How Could This Be Real?

59. Elsie's Gurls

"Angel, I'm telling you, I don't think it's a good idea," Cam said as I shut my locker. It was just before lunch and he was begging me not to sit in the cafeteria. "Don't you remember when those girls practically mobbed you?"

"Of course I remember," I said as I started off.

"Well I don't want that to happen again! Not with you in this state."

"Cam, it's fine."

"No, it's not. What if someone gets too excited and accidentally bumps your leg?"

I rolled my eyes, "Then what do you suggest?"

"We should just sit in the media center, there aren't many people in there." We stopped in front of the large glass doors that went into the library and I glanced down the hall to the lunchroom. I saw our table, all of my friends sitting there, and I eventually shook my head at Cam.

"I'm sorry, I just want to talk to everyone. I miss them. Plus, I promised Mindy I'd tell her what happened." I tried to head off toward them but he grabbed my arm and held me back.

"They can come in here with us," he reasoned. "Please, I just really don't think you should be in there."

I huffed, "You are so overprotective. I'm telling you, I'm not some fragile little thing. I can take care of myself. I don't need you watching out for me 24/7."

He frowned at me but I had made up my mind. I pulled out of his grasp and walked over to our table. I heard him grumbling behind me, but I ignored him.

Everyone stared at me as I approached, but I didn't feel awkward like I had this morning. These were my friends, they were just worried about me. They weren't judging me like the others had been.

Mindy shot out of her seat and linked her elbow with mine, not even flinching when her skin touched the metal of my crutch. "You are sitting right next to me! I need every last detail!"

I laughed and let her guide me into the chair closest to hers. Cam made Sam scoot over so he could sit on my other side.

"It's so good to see you guys," I said as I beamed at everyone. "I'm getting sick of all these curious stares everywhere I go."

"Yeah yeah, just get on with it!" Mindy complained and I nudged her with my shoulder playfully.

"Sorry if my voice gives out, I've been doing a lot of talking today." So I told them all about what happened. I tried to skim over the gruesome details but the guys kept prying, so eventually I caved. A few of my more weak-stomached friends didn't appreciate it very much, but hey, if there's one thing I've learned from YouTube, it's that you can't please everyone.

After a while, a group of girls that I was all too familiar with sheepishly came over to our table. "Hi, Elsie..." one of them said.

Cam scowled at the group and they backed away a bit, but I set a hand on his arm, trying to tell him that it was fine. He didn't seem to like it, but he finally nodded. I turned back to them and put on a friendly smile. Some of them were staring at my black eye, while others couldn't seem to take their gazes from my cast.

"Does it hurt?" someone asked and pointed to my leg.

I shook my hand in the universal "so-so" gesture since my throat was starting to hurt again.

"When do you get the cast off?"

I just shrugged because I didn't know exactly when.

"What happened?" a short girl in the front asked.

I waved it off, trying to say, "It's complicated." I noticed one of them was holding something so I pointed to it, wondering what it was.

Her cheeks tinted pink and she handed it to me, "We made it for you."