano."

I stopped the bicycle suddenly and asked Laila, "What did you just say? She's your piano teacher? How come a high school girl becomes a teacher to sixth graders?"

She's older than me???

She laughed and said, "She's one of the teacher's assistants."

I let out a sigh. Wait. Why did I feel relieved after hearing that? I shook my head and said, "Let's go home."

"Liam, do you know her?"

"No."

"Then why did you get shocked?"

"Let's go home first."

She continued, "Liam, make her a girlfriend then I can have ice cream everyday."

"These days, children are more mature than us."

"Why are you talking like you're from ancient times?... Liam, if I say that I have someone I like, what will you do?"

I stopped the bicycle suddenly again.

"Ouch! What's with you today? You're hurting my head? What if it turns red?"

"What did you say before?"

"I don't remember."

"If there's anyone who you like, just go and tell him before someone does."

"What!?"

"Nothing."

"You told me to take a step. Should I really do that? What if he doesn't like me back?"

"You're in sixth grade. You still have to finish your middle school, high school, university and there's a lot of guys out there so don't get sad about that just one guy didn't like you back."

"That was cool, Liam."

I started driving home again.