Self Inflicted

Chapter 3: Gym

When they arrived at gym, they dumped their backpacks down and Billie started getting changed. Mike stood awkwardly, stuck between a few choices.

One: He could make up an excuse for the cuts. But looking down at them he realised he didn't have a pet to blame, and even if he said it was someone else's dog or cat, no animal scratches in neat little rows like his arm was.

Two: He could simply tell the truth, face up to Billie probably hating him and lots of dirty looks. The gym uniform requires short sleeve shirts, meaning his arm would be on full view all of the time.

Three: He could somehow beg the gym teacher to let him wear his hoodie.

Choice three sounded like the best option, so he quickly changed, hiding his arm as best as he could before shoving his hoodie on and walking over to the gym teacher, Mrs Jennings.

She was the nicest of all the teachers.

"Miss? Could I please wear my hoodie? I'm real cold." Mike said, approaching her.

She looked sympathetic before shaking her head. "Sorry. You know the rules, Michael."

Mike bit down on his lip and tried not to tear up. "Please."

She frowned slightly and looked up from her clipboard. "What's the big deal? Is everything alright?"

Mike nodded quickly. "Yep. Doesn't matter." He went to turn around but stopped when she spoke again.

"Mike?" He cringed and turned to face her. "Can you show me your arm please?" Mike felt his heart start beating fast.

"No." He held his arm protectively.

"Mike. Show me."

He tensed up and held his arm out to her, and she rolled the sleeve of his hoodie up, gasping when she saw it.

"Michael did you do this to yourself?"

Mike saw no reason to lie. To him, it was obvious. So he nodded.

"You silly, silly boy." She turned her back and walked off, reappearing with a bandage. "Arm out."

Mike held his arm out and stood patiently as she wrapped his arm up tight and then sealed it with bandage tape.

"Did you do this because you were sad?" She asked, rolling his sleeve back down.

"No. I was angry." Mike said, honestly.

"So you're not depressed?" Mike shook his head. "I guess that's one good thing. Hoodie off, and if anyone asks, say you hurt your arm lifting something for me. Okay?"

Mike nodded quickly. "Thank you." He ran back to the changing rooms and took his hoodie off, hanging it up.

Billie looked up at him. "Hey, Mike I-" He paused and frowned. "What happened to your arm?"

"I hurt it lifting something for Mrs Jennings." Mike said, almost robotically.

To him, it sounded obviously fake but Billie let out a laugh.

"Weakling. C'mon." He stood up and they walked out to the field together.