A Talk

"Hmmm, your eyes are relatively unresponsive," the nurse commented as she held the tiny torchlight, making the light glare into my left eye. "They are also reddened. Alright, it checks out. There are some pills at the back so wait a sec while I grab them."

She switched the decide off and removed her gloved fingers from my eyes, then she strode to the back where some blue baskets and containers lay on top of the shelves.

I was inside the nurse's office. It was a medium-sized cream-painted room with the left side of it, near the door, occupied by a row of three white beds separated by a white curtain wall.

The right side had the nurse's table, a fairly large circular table, with all sorts of supplies and paperwork standing on top of it.

The front side of the room, adjacent to the last bed, was sprawling with shoulder-length wooden shelves that extended to cover the entire wall on my right and the wall behind me.

Windows covered the left and right sides of it, just above the shelves and the bed. The left ones were closed while the right ones were opened to allow fresh air to wander inside the room.

It was a nice and clean empty room that smelled relatively okay, only spiced with the odor of antiseptics and spirits.

And quiet too with only the occasional muffled sounds of students loitering about in the hallway. It was a perfect place to get some sleep and think...

I turned my head to look in front of me as I heard a rattling sound, like tiny objects shaking in a container. The nurse was coming back with an orange can of pills and a bottle of water.

The nurse was a dark-skinned young woman, probably in her late twenties, with curly long that fell on her shoulders, black eyes like orbs sheltered underneath black straight brows, a round face, thin red glossy lips, and a small nose.

She was wearing a pink blouse that highlighted her firm round breasts with a white lab coat on top of it, blue trousers that brought out her curves, and black heels that made her taller than she really was.

All in all, she was an attractive lady who looked like she came fresh out of college, and with her body and looks, I was sure most of the teachers here were giving her a hard time, not counting the horny teenagers who probably did explicit things with her face in mind...

"Here, just take two of them and you'll be alright before you know it." She said with a gentle smile as she stopped near me, her perfume filling up my nose as she extended her hands to me.

"Thanks." I nodded with a smile and took them. I put the water down on the table and opened the can to pour two white circular pills into my palm then I popped it into my mouth while she left my side to sit down on her seat in front of me.

I put the can down after closing the top, took the bottle of water, squeezed and removed the top with my palm, and then washed the pills on my tongue down with it. I gulped and then emptied the bottle of its contents, hydrating and refreshing myself.

"Can I pick any of the beds?" I removed my handkerchief to wipe my lips of the beads of water stuck on it and asked politely, the empty bottle in hand.

"Yes, pick anyone you want," She looked up from her notebook and answered casually, I nodded. "Oh, and what's your name?"

"Xander Andersen." I turned and walked to the bin with the recycle symbol etched on it, on the left side of the white door, and put the bottle inside.

"Andersen? Like the principal?" She asked, her tone showing her surprise as I turned.

"...Yeah, I guess." I shrugged at her behavior and walked towards the last bed in the room which was also the most private.

I was almost a hundred percent sure she was about to fawn over me in hopes of making it into the good books of my father but frankly, I wasn't in the mood for any of that bullshit...

"I guess I'd have to let him know that you're here. Do you want anything? Or is there anything I can help you with?" I heard her stand up as she asked, her tone as if we were already friends.

"I'm counting on that. And no, I'm good." I replied, almost sighing as I hopped into the well-laid bedspread with a clean white bedsheet.

It was normal, not hard not soft, but it was comfortable and smelled nice, like flowers. I shifted myself into a fetal position, my head on the soft white pillow, and closed my eyes as I heard the nurse sit down while mouthing something.

Thoughts ran laps across my head as I lay on the bed, trying to drift into sleep. I was thinking of how to get Claire away from Brody.

You'd think that would be easy but from what I remembered, Claire was crushing on the guy so words weren't an option.

And as much as I wanted to bash that guy's innocent face in, that would be a stupid move.

The guy was nearly twice my size and weight, and even if I did, it'd make him look like a victim and me the bully because there was nothing I had that could prove he was a scumbag.

Hell, I'd even get arrested if Murphy's law decided to fuck me at that instance. So the only thing I could do was be a good friend and warn her about him, which won't work, and then go with her to the bonfire to make sure nothing happens.

If something did happen...I would make it a daily routine to make his life a living hell and trust me, I knew exactly how to ruin the guy's life and make it topple down like a deck of cards...

With these thoughts in mind, my mind drifted away and before I knew it, I was fast asleep...

Suddenly, a loud familiar sound blared into my ears, vibrating my eardrums and I stirred up as my eyes fluttered open...

"...Is it time already?" My eyes squinted and I let out lazily, raising my body on the bed to a sitting position.

I rubbed my eyes and looked to my right but my view was obscured by the curtain so I could look ahead, out of the window to see the orange sky.

A low yawn came out of my mouth, but it wasn't the tired kind. I was totally energized, my body at ease, and all my residual headaches were gone. How long was I out?

I shifted myself so that I was seated at the edge of the bed, my feet hanging, and then dipped my feet into my shoes.

I bent down to lace them and then rose my whole body up from the bed, walking out of the bed area to the central table where the nurse was.

Something caught my eye so I turned to my right and saw a guy asleep on the bed right next to the bed I was in. I could also hear the muffled but excited sounds of the students walking about, in the hallway just outside the room.

Huh, I must've been really tired to sleep till school was over. Well, now, I didn't have to go back to class and sit through hours of meaningless torture. The sleep was a total win...

"Oh, Xander you're awake. Your dad dropped by to check up on you thirty minutes ago while you were gone. He was really worried about you." The nurse turned and said with a smile as I approached her. She was still seated behind the table writing something, probably reports.

