Alone [G.D]

~5~

I sat down in the back, as usual, and lightly tapped my pencil on the desk, as I waited for the teacher. This was my favorite class, because I actually know what I'm doing, but it's also my least favorite, because not only is James and Claire in this class, but so is Grayson.

"Have you ever had friends?" Claire asks me, as she leans back in her chair to look at me from the front of the classroom.
I look up from my pencil, and stare her in the eyes.
"Wow, you're finally getting some courage. You're actually making eye contact with me." She mocks, as she tilts her head to the side, a smirk appearing on her lips.
Go to hell. I shake my head lightly, as I look back down to my desk.
"Do you even talk? I don't remember the last time I heard you speak." Her tone was harsh. "Oh, wait. Are you smoking with your mom, and you lost your voice? Wow, I did not know you were a rebel."
"Who's a rebel?" James asks, as his hand grazes her shoulder, as he kisses her cheek.
"Madison." Claire says, as she turns to face James. "She's a smoker." She whispers, as if I couldn't hear her.

James eyes go wide, as he looks at me. "You dirty rat." He says, shaking his head in disbelief.
"It's one thing to be ugly, but its another to also be a drug addict." His words stung, as they left his tongue. I gripped my pencil tightly, making my already pale hands go white.
"Smoking is disgusting. Anybody who does it should just die." Grayson says, as he appears in the room. I look up at him in shock. "Maybe you should just kill yourself, Madison." His eyes narrowed at me, as all the air escaped my lungs. He has never went as far as telling me to kill myself. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

The bell rang, and Grayson slipped into his seat next to James. The teacher walked in, and looked across the class, as she took count of all of us.

"It's nice to see that everyone is here today." She says, as she sits at her desk, and checks attendance.

"Is it really? I'd rather have someone gone." Grayson says, as he nudges his head in my direction, as I roll my eyes.
"Oh really, Mr. Dolan? And who may that be?" The teacher asks, as she raises a brow.

Grayson pushes his chair out so he can stand up. He walks to the front of the class, and takes in a deep breath. "I know I'm speaking for all of us when I say this." He says, and I feel lightheaded. Is he really going to say it? "That person is Madison."

The teacher abruptly stands up. "To the office, now!" She yells, as she points out the door.

"You asked." Grayson's tone was harsh, as he headed for the door.

"Now!" She yelled, and the room started to spin. I got up from my chair, and started to stumble towards the classroom door. I need to get out of here. The room was spinning faster, and I was starting to see spots. Please, just let me g-

"Okay. Yes, her mother said it would be okay." I could hear voices, but I didn't want to open my eyes, because my head was pounding. "Yeah, I live right across the street." I opened my eyes, as I tried to look to where the sound was coming from, but I couldn't see them.
"Excuse me?" I call out, my voice was hoarse and my throat was dry.

"Sounds like she's awake." Someone says, as I hear the sound of footsteps approaching.

Mrs. Dolan and the nurse appear in front of me, and I try to sit up. "Oh, don't do that, honey. You might have a concussion." Mrs. Dolan says, as she motions for me to relax.
I keep my head rested on the hard pillow, as the two continue to talk.
"Take her straight to the emergency room." The nurse says, as she pulls the latex gloves off of her hands.
"I don't think it's that serious." I say, as I place my cool hand on my forehead.

"Madison, you're already forming a lump and  a bruise on your forehead." Mrs. Dolan says, her eyebrows knitted together in worry. I made an "O" shape with my mouth, as I ran my hand across my forehead feeling for the lump. I felt it, and my heart stopped.
"Are you okay? You just got really pale." The nurse says, as she puts a hand on my shoulder. "You should hurry, it might be serious." The nurse says, as she leaves my side and disappears.
"Here, let me help you sit up." Mr.s Dolan says, as she takes my hand in hers. She gently pulls me up, and my head starts to throb in pain. I squint my eyes, as I try to make the pain subside, but it doesn't help.
The nurse appears with a wheel chair. "Here." She says, as she positions it next to me. The two of them help me into the chair, and I cradle my head in my hands. 
Mrs. Dolan and the nurse talk a bit more before Mrs. Dolan starts to push me out of the school. The light from the sun makes my head feel worse, and I groan in pain, as I shade my eyes with my hands. We get to her car. "Come help me." She says to someone, and I hear the door open, but my eyes are closed to I can't see who it is. "It's your fault this happened." She spat, and I felt my blood run cold. Grayson.
"I said I'm sorry." He says, as I feel him gently hold my hand, as his mom takes the other.
"You shouldn't be apologizing to me. You didn't hurt me." Her voice was cold, as she spoke.
They gently lifted me up, and into the backseat. I heard the door close, and I leaned my head against the window. "I'm going to bring the wheel chair back." Mrs. Dolan says, and I slowly open my eyes, as I gently nod my head. Grayson climbs into the passenger seat, and an awkward, but tense silence falls between us.
"There's a curtain." Grayson says, as he reaches beside me to pull the curtain closed, making my head feel a bit better.
I don't say anything, as I lean my head against the curtain, as he turns back around in his seat. "I'm sorry." He says, but I don't say anything. I know he doesn't mean it. "Madi." A nickname. Wow.
"Don't call me that." I mumble.
"Fine. I'm trying to apologize, but I guess not." He says, clearly annoyed.
"Which one are you apologizing for, telling me to kill myself or for the big lump on my forehead?" I snap, and my head continues to throb.
"Both." Grayson says, as he turns in his seat.
"If you don't mean it, I don't want to hear it." He clenches his jaw, making his  jawline more defined.

