HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY Lakyaj

I said I'd give you a chapter as a present.

I spoil you fuckers honestly.

---

"Brynn? Brynn?"

"I- I need to be sick," she muttered as she backed up to the clear wall behind, taking a big inhale once her back made contact with it.

Ezra stuttered, his mouth opening and closing so many times. "A bucket," he said, more to himself, reaching up to the shelf behind him and pulling a medium-sized black one out. "A bucket, Brynn?"

Brynn nodded. Instead of talking, her mouth occupied itself with holding down gags of sour, acidic sick. Her head was down as her lips wobbled, clearly struggling to hold it in.

Ezra stood still, the bucket in both of his hands as he watched Brynn until she eventually retched forward. The bucket was brought up under her chin as last nights went inside of it, as did far too much stomach acid.

The pieces of her hair were held back by Ezra's left hand, his right one holding the bucket up. He watched with a furrowed face.

Brynn finished, moving her head away the bucket and grimacing at the damage she'd made. Her head hit the back of the wall, her blurry vision not getting any better. She whimpered at the stabbing pains in her stomach, "please go away, Ezra."

The bucket was placed down and slid away, "no."

She whined quietly, her back going down the wall, the beige jumper she was wearing bunching up to let cold air hit the bottom of her back and the hood scrunching up just above her neck.

"I can't breathe-" she started and if that didn't make Ezra's stomach drop. He kneeled down in front of her, making her hold her knees closer to her chest.

"Brynn-"

"I want Brayden. I want Callan," she pleaded, rubbing her right hand over her chest mindlessly.

"I don't want you."

The hands hovering over Brynn froze. He looked at her face, but her eyes were shut tightly, visible tears coming through the closed lids.

Ezra inhaled sharply and stood back up, reaching into his back pocket for his phone. He pressed it against his right ear after pressing on it a few times. His eyes never left his hyperventilating sister, whose shoulders felt number and legs felt cramped up.

The person he was calling picked up after three rings, "hello?"

"Brayden," Ezra got out.

Brynn didn't hear much of what Ezra was saying, the ringing was so loud. Like a high pitched screaming inside the cells of her brain making sure it hit every nook and cranny.

She did hear some of Ezra's speech when he took a small step forward, still speaking to the person on the other end.

"I- I don't know, Brayden. She yelled and then threw up and she looks really sick. I don't know what to do Brayden. What do I do? She's asking for you and Callan, she doesn't want me."

Brayden said something which made Ezra nod and then kneel down hesitantly in front of Brynn. He removed his phone from his ear and brought it out slowly to Brynn's left ear.

His left hand was placed on the right side of her face as he moved her head closer to the phone to ensure it would stay there and she could hear Brayden on the line.

Brynn could hear Brayden as he spoke, sounding anything, but calm. "Brynn? Brynn, are you alright, sweetheart?"

Every syllable which came out intensified the ringing. The girl scrunched her eyes shut harder, shaking her head fiercely with her mouth upturning in a grimace.

Ezra kept the phone there, waiting for her to say something. When she didn't, he put the phone back to his ear, "she's not speaking. She said she can't breathe, Brayden. What am I supposed to do?"

Three seconds passed. "What? Why can't I take her to the medic? Why can't you treat her?"

Two seconds passed before Ezra swallowed and nodded, "alright. I'll see you there." His phone was placed on the floor to his right.

He got closer, "Brynn?" She didn't answer although her lips moved in an incoherent way. Ezra's eyes darkened watching the movement, her lips were blue.

"Brynn, we've got to go to the hospital, okay?" The girl shook her head rapidly. "Yes, we have to. It's closer. You're going to the hospital."

Her hands came to either side of her head when he tried to reach out. "Don't- don't touch me," she wheezed.

"You're going to the hospital, Brynn," Ezra responded firmly and reaching out once again, ignoring her squirms.

His right arm looped around her torso, lifting her up to hold her like a child. Right arm underneath her thighs and left hand forcing her head into his neck where he could feel the heat radiating off her. His black jacket was picked up from the door handle it was on and it was placed over the girl with the hood over her head.

Ezra left the room and went through the full main studio. Brynn felt even more queasy with how fast he was moving, but she was not going to throw up all over Ezra's shoulder.

