Curiosity (GxG) (TeacherxStudent)

Chapter Twenty-Eight

You see... This wasn't as sweet and lovely as fairy tales that when you woke up a princess stared at you with concern as she watched you open your eyes for the first time. It also wasn't  the usual scene that when the patient got into a car crash and after she saw light and took in the white walls and bright bulb above her, she would find a person sleeping soundly on the side of her bed. Could be nice if I had those... but as I opened my lids I saw no one. Dimmed surroundings, cold atmosphere, and the hissing sound of the air conditioner across my bed accompanied me inside the school's clinic.

My skin felt ablaze under the thin white blanket on my body, but outside of the sheet, it was frigid. I brought up the blanket up to my head to cover my whole body. I groaned as I touched the right side of my cheek, it stang when I moved my face a little. The buffed guy punched me, so is his mom a...?

I sighed, at the same time warmed my hands with my hot stinky breath. I haven't brushed my teeth nor showered because all I did yesterday was cried myself to almost death.

Speaking of what happened yesterday...

~Flashback~

"Fuck both of you," I muttered under all the thoughts boiling in my mind. I was furious for a moment, because who wouldn't be? She just sucked my face an hour ago.

She released the boy she held by the neck, then turned to face me. Anne mouthed, "we're over..." and kissed the boy again.

The boy noticed as I stared. He pulled away, then he asked, "do you know her?"

"No, why would I know her?" she said, then laughed briefly and wrapped an arm on his stomach.

I didn't want to think of it anymore, so the memory was faint to remember. Only their voices were etched in my mind, it was so clear and ceaseless, and I was fucking tired of having to repeat that scene over and over in my head. 

They left, swept off the 4 years of us together. I guess that was why she insisted to come all the way here. Why didn't she just say to my face that she wanted to break up? It would've been much easier on my part. She waited that long to cut the strings, while I already got used to waking up to her. It was excruciating to get up in the morning, because in the morning, she's all I think about...

~~~~

I heard the door of the clinic creaked open and I turned to my side curious of who it might be. I lowered my blanket and peaked at the teacher. The teacher closed the door and walked up beside my not so spacious bed.

He coughed to get my attention.

"Ellie Holmes," Mr. Robinson called. He sounded as drained as I was feeling. "Your parents said they couldn't come to pick you up so you might have to go home with your friend."

Couldn't even leave their work for me? Come on now...

"You'll be suspended from school for a week. Other than that, we need to talk to your parents so make sure they make time for the office before the end of your suspension," he said coldly, then he flee the room.

After Mr. Robinson left, the school's nurse followed inside. She gave me a forced smile as she made a turn to a cabinet. She opened one of its drawers and picked out a medicine.

It was already 5:00 pm, the final school hour before the gate closes at six. I saw by the window that the sky turned into an orange hue. It was soft and comforting after all the chaos I had gone through. That night, the breakup, all the sobbing in my room while I listened and put my heart to every lyric of Gideon's Heartbreak Anniversary. I thought it was supposed to be just a cringe TikTok song trend, but it hit every aching spot on my mind that night.

The nurse, Belinda, I read on her blouse, gave me a cup of water and medicine for my fever. She said I was lucky nothing bad happened to me, just a huge patch of yellowish skin on a cheek, and a mild fever. I was already burning up when they brought me to the clinic, Belinda said it could've gotten worse because I forced my tired self just like that.

"Kid," Belinda said. She put down the glass of water after she held it up for me to drink. "Tell me why you did what you did."

"What I did? What did I do?" I tried to speak. My voice sounded dry and hoarse.

"Well, you uh- gave a student a bloody nose and two bruises on both sides of his cheek... What made you do that?"

I squinted my eyes at her.

"He was pleading for it," I replied, which was the truth. "He said he'd fuck Kar– Ms. Miller for a dollar. You know, this school is just so fucking messed up. Why do they hate her so much to the point of saying those things- I. Don't. Get. It!"

"Calm down..."

Belinda held my hand to check for my temperature. Then she scooted a chair beside my bed and sat on it.  "Are you close with Ms. Miller? Is that why you're defending her?"

"What?"

"I'm asking if you're close to her, maybe that's why you're defending her."

"Ma'am that's none of your business if we're close or not," I shook my head. I can't believe what I just heard from this middle-aged nurse. She just sat on her armchair tilting her head, confused as to why she had to repeat herself. "You know what should be your business? You know what you should be doing?"

I inched my head close to her face. I made sure she heard me because it seemed like everyone in this school had a thick skull. "Finding a cure for their sick brain cause no one in their right mind would say those words to a person, then laugh after."

Belinda just stared at me with an open mouth. "They're just joking around, have a sense of humor will you?" She tapped my face. "Don't be so serious you'll get old quickly."

I facepalmed. They're making me the crazy one in here. It was frustrating how I had to explain myself, why I did what I did. They were making fun of Karlene, and all the time she stood in this school she was just so defenseless. Never once did I heard her complain about them, or retaliate what they're saying. She told me to ignore them, and I've followed what she asked until those guys shredded the last bit of patience I had in me.

The nurse spoke again, "Ms. Miller used to be a good teacher. She used to be adored by everyone, but one day all her dirty secrets came to light."

Used to be adored? That's hard to imagine considering the situation now.

"What secrets?"

"Had an affair with married men, twice, thrice... She wrecked families, does that give you an idea yet?"

I shook my head, overwhelmed by what the nurse had said.

"I guess both of you aren't so close after all..." She chuckled. Her laughter was interrupted when the door made another commotion.

Belinda and I turned our heads at the back of the clinic as a blonde girl walked in.

"Well, I guess that's your friend who came to pick you up." The nurse stood from her seat, but I got a hold of her skirt and I tugged it weakly.

"But why did she- why?" I asked, couldn't seem to utter out a proper question. "She wouldn't do that, would she...?"

"That's none of our business, don't you think?" She mocked me before she yanked her skirt away from my fingers. She left me on my bed to question myself. Why haven't I asked Karlene about it? And now it was eating me alive the longer I wait to see her.