"I do mean it." 
"Then why did you say it?" I ask.

"I don't know." He says, keeping his eyes on mine.
"Is it to fit in? To be cool? Accepted? Or because you truly hate me?" I ask, as I push my hair behind my ear.
Before he could answer, his mom got into the car. "How are you feeling?" She asks me, as she put the keys into the ignition, and pulled out of the parking lot.

"My head is really killing me." I say, as I go back to closing my eyes.

"I'll drive as fast as I can." She says. "I'm sorry Grayson did this to you." Her voice was gentle, caring.

"It's certain that she does have a mild concussion, but I'd also like to do a normal check up, because in her files she hasn't been checked up on in over a year." Dr. Michael says to Mrs. Dolan.

"Is that okay with you?" She asks me, and I shrug my shoulders.
"Okay, I'm just going to ask you to stand up." He says, and I sit up, as I slide off of the hospital bed. "Is the pain reliever working?"
"Yes." I say, as I hold the hospital gown closed behind me.

"Okay, turn around. I'm just going to feel your hips."
"Uh, okay." I say awkwardly, and Grayson looks up from his phone, and gives me a weird look, and I shrug my shoulders.
The doctor pokes at my hips, before standing in front of me, as he stares at me. "Is there something wrong?" Mrs. Dolan asks, as she looks at the doctor worriedly.
"I'm not sure yet. Let me do one more examination." He says. "Is your gown tied up all the way?" He looks at me, and I nod.
"But it still kind of falls open." I say, as he steps behind me.
"Okay, I'm going to hold the gown closed, and I want you to lean forward and touch your toes." Dr. Michael says, as he closes my gown, and I do as I'm told. "Okay, you can lay back down." He says, so I climb back into the bed.

"I'd like to get an x-ray of her back. It seems, as if she might have scoliosis." He says, and I scrunch up my face.
"What is that?" I ask, as I see Grayson put his phone into his pocket, his full attention now on the doctor.
"It's a curvature of the spine." He says calmly, but my heart starts to pound.
"Is it serious?" I ask worriedly. 
"We will find out once I get the x-rays." He heads to the door. "I'll be right back." 

"Okay." I say, as he leaves.

The room grows silent, and I stare up at the ceiling. "I'm never going to leave." I groan, as I close my eyes.
"It could be worse." Grayson says, but I ignore him.
His mom's phone rings, so she steps out of the room. I'm alone with him, again.
"You know I don't hate you right?" He catches me by surprise, and I look at him.
"How many times are you going to lie?" I ask, as I twist the hospital band on my wrist.
"I'm not lying. I don't hate you. I actually think you're pretty cool."
I laugh. "Yet, you're a dick to me." He looks taken back.
"I-It's to fit in." Grayson says quickly.
I shake my head. "I don't believe it." I say, as I pull the blanket over me, and turn my back to him.
"What will make you believe it?" His tone was desperate.

"Nothing."

"Ms. Merrell, you have a thirty-nine degree curve in your spine." Dr. Michael says, as he points to the x-ray. My mom has yet to arrive.
"Is it serious?" I ask, as I look at my deformed spine in horror.
The doctor nods his head, and my heart sinks. "How do I fix it?" I ask, as my bottom lip trembles.
"We are going to make you a brace first, but if for some reason its gets worse, surgery is the only option." Surgery. No, there is no way.

I shake my head, as tears well up in my eyes. "I-I can't. I d-don't even h-have the money."  I say, as I continue to shake my head. "I'll barely be able to afford this appointment." A few tears slip down my face, and I feel Mrs. Dolan take my hand in hers.

"It'll be okay, Madison. Don't worry." Her voice was soothing, but not enough.

"No, you don't understand." I cry. "I can't even afford to miss school. My mom doesn't have the money for college, so I have too try to get a full scholarship." 

The doctor just sits there, as I bury my face in my hands. My hair sticking to my forehead with sweat. I feel a hand on my back, as it rubs up and down, barely calming me, but it calms me enough to look up from my hands to see Grayson.

~<3~

A/N

Ohhhhhhh. The interesting parts are just starting. I hope you guys are enjoying it, because I love writing this book, and I'm incorporating my scoliosis journey into the story, so yeah. 10 vote for the next chapter! I know you guys can do it! :)