Chapter 68: The Aftermath

The auditorium erupted into chaos the moment Jace's body hit the stage floor. "Jace!" Miranda was the first to reach him, dropping to her knees beside him. His face was pale, his breathing shallow, and his body unnervingly still. Dorah's heart pounded. "What the hell? Jace, wake up!" Ronald and Maxwell rushed forward while Jason stood frozen for a second before snapping into action. "We need to get him to the clinic," Maxwell said, already reaching down to lift Jace. "I'll help," Jason added, pushing aside his shock. "Put him on my back," Mr Alfred said squatting before them, and they did as being told. Dorah's hands trembled as she hovered near Jace's head. "Be careful. Don't jostle him too much." "He's not made of glass," Ronald muttered, though his voice lacked its usual teasing tone. They moved as quickly as they could, making their way out of the auditorium and through the empty halls. The lunch bell had rung earlier, and most students were scattered around the campus, eating or socializing. A few turned to stare as the group hurried past, but no one stopped them. They all just stood wondering what was up. Everyone started murmuring, seeing Jace was on Mr Alfred's back and unconscious. "I should've stopped him," Dorah muttered, mostly to herself. "He was determined," Ronald replied. "None of us could've stopped him." "That doesn't mean we should've let him do it!" Dorah shot back, frustration evident in her voice. "We can't keep protecting him forever," Maxwell said. "He has to face this sooner or later." Miranda bit her lip, unsure of what to say. She understood where both sides were coming from, but at that moment, all she cared about was Jace waking up. After what felt like an eternity, they reached the school's private clinic. Maxwell nudged the door open with his shoulder, and they carefully laid Jace on the examination bed. A nurse hurried over, followed closely by Dr. Evans, the school's medical officer. "What happened?" the doctor asked, already checking Jace's pulse. "He fainted," Mr Alfred answered quickly. "He was trying to go on stage...." Miranda said. "And he has a phobia of it," Dorah added, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. Dr. Evans frowned but didn't ask further questions. "Step back," he instructed as he adjusted the IV drip stand. "He needs to rest. It looks like a panic-induced fainting spell. His blood pressure is a little low, but he should wake up soon." They all exhaled in relief. "So, he's okay?" Mr Alfred asked, worriedly. "For now, yes," the doctor said. "But he needs to take it easy." Dorah paced at the foot of the bed. "I knew this was a bad idea." "You all need to leave so he can rest well without disturbance," Mr Evans said, turning his gaze around the room. "I'll stay with him," Miranda said immediately, her voice firm. Dr. Evans nodded. "That's fine. As long as you're not much in here. He'll probably wake up within the next hour." Ronald sighed. "We should let him rest." One by one, the others left, murmuring small reassurances as they stepped out. Eventually, it was just Miranda and Jace in the quiet room. She pulled a chair closer to his bed and sat down, watching the slow rise and fall of his chest. His usual confident expression was gone, replaced by an unsettling stillness. Minutes passed. Then an hour. Then another. Miranda lost track of time as she sat there, the steady beeping of the heart monitor the only sound in the room. Then, finally, Jace stirred. She sat up straight. "Jace?" she said softly, leaning forward. His eyelids fluttered, and he let out a faint groan. Slowly, his eyes opened, hazy and unfocused at first. Then they settled on her. Miranda let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "You scared me," she admitted. Jace blinked, then tried to sit up, but she quickly placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't. Just rest." He swallowed. "Did I... faint?" He asked, checking out the room. She gave him a look. "What do you think?" Jace sighed and ran a hand over his face. "I was doing fine at first. Then..." His voice trailed off, and his hand clenched into a fist. Miranda squeezed his other hand. "It's okay." "No, it's not. I thought I was ready. I wanted to be ready." He let out a humorless chuckle. "You are trying," she reminded him. "That's what matters." He shook his head. "It's not enough." Miranda stayed quiet for a moment, then said, "You don't have to prove anything to anyone, Jace." His jaw tightened. "I do. To myself." She hesitated before asking, "Is it because of your mom?" His entire body stiffened. "...Yeah." His voice was barely above a whisper. Miranda gently squeezed his hand again. "Then take your time. No one's rushing you." Jace exhaled, closing his eyes for a moment. "I don't want to be stuck like this forever." "You won't be." For the first time since waking up, he looked at her, really looked at her. "You believe that?" She nodded. "Yeah. I do." He sighed, then, very softly, said, "Thanks, Mira." She gave him a small smile. "Always." A comfortable silence settled between them, but Miranda could still see the frustration in his eyes. The door creaked open, breaking the quiet atmosphere. "Well, well, look who's still alive," Jason teased as he walked in with the others. Jace groaned. "I faint once, and you guys are already making jokes?" "Of course," Ronald said. "That's how we cope with trauma." Dorah crossed her arms, raising a brow. "So, how's the big star feeling now?" Jace rolled his eyes. "Like I got hit by a truck." Maxwell smirked. "A stage fright induced truck." "Not helping," Jace muttered. Emma grinned. "You should've seen the way Miranda was hovering over you like a mother hen." Miranda glared. "Excuse me?" "You were practically holding his hand like he was your sickly husband," Jason added, earning a glare from both Miranda and Jace. Ronald snickered. "If only you guys had taken a picture." "Get out," Jace said, throwing a pillow at him. Dorah finally chuckled, shaking her head. "Alright, enough teasing. Let's get you out of here." "Wait, I can leave?" Jace asked, looking at the others in confusion. Miranda nodded. "The doctor said you just need rest. No need to stay overnight." Jason clapped him on the back. "Good. You'd just get bored lying here." "Yeah, no kidding." Jace sighed, relieved. "Come on," Ronald said. "Let's go home." Jace pushed himself up carefully, wincing as his head spun slightly. Miranda was at his side in an instant. "Easy," she murmured. "I'm fine," Jace insisted, though his body protested as he stood up. Dorah raised a brow, "Sure you are." Jace ignored her and let out a deep breath. "Let's go." They all walked together out of the clinic, the cool evening air brushing against Jace's skin as they stepped outside. "Do you need me to follow you home?" Miranda asked. "Nah. I'll be fine." Jace shook his head. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't faint on the way home." Jason smirked. Jace shot him a glare, and the group laughed. As they walked down the path leading toward the school gates, the tension of the day finally began to fade, replaced by the comfort of friendship. For now, Jace wasn't alone. And somehow, that made everything feel just a little easier.