"I see. Well, thanks again for your help," I flashed her a smile as I took my bag from the end of the table and slung it to my back. "I'll see you later." I waved at her and walked out of the room after catching her smile.

It was time to talk to Claire...

As I treaded the noisy hallway, moving towards the exit while passing the other students, I took out my phone from my left pocket using my left hand and switched it on.

After a few seconds, the familiar wallpaper showed, and by pressing the keys with my finger, I went to the messaging app.

Just as I was about to type a message, the phone vibrated in my palm and I saw a message from Claire.

Claire: Meet me at the field.

The moment I read it, I started typing a reply. My shoulder nearly bumped into a fat guy but I managed to dodge him by stepping to my left.

Me: I'll be there in a minute.

I sent the reply and after confirming it had been sent, I made the screen go off and slipped it into my pocket. I grabbed the arms of the bag, slightly pulling it above my waist, and increased my stride.

I descended the staircase and in no time, I got out of the main building. The cold wind kissed my face, nearly making my hair flutter and I walked in the direction of the football field, filling my lungs with the cold air.

I arrived at the entrance and almost instantly, my eyes fell on Claire who was standing by it, wearing her cheerleading outfit. Her beautiful blonde hair was lying on her right shoulder, tied with a small ribbon into a ponytail.

"Hey." I greeted as I closed the distance between us, a smile on my face.

"Hi, I didn't think you'd be here this fast." She smiled brightly in response and remarked as I stopped next to her.

"Who am I to delay when the princess calls?" I shrugged, a smirk on my face that made her shake her head.

"Don't call me that. C'mon, we need to talk." She looked at me and said quietly, her tone a little weird.

"Sure, lead the way...Princess." I stepped aside and gestured with my hands to let her through, like how noblemen did in the movies.

She rolled her eyes, grabbed my hand, and then we started walking towards the green field. Her cheerleader teammates, holding pompoms, were positioning themselves on one side of it, while some football players were standing on the other side, decked in their training gear.

Claire and I skipped across the field, amidst the shouts of the players as they started running laps and the squeals of the cheerleaders as they started doing their thing.

Some of them were staring at us as we walked hand in hand towards the stands but we ignored them and sat on the close seats the moment we reached, next to each other.

An awkward silence hung around us as no one spoke, our eyes looking at the field in front of us. This time I wasn't going to speak first...

"...Fine, if you won't talk then tell me what the whole with Brody was all about." She turned to look at me and said, as if exasperated.

"What do you want to know?" I turned to look at her and asked stoically, and this made her furrow her eyebrows.

"For starters, why did it look like you were this close to punching his face? Do you guys have some history together I don't know about?" She questioned, her voice laced with curiosity but I could see the worry in her eyes.

"Answer this question first. How do you feel about him? Please be honest." I looked into her eyes and asked seriously with no change of expression on my face, my voice almost a whisper.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked, a little defensively, with a raised eyebrow and I could see a blush creeping on her cheeks.

I sighed. It seemed she was too far gone...

"You know what I mean. Do you like him or not?" I asked bluntly and the blush crept further, she couldn't keep eye contact and looked away.

"Why are you asking me this?" She asked softly, dodging the question.

"Look, I'm not trying to be that guy but I've heard some things about him, awful things," I said casually and she turned back to look at me, her face a little reddened with her eyes squinted.

"What kind of things?"

"The kind that I wouldn't let my daughter or sister get to even a hundred meters from him. Look, Claire, he isn't who you think he is. And I don't know how to say this without sounding like a jerk but whatever relationship you guys have, you need to end it." I told her slowly in a serious tone.

Her eyebrows furrowed and her face fell, her smile nowhere to be seen as a serious look came on her face.

"I see. Let me get this straight. You want me to stop being friends with someone who I've known since sophomore year just because you've heard some bad rumors about him?

"Xander, I can't believe I'm telling you this but this we are in Highschool. People spread rumors all the time. I've even heard some bad rumors about you but do you see me telling you I don't want to be friends anymore?

"I don't know what you've heard but trust me, Brody isn't like that. He's one of the sweetest guys I know in this school and a lot of guys can vouch for that. Just forget about what you heard." She explained dismissively, her voice a little high-pitched and laced with annoyance as if she couldn't believe I would say this.

"Do you really think I will say something like this to you if I wasn't sure it was true? Do I look like the kind of guy who would say something like this just because I want to?" I arched an eyebrow and asked her calmly, my face still stoic.

I already expected this kind of resistance. And it wasn't like I was here to convince her. She knew him long before she met me so to be honest, if she took in everything I said and believed it just like that then I would've suspected something.

But I at least thought she'd take whatever I'd say with a grain of salt. After all, she should trust me that much right? But it seemed I'd underestimated the power of a crush, especially one between a cheerleader and a quarterback...

"...Alright then, tell me what he has done that is so bad that you want me to end any connection I have with him?" She sighed and asked helplessly, her eyes looking at me with a little disappointment.

Looking into her eyes, a pang of annoyance hit me but I calmed myself down and just shook my head in disappointment.

"Forget about it, it's obvious your mind is filled with sunshine and rainbows when it comes to him so nothing I say will matter," I remarked dryly as I stood up. "Well, I've done my part, don't say I didn't warn you. I'll see you later Claire." I started walking away.

"Wait, Xander!" She called out to me but I didn't turn and only waved backwards. I strode across the field and as I passed by some of the players who were warming up on the ground, my eyes met with Brody's as he jogged towards me, wearing his gear.

I saw him look behind me, possibly at Claire, then he looked at me again with a weird look in his eyes.

I didn't show any emotion, only looking at him coldly, and so just like that, we passed by each other, my shoulder almost hitting his...

...He should pray very much that I wouldn't catch him slacking tomorrow. Otherwise, he'd start experiencing the world in a very painful way...