Just don't go

Chapter 6- The end of something loved

"Be home right away after school so I can give you a ride to swimming class"

My mother kissed my cheek and opened the door for me to leave to school. I hugged her and promised I would come straight home, and I wouldn't hang around with Tegan or any of my friends.

"Trust me, mum, swimming is the most important thing to me right now"

************

As I walked through the school gates, my heart began to sink in my chest. I hadn't realised how frightful it may be, coming back to school and not knowing if your best friend (the usual gossiper of the school halls) had spilled the beans about your hospitalisation.

I was betting everyone knew, and I was right to presume that, because as I walked through the gates, I saw a thousand eyes upon me.

I nervously shuffled my bag further up onto my shoulder, just as I saw Tegan approaching me confidently.

"You okay babe?"

She smiled, obviously trying to be the 'caring' and 'friendly' type.

"I can't believe you told everyone about the crash" I hissed angrily to her.

"Girl, why you so mad? Everyone heard about it before I told them anyway"

"Yea, right"

"It's true! Kennedy Green told them all. You know her, the gossip of the school!"

I couldn't believe her. How could she do this to me? She knows I like to stay under the radar!

"Look, I can't come to the quad after school today, my mum sai-"

"Oh my god, Liz! You promised you'd come! I can't believe this!"

Of course, it was all about her. She never listened to what I had to say. She just presumed..

"Liz! Are you listening to me? You can't just ditch me like this! I mean, I told everyone that you'd be there to discuss the accident! Liz? Liz!! Liz listen to me!!"

"Yes, I know! I have to catch up on swimming. I haven't done it all vacation because of that stupid accident."

She began to get frustrated. I could tell from the fact that her brow started to crease up and her lip was quivering.

"Tee, you know I would come if I could!"

She burst into a thousand flames of anger.

"I can't believe you, Liz! You're the worst best friend ever! I would do anything for you! I need you there to support me! You can't even do that! LIZ! Are you even listening to me? Oh my god! Listen to me!"

She got even angrier and pushed me to get my attention. I spun round and yelled at her.

"STOP telling me what to do. STOP being so bossy. STOP acting like the world revolves around you. STOP hurting me. It's your fault I can't go anyway, because YOU made me go shopping! It's all about YOU isn't it?"

Her mouth dropped open in disbelief, as well as the rest of the hallway who had been an audience to my mini-meltdown. I glared at her, and stormed out of the hallway and straight into the ladie's room, where I washed my face with cool water and calmed down.

************

Tegan came to me at lunch to apologise. Of course, I said a fake 'sorry' to please her. I didn't mean it. She infuriated me, and caused me to feel even more inferior than I already felt - because she practically forced me to apologise to her.

By the end of lunch, I had warmed up to her again. Besides, it's impossible to stay mad at Tegan for long. She has that manipulating smile that can charm anyone into doing anything she wishes.

************

My mum was waiting in the car for me when I got home. I swiftly changed into my swimsuit and pulled my patterned overalls over the top. I slid into the front seat and smiled at her.

"Anything interesting happen at school today honey?"

"Not really."

I considered telling her about mine and Tee's fight, but I decided against it. Anyway, my mother's got enough to worry about, so I shouldn't worry her about silly Junior year drama. I don't even know why Tegan thinks she's more superior to me. She's 15 and I'm 16. She even thinks she can boss Jamie around, and he's in Senior year (he's 17). I sometimes even catch her telling her own mother where to stick it!

************

"I'm sorry, Elizabeth, I don't think you can continue swimming with a shoulder-bone as twisted as yours. It wouldn't be right to put your safety at risk."

"But..." I felt the tears sneak into my eyes.

"Surely there's something you can do? Nationals are coming up in 2 months and Elizabeth needs to prepare! Surely she can start swimming in a few weeks?" My mother pleaded with my swim coach, giving her the motherly stare.

"I'm extremely sorry, Judy, but there isn't much we can do. We had the x-ray scans back from the doctors yesterday and they told us the earliest we should be allowing Elizabeth to swim is a few days before Nationals... it just wouldn't be right to allow her to practice now, and if you do allow her to swim elsewhere, you can damage her shoulder-bone for life and she can never, ever swim competitively again."

"I can't believe this... Can't I just compete in Nationals without preparing?"

"I suppose you could, but it would be risky. There is always the chance that you may tear a muscle and you will ruin your whole swimming career"

"But I can?"

"We'll allow you to swim in Nationals, if yo-"

"Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank yo-"

"You can swim If your doctor says there is a significant improvement in the shoulder-bone. If not, there can be a possibility of that same bone that killed you previously killing you again"

"Elizabeth, I think it's a good idea if you don't swim for a while" My mother's once determined look vanished and a more serious one appeared.