What About Us?

Chapter 12

Charlie

Do I have to put a tracker on him now? I finally get a full night of sleep and wake up to find my friend MISSING! The same friend who had just told me that he'd secretly had a crush on me for a while. Then he turns up a day later covered in gashes and bruises, sneaking around the infirmary.

I left him in the room. He looked both physically and mentally drained. I continued working with my other patients. Mostly the ones who were shot. I was working on some charts in the back when I heard someone shuffling down the hall. I looked up and saw Teddy slowly making his way toward me.

"What do you think you're doing out of bed?" I asked crossing my arms

"Just coming to see you. I got bored." He replied smoothly, though I could tell the gash in his side was killing him.

"Says the kid who sleeps all day long."

"Just came to see what you were doing is all, if you want me to leave . . ."

"No," I pulled a chair up next to me, "You can join me."

He sat down and glanced over my charts.

"How's Maria?" He asked

"Scared but fine. Just a nip at the ankle, caused a fracture. I let her go today before you came in. She was having a little trouble with the crutches, so I called Angela and Melisa to keep an eye on her. As far as I know their gossiping and giving each other make overs." I said. Maria is one of the few kids at camp Teddy likes. He was the one who brought Maria to camp, and he treated her like a younger sibling. If Maria needed anything, she would run to Teddy and he would help her.

"I'm glad she's ok, she's one tough cookie." He laughed which caused him to wince because of the gash in his side. "You got any pain meds?"

"Yup." I walked over the medicine cabinet and grabbed some ibuprofen. "You should go lie down."

"I'm fine, just a bit sore." He winced as he took the water and pills from me.

<*>

I was still working on charts, but this time I had Teddy resting his head against my shoulder. Victoria and her friend Katie came in to take over a few hours later.

"Found a new friend, have we?" Katie laughed quietly when she saw my predicament.

"I would call my friend to let them know I found him, but my phone is over there, and I'm stuck here." I complained. Victoria handed me my phone, and the two of them walked off chuckling. I dialed Angela's number knowing she would be at dinner with everyone.

"Charlie, we still haven't found him, I'm sorry we . . ."

"I've got him." I said

"WHAT!" I heard a commotion on the other end, I could hear her telling everyone and the whoops from Maria. "Where are you? Is he ok?"

I chose my words carefully, "We're at the infirmary. He's ok, a bit banged up."

"Is it bad?"

"It's not good. He's asleep in the back office against me."

"Maria wants to talk to you." I heard more shuffling before Maria's sweet voice came through the phone.

"Is my Teddy Bear ok?" She asked

"He's ok. We're over at the infirmary if you want to see him."