Endure

Cruel Kindness

The next day, Cassidin awoke in a hospital bed. He felt his body ache as he tried to shift around. No one was in the silent room with him. Remembering what led up to him being here, he let out a chuckle with a hint of pain. A nurse came in and he recognized her. It was the nurse at his school, Mr. Baxton's wife.

"What are you doing here?" He muttered.

"Surprised?" She smiled. "I may be a school nurse, but I often volunteer at this hospital too."

"You're allowed to do that?"

"Of course," she said, still smiling. "I'm qualified to do so."

"Why not work at the hospital then?"

"I'm impressed Cassidin," she smiled, dodging his question.

"Impressed that I got myself into trouble again, yeah I know," he sighed.

"No, impressed you're talking so much. You truly have good endurance like Kayah said."

Hearing her mention Kayah, the same way Mr. Baxton did, reminded him of something. Remembering that she was Mr. Baxton's wife, he looked at her with sympathy.

"At first I was annoyed at how involved Mr. Baxton was with his student's lives. However, after opening up and talking to him more, I understood why that is. I guess what I'm trying to say is... I'm sorry... About Laura."

Still smiling, the nurse assured him, "It's okay."

"From the way you and Mr. Baxton talk about her, Kayah must be like a daughter."

"You're not wrong."

"And she must see you both as parental figures too. Considering her situation with her family."

"Correct again," she smiled. "Students do spend most of their early years in school after all. Is school not like a second home, and your peers and teachers a second family?"

"Definitely," he smiled. "Except in my case, school was the only home, and my friends were the only family."

"I understand why you feel that way. We contacted your mother. She said that as long as you're fine, she doesn't need to stop work to see you."

"Sounds about right," he scoffed. "What about my sister?"

"She shared the same sentiment," she said, her smile fading a bit.

"They're right. I'll be fine. They know me better than most," he shrugged, still aching from his pain.

The nurse's smile faded away, seeing how pained he looked. Though he shrugged it off, she felt that he was hurt in a different way. Yet it was again a reason she was impressed by how much he could endure.

"Kayah is also here to visit, but I told her to let me check up on you first. She's waiting outside."

"She's outside?"

"Yes," she smiled.

His blank face turned into realization as he panicked. He shot up to the side of the bed, ignoring the pain from such rash movements. The nurse rushed over to him to calm him down.

"Take it easy, what's wrong?"

"I-I left a friend before I went to help at that attack."