Razzledazzle [ ✓ ]

Chapter 17 | The Nurse

We walk in silence for the rest of the way to the nurse's office, Lee looking heavily subdued. By the time we get there, my shoulder is starting to hurt from carrying most of his weight.

But for some reason, I don't complain.

Carefully, I open the door to the nurse's office as Lee collapses into a waiting-room chair. I don't know whether I should stay or go, so I drag my feet very slowly, standing.

The nurse notices us from behind her desk and immediately comes over. Her uniform isn't at all professional; she's simply wearing slacks and a flannel shirt, her hair tied in a messy bun.

"Oh dear," she murmurs as she sees Lee's face, blood dripping from his nose, a bruise blossoming on his cheekbone. "What happened to you?"

"I was caught in a fight," he mutters as she pulls him over to a small cot. She starts to fuss over him, and I snort. He sure does make it sound like he wasn't the one who started it.

"You poor dear," she simpers, reaching into a freezer on the counter and pulling out a Ziplock bag filled with ice. She starts to ice his face, her big green eyes sympathetic.

"Is it bad?" he asks, in a too-timid voice that doesn't belong to him. He's milking it, milking it for all it's worth.

"Yes, darling, it's pretty bad." The nurse sighs, turning back to her desk. Quickly, she scribbles something on a slip of paper.

She seems to finally notice me. "You, dear, could you take this back to your teacher when you return? Lee will have to stay here for the rest of the day."

I nod. "What's wrong with him?"

She clicks her tongue. "Just a little headache, that's all. I'll give him some Tylenol but he'll need to rest here."

I nod. Again. "Okay."

The nurse lady searches through the cabinets for a few minutes before locating the Tylenol. "I just have to run down to the water fountain to get you some water to drink with this," she informs us.

"Okay," moans Lee weakly.

Drama queen.

As soon as she leaves, I expect him to pop right out of the cot, but he stays put. I guess it really does hurt. Maybe he isn't being a drama queen.

"Razzledazzle," he whispers. "Come here."

I freeze on the spot. "What do you want, Lee? Why can't you just sit down like a normal—"

"Razzledazzle. Just do it."

Swallowing, I come over to him. The closer I get, the worse he looks, the darker his bruises are, the deeper his blood looks.

"Jeez, how can the others think that I was overrracting?" I mutter, bending over him. He looks so pathetic, so childish, tucked under these covers.

"They don't expect you to be sticking up for me. They thought you would stick up for Troy—the strong one. The handsome one."

I don't know why his voice is so bitter.

"Why did you stick up for me?" he asks, his voice turning from bitter to suspicious in an instant.

"Because. Troy didn't have to knock you out like that," I reply.

Lee squints suddenly, reaching up from the cot and violently grabbing my face, pushing it towards him. "Are you sure?" he whispers, his nose hardly an inch from my own.

I swallow. Wait. I swallow? Why am I so nervous? It must be because he's an enemy, or maybe I'm just remembering what happened in the closet—

Don't think about that. Don't think about that. Do not think about that.

"Of course I'm sure," I stutter. "Why wouldn't I be sure?"

He smirks at me. "I don't know, do I?" For a minute he gives me a weird, unknown look, before he slumps back down into the cot, releasing his grip on my neck.

"But—" Whatever comeback I was about to make was cut off by the nurse, who came back in with a cup of water and the pill. "Here. Take this, and then get some rest." She looks at me. "Why don't you make your way back to class?"

I nod slowly as she hand Lee the cup of water and he takes the pill. As it goes down his throat, I feel a feeling that I don't want.

Pity.

I shut the door to the office and start to walk down to Ms. O'Carthy's room. As I walk, my footsteps echoing, a question burns in my mind.

Can it be?

Seriously?

Am I falling for Lee Cancer?