Secret // Calum Hood

25

Elena

There’s a brief moment when you wake up each day, where you forget everything that’s going on in your life.  You forget all of the drama, the heartbreak, the pain.  You forget just how much you want to leave.  But then it all comes back, and you’re left with that heavy feeling in your heart and an uncomfortable pain in your stomach.  I opened my eyes, the bright lights of the school nurse’s office giving me a headache.  I took a sharp breath, also feeling some pain in my side.

 

“You’re awake,” Calum said.  He was sitting next to me.  His hand was near mine, as if he had been holding it while I was out.  I took in the rest of my surroundings.  I was lying on one of those high platform beds with the uncomfortable tissue paper on it.  I could hear typing in the background, and the nurse, Ms. Trisha, talking to someone.

 

“How long have I been out?”

 

“Just for an hour.  How do you feel?”

 

“Like my head is going to explode.”

 

“Do you want to talk about it?”

 

“No”.

 

“Elena”.

 

“Not here”.

 

He looked at me for a minute, his eyes sad.

 

“Don’t look at me like that,” I said.

 

“Like what?” he asked.

 

“Like I’m some kind of sad little puppy,” I said.

 

He looked down, and I wished I hadn’t just gotten angry at him.  But I’m getting really tired of everyone treating me like I’m some mental case, or like I’m so sad that I can’t handle myself.  I mean, maybe I can’t, but I don’t like to be treated that way.

 

“Do you want me to take you home?” he asked.  I nodded and he went to go talk to the nurse.  I felt bad.  Calum just wants to help me, because he’s a good friend.  I shouldn’t be angry at him for that.  A few minutes later, I had my stuff in my hands and Calum was driving my car.

 

“Did I really pass out in front of everyone?” I asked.

 

“Yeah”.

 

“Did you carry me to the nurse?”

 

“Bridal style,” he cheesed, making me laugh.

 

The rest of the drive was silent.  I thought about what I was going to say.  I didn’t want to tell him every little detail.  There was a part of me that wanted to keep it to myself.  After all, I had been threatened to do so.  But even though I feel like I can tell Calum anything, I also feel like this is just too much.  It’s always one secret, one burden after another.  My life is a constant soap opera, and I’m tired.  We pulled into my driveway, and then slowly walked to my front door.  I still felt a little ill, so Calum helped me.  He offered to carry me again, and as much as I would kind of like that, I said I would be fine.  He helped me to my room where I took off my snowboots and got under the covers.  He laid beside me.