Wishing I Was 23

Chapter 4

                Rydel met Carly at her locker before school. "Hey, are you doing anything after school today?"

"I was just going to go home. Why?" Carly answered as she put her books inside her locker.

"Oh, you left this at my place last night," Rydel handed Carly her play book. Carly shut her locker as Rydel said, "Do you want to hang out again tonight? Maybe sleep over?"

"I would love to," Carly cheered as they walked down the hall.

An arm draped over Carly's shoulders and she turned to her head to see Josh. She tried to shove him off but he only held on tighter.

"Would you get off of me," Carly tried to get away from Josh.

"Get off of her," a guy shouted and shoved into Josh, making all of them tumble to the hallway floor.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" a guy shouted and ripped Rocky off of Josh. Carly sat up, holding her forehead. "What's going on out here?" Riker held Rocky away from Josh as Rydel helped Carly off the floor.

The boys glared at each other without speaking.

"Nobody's going to talk? Fine. We'll settle this in detention after school with me." Riker turned to Carly. "That means you too."

"She didn't even do anything," Rydel defended as Carly continued to hold her head.

"We'll find out tonight won't we," Riker scoffed and Rydel was taken aback. He turned to Rocky, "Get to math, now."

"Fine," Rocky stormed off in the opposite direction.

Riker turned back to everyone else and said, "Get in the auditorium." It's as if a switch flipped off in him and he realized that Carly was still holding her head. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered with a straight face. She took a couple of steps and wobbled slightly.

"You're not fine," Riker quickly wrapped his arm around her before she fell over. "I'm taking you to the nurse to get checked out."

"I'm fine really," Carly protested as Riker practically drug her to the nurse's office.

"Then why are you holding your head," Riker shot back as he opened the door. If her head wasn't in so much pain right now she could actually enjoy Riker's arm wrapped around her. No matter what, she felt safe in his arms.

"Oh my, what happened here?" the nurse came and took her from Riker.

"She got knocked over and must have hit her head," Riker explained as the bell rang. "I have to get to class," Riker said as he watched Carly sit in a wooden chair. "You can come when she gives you the all clear."

Carly let out a puff of breath and watched Riker walk out of the room. The nurse stepped in front of her with a flash light, shining the light in her eyes. She finally took her hand away from her head and the nurse examined the red bump on her forehead.

"I don't think you have a concussion," the nurse said as she handed Carly a paper cup and a couple pills. "Take this and your headache should go away." Carly swallowed the pills down as the nurse came back over with an ice pack. "And ice that bump. It'll help keep the swelling down."

"Thanks," Carly placed the cold pack on her forehead, cringing at the slight pain the pressure caused. "Can I go to class now?"

"Of course. You're free to go."