When the Memory Fades

I bit down hard, my eyes glued to the medicine in Yvonne’s hand.

"Yvonne, give it back to me!"

She seemed to notice how much pain I was in. She opened the bottle, took out two pills, stepped back, and taunted, "Summer, if you crawl over here and beg, I might just give them back to you."

Not many people would be able to put up with that kind of teasing, especially when my head was throbbing with as much pain as it was.

Suddenly, I was so angry I could not think straight. I let out a roar and lunged for the medicine.

However, Yvonne tossed all my medicine into the garden fountain as she stepped back. I could not tell if it was an accident or deliberate.

Yvonne looked sorry for a moment, but her eyes were still full of challenge.

Just as I was about to react, I was shoved hard and slapped across the face.

My mind went completely blank.

Ethan was furious. "Summer, have you lost your mind? How could you bully Yvonne when we weren't here?"

Nelson and Jasper hurried to Yvonne, checking her for any wounds. When they saw a scratch on her hand, they got really worried and yelled, "Ethan! Forget about her and come see Yvonne's hand. She's bleeding!"

Ethan got flustered and rushed to her side.

Nelson glared at me, his voice threatening, "Summer, Yvonne is training to be a doctor! If her hand gets hurt because of you, you won't be staying here any longer! Now, go to your room and think about what you've done!"

My head was throbbing terribly, and I felt so unfairly treated that I could not stop myself from speaking up, "She threw my medicine into the water on purpose! Don't you realize that I could die without it?"

Jasper's lips twisted into a sneer. "Summer, you'd say anything to get our attention, even bad things about yourself. Should I be impressed?"

Ethan let out a cold huff. "You've really let us down."

They said their piece and left with Yvonne, not even sparing me a glance.

I curled up on the floor, overcome with pain, and my tears finally spilled over.

The special medicine could slow down the tumor’s growth in my brain, but it was hard to get.

If I tried to get it again, it might be too late for me.

Fighting through the feeling that my head was going to burst, I managed to call my aunt. I sobbed, "Aunt, I need to change my flight to tomorrow. Please, can you arrange for the surgery right away?"

I stumbled back to my room, swallowed a bunch of painkillers, and then, with my suitcase in hand, headed for the airport.

Along the way, the three brothers messaged me, telling me to apologize to Yvonne.

I bore the pain and blocked each of their contacts.

The long flight was only bearable with the help of the painkillers.

When I arrived, Aunt did not ask many questions. She just rushed me to the hospital.

Right before I was wheeled into surgery, my phone would not stop ringing.

Aunt, with tears streaming down her face and anger in her heart, declined every call for me.

I held Aunt's hand, weak yet managing a smile. "Aunt, please don't be mad.

"The moment I chose to have surgery abroad, I made up my mind. I don't need them in my life anymore."