"Stop moving," Ezra muttered as Brynn tried her best, once again, to wriggle out of his hold because she didn't need the hospital.

The passenger side to Ezra's car was opened by him and Brynn was placed on the seat, her seatbelt being done for her. I can do it myself.

She was leaned lazily in the seat with no strength to get comfortable, her head had to be titled on the seat belt to keep it up properly.

Hardly anything was comprehended. Not Ezra getting in on his side. Not the car moving at a speed which couldn't be legal. Not her vision becoming nothing and not the fact that she knew she was having a panic attack, but couldn't find it in her to try and regulate her breathing.

"Brynn?" Ezra's voice translated to ringing.

His eyes moved from the road to Brynn and back and forth and back and forth until they stopped just on Brynn who looked like she wasn't responding at all. "Brynn?"

Brynn's eyes might have been closed, but she could see the road ahead. More particularly, she could see that Ezra's car was gradually driving into the other side of the road.

"Watch out," she got out weakly, trying to point her finger as fast as she could. A trucks' lights glared directly into the car and her eyes as the loud horn from the truck blared. Ezra's concentration from her to his driving was immediate, his eyes expanding.

His right arm flew out in front of Brynn's chest whilst he swerved back to the right side of the road, just as the truck swerved too. The truck kept driving afterwards, back on the road as normal. Ezra's car, on the other hand, stayed where it was- slightly diagonal on the road.

His chest heaved as he breathed heavily and made an angered noise, putting his head in his hands.

He lifted his head up two inches above his hands and looked towards Brynn, checking her over. She still looked out of it, dazed. Eyes barely open and skin pale.

His right hand gripped her shoulder, "it's alright, it's alright."

The car started again, his hand not letting up its grip. He took a deep breath out, "it's alright."

Pulling up to the hospital, Ezra didn't even park the car, leaving it at the front entrance drive-through after he got Brynn out the car, not sure whether or not it was a good thing that she wasn't fighting back.

"I need a doctor, now," he demanded the lady at the desk.

Her eyes stayed on the computer boredly, "please give your name and contact details then take a seat in our waiting room on your right."

Ezra growled, stepping back from the desk and looking into the corridor to the right. It was long and looked like it led to where patients would be treated. He started walking down it.

The lady looked up when he started walking, paying no mind and going back to the computer. Then her head and self shot back up as he went out of her view down the hallway. "Wait! You can't just go-"

"Help! I need help!" Ezra called out, having the entire hallways' attention.

Two nurses in purple scrubs pulled out one of the gurneys which rested against the walls. The man and woman wheeled it to where Ezra was, helping him place Brynn on the flat surface. The woman examined Brynn's physical state and the man removed the coat from under her, passing it back to Ezra who took it thoughtlessly.

"Can you tell us what happened, sir?" the man asked, taking the stethoscope from his neck.

"She just threw up and she hasn't been speaking properly. What's wrong with her?"

"We'll find out, sir, okay?" the woman stated, placing her hands on either side of Brynn's face. Ezra watched, making sure they were doing it right. "What's her name?"

"Brynn," he answered, "what's wrong with her?"

"Age?"

"Twelve. Is she going to be okay?"

"We don't know, sir. Does she have any allergies you're aware of?"

"Uhm, she's allergic to blueberries and scented sprays give her skin a reaction, but she hasn't been anywhere those."

"Okay, any more medical problems, such as asthma?"

"She has eczema."

"Any eating problems?"

Ezra paused.

"Sir?"

"She's," he started, giving the two nurses a once over and looking back down the Brynn, "she's not good with food. But she's never thrown it up before-"

"What's going on?" another voice sounded, belonging to an older man wearing scrubs and holding a clipboard in his hands. The clipboard was placed at the end of the gurney by Brynn's feet straight away.

"This is Brynn, sorry what did you say was her last name?"

"Verlice." How was that important?

The three nurses looked up, breaths hitching, not focusing for a few seconds before the one who held the clipboard asked, "what's the situation?"

The woman gulped, as did the man, focusing their attention back on Brynn. The gurney had now started moving, being wheeled god knows where. Ezra followed it.

"Brynn Verlice, twelve years old. Started throwing up and is having trouble with speech. No indications of an allergic reaction or-"

Ezra couldn't catch the rest of her explanation as they went through some double doors; he wasn't able to follow properly, the male nurse leaving the gurney's side to hold his hands out in front of Ezra.

