2:30~a.f.i

~8~

"I don't like this room."

I said, watching Dr. Irwin in his face mask and gloved hands readying his tools.

"Well it's my procedure room."

"Procedure room?"

"Yeah. I'm prepared for anything. Now open and stop stalling."

"I'm not stalling."

"Do I seriously need to pull out a mouth prop?"

"You wouldn't dare."

"Try me."

I pulled away my bloody napkin from my mouth and opened my mouth feeling an ache on my right side.

Dr. Irwin pushed my chin down and immediately lifted my right cheek.

He knows I took most of the impact on that side.

I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the scowl on Dr. Irwin's face.

I could hear him sighing.

I felt him put suction in my mouth, probably so I don't choke on my blood.

I felt his tools get closer and closer to my chipped tooth.

"Seven."

"You broke seven brackets."

"And you chipped two teeth."

He takes the suction out of my mouth.

I open my eyes, seeing him stressed and with his mask pulled down to his chin.

"I don't know what I'm going to do."

He angrily got up out of his seat and ripped off his gloves.

He grabbed the suction, handing it to me.

"Don't swallow blood, spit into this. I'll be back."

And he walks out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

I sit up in the chair, spitting into the suction, tasting blood in my mouth.

What am I supposed to do?

I look over at my file on the counter and start flipping through it.

I can't decipher any of his writing, it's all in scribbles.

How long is Dr. Irwin supposed to take.

I put the suction back in its spot and go sit on Dr. Irwin's stool and roll around.

I should've just stayed at school today.

A few minutes later of looking through Dr. Irwin's various cabinets and drawers, he strolls back into the room.

He sees me sitting in his stool, but purposely avoids me as he washes his hands again.

He sits on another stool in the corner of the room, not pressuring me to do anything.

He grabs his tablet and my file and starts typing.

Is he giving me the silent treatment?

We sit in silence for a few minutes before I speak up.

"It's not my fault."

This prompted him to look up.

"What's not your fault?"

"This."

"It's okay. Accidents happen. Accidents can be fixed, although they are not in my expertise."

Not in his expertise?

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm an orthodontist. I don't fix teeth. I mold them. So my fellow is going to be here in just a few minutes to help me fix your chipped ones."