The Witch's Toy ✔

24: my little yu

"Yu Rui?"

It was my mother's voice that I first heard when I came to. Her chocolate eyes gazed down at me concerned, a fragile expression following it. I wanted to sit up, and I willed my body to, but it didn't respond. Instead, I could only glance at my surroundings, taking it all in and putting the pieces together.

"You're in the infirmary," she continued, looking away briefly before catching my eyes again. Her lips pursed together. "If you didn't feel well, you didn't have to go to school. I told you in the note I left that I'd call you in sick."

I only faintly remembered her address written on that note, but after everything that had happened that night, I must have missed the rest.

My eyes shifted away and when I spoke, my words were muddled and quiet. "I... didn't know. I'm sorry."

"No..." Taking my hand in hers, my mother held it tightly, squeezing like I might run away if she didn't hold onto me. "I should be the one saying 'sorry.'"

Inside, I could feel myself coming apart at the seams. Mina had already been long gone, and I wasn't able to return from Madame Blanc's manor with Raphael. Now, my mother was close to snipping that last tie I had with her. She was trying to keep it from fraying at the middle, fingers wrapped around that taut string, her knuckles turning white. But was it working? I didn't know; I didn't know how much longer it would hold or if she could even mend it back together.

Someone knocked on the open door to announce their presence, their footsteps following, heels clicking on the floor. "Liu Yu Rui." The nurse slid the curtain separating my mother and I from the main room open. She wore a relaxed smile, head tilted to the side. "I thought I'd get used to not seeing you here for a while, but I guess that streak has broken."

I blinked, having been abruptly cut off from my deepest thoughts.

My mother's face turned a few shades paler at the nurse's statement. "E-excuse me, Miss —"

The nurse's eyes flickered down to her painted nails. "Zhang."

Flustered, my mother shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Miss Zhang, I thought that parents were supposed to be informed when their child is sent to the infirmary."

"Not quite." She disappeared for a second before popping back in, a new folder in her hand. Her fingernails tapped against the thick folder, a passive smile on her lips. "Perhaps that is the case for other schools, but here, the records are only stored. Parents can ask to see them, but the school doesn't send them out every time a student visits the infirmary."

My mother's eyes were glued to the folder, probably wondering why it was full of papers. Years ago, I would've been embarrassed myself, but because I came here almost every single school day, I was used to it. The entire idea didn't faze me at all.

"I didn't know —"

"It's fine," I interrupted, though it came out a little harsher than I intended it to. "I usually come here because I want to sleep. I don't... usually come because of physical wounds." I knew I was skimming over the top with my explanation, but I didn't owe her a proper one. If she was going to step out of my life for five years without even coming back to check on me, I would only assume that she didn't care about me. That was the impression I had for a while now — it would be hard to change it if she wanted to.

"I understand."

Miss Zhang's brows rose, as if she was surprised by my mother's reaction. She glanced at me briefly, her eyes connecting with mine before shrugging it off. "Alright." She twisted around in her heels, ready to leave but stopped herself and come to my side, pulling another folder out from underneath my health records. "I almost forgot, Yu Rui, but your homeroom teacher came by and dropped this off. Must be the material you've missed and perhaps material for the next few days while you rest at home."