Secrets and School

Chapter 11

I opened my eyes and looked around. I didn't recognise the room. The bed beneath me felt uncomfortable, like I was laying on bricks. Movement in the corner of the room caught my attention. Zoe moved closer to me and sat down on the chair next to me. "I was so worried, but I couldn't let it show because I didn't want to worry her too." She said as, Hazel also walked over.

Hazel held my hand and then kissed me on the forehead. "Thank you, big brother." She said as she got up on the bed next to me and laid down, but was careful not to accidently hit me or knock me. I wrapped my arms around her and tried not to show any expression of pain. Miss Smith then made her appearance.

"How are you feeling Jake?" She asks as she enters the room and sits near the three students. I didn't know how to respond, I felt alright but when I moved I was in a lot of pain. So I shrugged my shoulders slowly and once again tried to hide the pain from my expression. "I will get the nurse so you can have some pain killers to help, if you would like them?" Miss Smith clearly seeing my attempt to hide the pain.

I shook my head slowly, signalling 'no', but once again I flinched in pain. She looked knowingly at me a called the nurse. Miss Smith asked about the painkillers and it wasn't long until I was dosed with painkillers. Once the pain subsided, Miss Smith asked me to explain what happened. I told her everything I could remember and Zoe and Hazel filled in the gaps when I wasn't able to recall what happened. Miss Smith typed away on her laptop, listening closely to the three students. Once she is happy with the amount of information she closes her laptop and asks the two girls to say goodbye and make their way back to class.

Hazel gently hugged me and said she would come back with Felix at three o'clock and that mum would pick them up. She showed herself out. Zoe clearly didn't want to leave but didn't want to argue with Miss Smith, she too gave me a gentle hug and a quick peck on the forehead, before she also left. Miss Smith moved over to the chair where Zoe had been previously sat. "Is you binder causing you a lot of pain? Your mother emailed me this morning saying you had worn it for more than the recommended time." I nodded slowly, I could still feel a bit of pain but it was definitely better after those painkillers had started doing their job. "Would you want to take it off now, while I wait outside?" I shook my head, I would never take my binder off at school, and anyone could possibly walk in and see me, not so flat chested.

"Are you sure? It will help you." Once again I refused to take it off. "Okay. I am not going to force you." She said as the nurse re-enters.

"Jake, I am going to need to look at the bruising on your chest." The nurse said glancing down at her paperwork. I shook my head and began panicking.

"Calm down Jake, it is okay. We are not going to force your binder off of you, but it would benefit you if we can inspect the damage so we can help you better. If you want to refuse you can." Miss Smith says slowly. My breathing slows to a more normal pace.

"I refuse." I say in a small voice. The nurse and Miss Smith nod. The nurse leaves after checking the bruising on my face. Miss Smith talks about general things to help me take my mind elsewhere but I zoned out and didn't hear a word she said. The next thing I knew, my mother was walking in the room with Hazel and Felix.

"Let's get you three home." She says looking worriedly at me. Miss Smith emails her a copy of the statement she had gathered through me, Hazel and Zoe, and wishes me better, before leading them to the main office to leave the school grounds. We were in the car shortly after, I was in the front because mum wanted to keep an eye on me despite the fact it was like a minute drive but I didn't argue. Every time we went over a slight bump in the road, I flinched in pain, and mum could see that. "Once we get home you are taking your binder off, it is causing you too much pain especially after what happened today." She said as we turned a corner. It wasn't long until we pulled up onto the drive. It was clear my mum was going to question me as soon as we set foot in the house.