Ezra's chest made contact with them, causing the nurse to flinch back into the swinging double doors, wincing when one hit his back. "Sir, I'm afraid I can't let you past here. Patients only."

The man soon found Ezra towering over him, "what?"

He gulped, "I'm sorry, it's against our policy. Patient safety."

"Move."

"We need you to sign some forms at the front, if you can Mr Verlice. I promise that the second Brynn is placed into a room-"

"A private room."

"Yes, a private room, of course sir. The second we have her in one, you can come and see her."

Ezra looked to the doors which were now fully shut, not sure what to do. He sighed angrily and nodded, letting the nurse go back through the doors, leaving Ezra to stand there alone.

He remained staring through the doors as they swung, even staring once they'd stopped swinging. His hands were dropped, both of them gripping his jacket.

Going back to the front desk, after staring for what felt like hours, was what he did next. The lady had sat back down, shuffling some paperwork. She placed the papers on the counter along with a pen on top, keeping her head down and mouth shut.

Ezra took the pen and filled out the necessary details, slamming it back down and storming into the waiting room on the right. He dumped himself down on one of the chairs, slouching and not bothering to stop his right leg bouncing up and down.

An elderly man next to him reading the newspaper cleared his throat. He cleared it again six seconds later. Ezra noticed, knowing his bouncing leg was pestering the man. He bounced it harder.

Next to him, the older man cleared his throat again, louder. Ezra's head spun around to him, "you mind?" he sneered.

The man's face morphed into a fearful expression. Flinching, he stood up and walked to go find another seat. Ezra glared as he looked back at his unsurely, fucking crank.

"Ezra?"

A hurried voice entered the waiting room area; Brayden, still in his work clothes. In the back, Ezra could see Zayne ordering something of the reception lady, Callan doing the same.

"Where is she?" Brayden rushed out, looking around the waiting room as if expecting Brynn to be there.

"She's down there," Ezra reached his right arm out to indicate to the hallway he was just down a few minutes ago. "But they wouldn't let me past-"

Brayden had already started down the hallway. He passed through the doors, the same nurse that stopped Ezra trying to stop him. "Wait, sir-"

"Fucking move," Brayden grunted, swerving the hands that tried to halt him. He halted himself a few steps ahead, "Brynn Verlice. Where is she?"

The nurse looked unsure and fumbled over words. Brayden stepped forward once. "Where?"

"Room fifty six, down the hallway to your left," the man stated, Brayden going before he finished his sentence.

---

"What happened?"

Callan, Zayne and Ezra sat in the waiting room. They have been for one hour and every second that passed caused more antsiness in them.

Callan had his head in his hands, Ezra's leg continuously bounced and Zayne stared straight ahead with a blank face. Callan had asked Ezra the question.

"I don't know," Ezra muttered. "We were at the studio and looking for something in the storage closet and she just needed to throw up. She threw up in a bucket and got really pale, then she sat down and started blacking out."

Callan choked a sigh into his hands. Silence reigning over the trio afterwards.

Ezra's leg had been bouncing relentlessly for the past hour and did so five minutes after he spoke. Zayne brought his elbows up to the arms of his chair, linking them over his chest.

"No."

Callan stopped rubbing his forehead roughly, waiting for Zayne to elaborate, however he didn't. He moved his head away from hands, letting them drop in between his knees.

Ezra, who was previously looking down the hallway Brayden went down over an hour ago, turned his head to Zayne's figure. His leg stopped bouncing. "What?"

Zayne's eyes moved from his linked hands to Ezra's face. "No. You're lying."

Ezra tensed his jaw and his hands gripped the ends of the chair arms. "How exactly am I lying, Zayne? Were you there?"

"You upset her. It didn't just happen."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Ezra sat up fully in his chair. Callan's eyes darted between the two of them, warily.

"You know what the fuck I'm talking about Ezra," Zayne responded, standing up. "Tell me, did your insufferable attitude towards our younger sister finally hit its peak? Regretting those comments, yet, Ezra?"

Ezra stood up, coming up in front of Zayne who was unfazed. "Bold words from someone who only speaks to his twelve year old sister when necessary. Tell me, Zayne, when's the last time you actually spoke to her about something she was interested in? Hm?"

