Changes

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

            I had about thirty minutes before I had to be in Laz's class. I took a deep breath and stared myself down in the mirror. If I were being honest with myself, I looked like I'd been hit by a bus. The gash on my forehead was too big for a normal band aid and my ankle had been throbbing all day. The thought of not even going crossed my mind multiple times. I raised my hand to touch around the cut on my forehead and I winced. Furthermore, I didn't want to go and have to face Phillip. Shockingly, I hadn't heard from him since the night before. But I was thankful that I hadn't. I was tired of putting up with his episodes and as much as I cared for him as a person because of the time we spent together, it was time to let him make his own path without me interfering anymore. That job of mine was over.

            I sighed as I heard Maybel trotting down the hallway.

            "How are you feeling?" She asked as she appeared at my bedroom door and rested herself against the frame.

            I shrugged and kept my gaze fixed on myself in the mirror. "As good as I can feel."

            "Are you going to go?"

            I exhaled. "I need to. I don't think I need to miss a class during the first week."

            "What do you think Dr. Easton will say?"

            I shook my head and looked down. "I have no idea." I had told the other professors that questioned my injuries during the day that I had just taken a bad fall. It was technically the truth since I did actually fall, and luckily they didn't question me further.

            Maybel appeared beside me and opened one of the drawers of my dresser. "Well let's wrap your ankle at least."

            I nodded in agreement and I limped over to the bed to sit down. My ankle was better than it was when I got up this morning, but it still throbbed as if someone had smacked it with a hammer. Maybel, being the best friend that she is, got down on her knees on the floor and wrapped my ankle before pulling one of the legs of my sweat pants down over it.

            "I'll walk you to class so you can lean on me for support," Maybel stated as she finished up and plopped down on the bed beside me.

            "Morally or physically?"

            Maybel let out a laugh. "Both." She nudged my shoulder and smiled.

            "Should I wear a toboggan or something to cover my head?" I asked, looking past her and into the mirror at myself. I inwardly cringed. It wasn't pretty.

            Maybel looked at me for a moment. "It's only August, Cal. And we are in Georgia. It's still pretty hot outside so I think that a toboggan may make it too obvious that you're trying to hide something. Here," Maybel responded and stood to where she was standing in front of me. She began threading her fingers through my hair and pulling my bangs down over the cut.

            "Like that's going to cover that horrid thing up," I muttered.

            "Hey, I'm trying to help missy," she stopped to poke me in the arm.

            "I'm about to say screw it and just stay here."

            Maybel stopped messing with my hair and looked at me. "You said it yourself. It's the first week of class. Do you really want to miss it?"

            "But how am I supposed to handle Phillip?" I looked up at her.

            "He's in that class?"