Being the best

Waiting.

The next day crept by and the next and soon I forgot about Nathan and just concentrated on getting through school and studying for finals and before I knew it a month had past. I was sitting in class, picking my cuticles around my bitten down nails, from nerves and anxiety, when I heard the tannoy go off, it's sharp ringing resonating in my head and giving me a fright. I gave a little start with my shoulders and looked up at the teacher as we waited to hear what was to be said.

"Could, Vesper, please come urgently to the office."

I waited, even when I heard the tannoy go off for another message to come.

I looked up at my maths teacher and she nodded as I quickly grabbed my books and put them in a pile and jammed them into my bag, shoving them very messily in, shaking so that they all fit, as I hear my pens and pencils rattle at the bottom, which had fallen out ages ago from my pencil case but I had never been bothered to put them back in. However that was what I was thinking about and the noises as I nodded and walked out of class. As soon as I was out of the class, I made my way to the office, I tried to think of all the reasons it could be. I hadn't done anything. I felt my breath quicken and felt myself begin to get uncomfortably warm as I grew more and more anxious. The feeling of dread was suffocating me and I knew that if the visit wasn't short I was going to have a panic attack.

But finally the walk ended and I reached the office door. I stared at it, for a few seconds until I got the encouragement to knock, hitting my fist twice lightly against it, until I heard the answer.

"Come in."

And I stepped in. My head teacher was sitting there but as soon as he saw me,  his face dropped and a emotionless glaze glossed over his eyes.

"Sit down Vesper, I have something to tell you"

I looked at him and nodded as I dumped my bag beside the chair and sat down, perching myself on the end and crossing my legs over each other as I waited on him to speak.

He took his time, chewing the end of the pen in his hand. Finally he withdrew it from his mouth and looked at me.

"Do you know why you are here?" He asked

I shook my head, frown lines appearing above my brows as I tried to think what I had done.

He walked over to his seat and sat down, now tapping his pen against the table.

"Vesper, I am here to inform you of something that we just got note of. I believe you were once very close to Nathan?"

My head flew up when his name was mentioned. In my mind all I could think was "oh god what has happened, please just tell me. "

"His mum just phoned from hospital, she wasn't very clear but it sounds like something has happened. He apparently has been pretty much inconsolable, they apparently may need your help." He said this with sympathy dripping off his voice as though it would soften the blow. It didn't.

I nodded and bent and picked up my bag. I stood up and walked calmly and collected out the school. I drove to the hospital calm and collected except for the constant shaking of my hands and the grip I had on my clutch. I walked up to the information desk and asked for him and was remained completely calm as I walked along the hospital to his room. But then I stepped in and nothing could of prepared me for what I saw.