"When was the last time you spoke to her like a human?" Zayne asked, face getting closer to Ezra's.

"At least I see her once a day," the latter growled out, knowing it wasn't the best argument, yet it was all he could think of. Zayne's face remained straight compared to his enraged one.

"At least I'm not the one who hospitalised her with my malicious behaviour." Zayne took a deep breath after speaking.

Ezra was forced to take a sharp breath in and move pack three inches.

Callan, from where he was still sat, looked at Zayne unbelievably, mouth agape. His left hand which was stroking his jawline stopped.

Ezra kept his eyes on Zayne. Slowly, his head started nodding as his mouth upturned into a look which could be described as disgust.

"At least I didn't leave her to live with an abusive guardian for four years."

Zayne's face unhardened.

Callan had heard enough. "Hey!" he bellowed, standing up and getting between the two, facing Ezra, going to say something.

"Parents or guardians of Brynn Verlice?"

This had the trio's attention. Callan was the first to walk forward immediately. "Yes? What's going on? Is she okay?" he interrogated the doctor.

The man was wearing a white, long-sleeved doctors' gown with white scrubs underneath. He had dark ginger hair and brown eyes and a black clipboard was in his hands over his chest, a nervous expression was plastered on his features. "I think we need to discuss some things."

That didn't make Callan feel any better. He reluctantly sat back in his seat, followed by Zayne and Ezra who sat on the same side- Ezra sitting on the other side of Callan, away from Zayne.

The doctor sat on the row of seats opposite them, clipboard still held firmly in his right hand. He sighed, "have any of you noticed a problem between Brynn and food? Any eating difficulties?"

Callan shook his head the most, "what? No, why?"

The doctor looked between them and then down towards the clipboard. "Brynn is showing indications of not having a healthy relationship with food. Has she been eating enough meals a day?"

"Yes," Callan replied, a little outraged at the insinuation that they weren't feeding her properly.

"Is she keeping those down?"

"Of course she is."

"Does she leave after every meal?"

"Well, yes, but only to her..." Callan trailed off, his face and stomach dropping at the same time.

"What? She's been throwing up her food, is that what you're telling me?" he inquired, voice rising.

"Her body is showing signs of that, yes," the doctor paused for two seconds, "I'm sorry I have to ask this-"

"Then don't," Ezra scowled from his spot.

"Ezra," Callan warned, waiting the doctor to say more. "What?"

"But has Brynn ever been in a situation where her daily food and nutrition intake was low? Your brother has told me that she hasn't been with you for so long. Do you know what her living condition were like before?" The three stayed still, then looked at each other.

The doctor shut his mouth, then looked back down to his clipboard. "If so, then an immediate change to a healthy diet would cause such behaviour as throwing up. Your brother also told me she has anxiety which would contribute too. Constantly being anxious about when she next has to eat knowing that she will most likely throw it up."

"Oh my god, we've-" Callan swallowed, "we've been making her throw up?"

The doctor hesitated, "not exactly. Her body is just rejecting large amounts of food which she's not used to which we can treat with a strict diet plan. It's being made as we speak."

"Take us to her room," Zayne ordered, standing up. The man in front of him stood quickly, "right away."

---

Brayden sat in the visitor's seat to the right of Brynn's hospital bed, right elbow on the chair arm and head leaning on his right hand.

Callan sat in the seat on the other side in a similar position but his legs were spread out in front, partly under the hospital bed. Zayne stood at the end of said bed with his hands on the bed frame, watching Brynn's unmoving figure and Ezra leaned against the wall next to the door with his eyes on his feet.

It had been silent for a while. The only sounds were Brynn's monitor and the occasional shuffle of bed sheets from whenever she moved the tiniest amount, which caused them all to raise their head.

"I'm going to call Silas," Zayne informed, releasing his hands from the bed and walking towards the room's closed door.

Once he'd left and the door closed, the room stayed exact the same. Quiet.

Until Callan whispered, "this is all our faults."

Nobody disagreed with him.

Ezra pushed himself off the wall, leaving the room too.

---

Sometimes I'd read books and I'd see all the comments and votes and reads and I'd think, "wow that author must be so happy and feel so loved", and now I actually have what they have and the feeling is truly indescribable, it makes me cry. Thank you.

Over 370K reads and 700 followers is absolutely unbelievable.

<3