Aiden Got Hurt

Mrs. Tanner burst into laughter.

"Mr. Tanner has a thing for couple names. Our twins are named Carter and Cooper."

Aiden tried his best to suppress a smile.

Tom and Jerry. Carter and Cooper. Fred and Barney. Mr. Tanner sure picked interesting twin names.

"It's not exactly Tom and Jerry," Jerry said in irritation. "My brother's name is Thomas, and my name is Jeremy."

"Oh," Aiden said. "I didn't know that."

"In the end, still Tom and Jerry," Mrs. Tanner roared with laughter.

"Be glad that we have the good sense to give you longer names!"

Jerry would love to bury himself in the garden for Christmas and disappear from Aiden's sight for a while.

After the sumptuous breakfast, Jerry decided to sleep a few hours at home before finishing the last bit of his assignment.

"I only have a little more to do," he announced proudly. "And then, I will return to Riverdale for the ball."

"Lucky you," Aiden said.

He was done with Rosaliá's experimental data, but he had to go back to the university earlier to help out with the last preparation of the ball. 

"Hey, uh..."

Jerry furrowed his brows as he walked Aiden outside. "Your back... are you alright?"

"My back? I am fine, no worries."

Jerry could not help to be worried. Aiden landed quite hard on his backside, how could he have felt no pain?

Indeed, Aiden underestimated the fall a lot.

He managed to walk back to Riverdale without a problem, but when he got to the ball venue and climbed the step ladder to hang some fallen decorations, a sharp stabbing pain at his tailbone area caused blood to drain from his face.

The pain was so intense that he was unable to move. He was frozen in position on top of the ladder.

Aiden inhaled and exhaled repeatedly as he tried to move as painlessly as possible.

"Aiden? Are you alright up there?"

Aiden wiped the cold sweat that gathered on his forehead and looked down at Mary, who was also a member of the student union.

The young woman was worried for him.

"Yes, I am fine."

"You look so pale, though. Have you slept well?"

"I… Maybe that is the problem. I didn't sleep well last night."

Unwilling to whine from pain like a little child, Aiden forced himself to get down from the ladder on his own. When he was back on the ground, his complexion had turned whitish.

Wiping the cold sweat from his pale face, Aiden requested to take a break.

"I am sorry, I need to rest for a little."

"Of course! Go ahead, let me fix that garland!" Mary hurriedly volunteered to help.

Aiden went over to the few benches that were scattered around inside the venue. He wanted to sit down, but he could not. The pain was more serious than he thought.

After much consideration, he finally decided to go to the Medical Centre to get some pain-numbing medicine.

He was the only patient who showed up for the day, so the doctor in charge dedicated all his focus on him.

She pressed at the spot where Aiden's tailbone was, and the latter cried out in pain right away.

"Hmm. You fell on your backside, you said?"

"Yes."

The doctor marked the spot in his bone chart with a red pen.

"It seems that you have injured your tailbone during the fall. Go to the lab for some X-Ray imaging so I can see whether or not there is a fracture."

Aiden swallowed hard.

"Doctor, is it bad if the tailbone is fractured?"

"Hm? Nah, it will only take longer to heal. Good that it is winter break. You will have plenty of time to rest. I suggest that you do not overexert yourself."

The X-Ray result was out after half an hour. The doctor pasted the picture on a light board and pointed at the tailbone area with a long stick.

"Good news, it is not fractured. Bad news, you still need to rest."

At least it was not fractured. Aiden heaved a sigh of relief. Unfortunately, he still had to go to Dominion. After he was done giving his blood to Ryan, he could finally rest for a while.

The ball lasted until 10 PM, and Aiden was quite busy rushing from table to table to serve drinks. As long as he did not sit, he did not feel much pain. When the event was over, everyone packed up to go home. Buses that were equipped with MUPs already stood at the parking lot to deliver all students safely home. As soon as Aiden reached his house at Harrow Lane, he threw himself into his bed and fell asleep within minutes while lying on his stomach.