Do You Know Indigo?

Chapter Thirty Four

There was no denying, though he vexed me, that I felt sorry for Kieran having to walk around with his face beaten black and blue. But while people questioned his integrity he brushed them off.

Still, it was not as if I didn't hear what people were whispering about me; the scheming adulterous. This was the way high school was and tomorrow it would be old news. Besides, I had to remind myself that words couldn't do half the damage Tom had done to Kieran's face.

After the final week before our exams, I went back to the hospital. While I was eagerly anticipating the removal of my cast, that did not mean I was keen for a session with Dr. Collins which would unavoidably follow. The stories she’d wish me to tell her... I could only imagine the look of disappointment on her face when I failed to provide.

The bus was relatively full that morning but I managed to bag myself a seat with little trouble. Resting my head against the window, I tried to relax. Alone, I found myself free to breathe for what felt like the first time in days.

The ring of a mobile phone made me open my eyes, falling out of some day dream. A couple of rows in front of me sat the guy who sometimes stood at our bus stop, the one with the clever indigo eyes. Now I saw him again, there was something more familiar than his eyes.

As usual, he was muttering quickly into his phone and made me uneasy all the while.

I spent so long looking at him I didn’t realise I was only minutes away from the hospital stop. I was just too easily distracted...the indigo eyes...the profile of him.

I made my way to the front of the bus, pushing the stop button as I went. A large woman who'd been reduced to standing barged passed and claimed my seat. I almost fell into Mobile Man.

Before I got to the front a hand reached out to grab my sleeve. Being stopped so forcefully made me frown, who could have such nerve? I whirled to face the puzzling indigo eyed man and then swallowed my words. He studied me as though he knew me. Did I know him?

“Excuse me Miss, but what hospital is this?” he asked. He sounded American.

“The Royal,” I replied, wondering if he was getting off here too.

“Wrong one.” He chuckled before returning to his conversation. I scrutinised him for one more moment before I had to get off. Mobile Man was indeed strange.

Stepping down from the bus, I was very aware of the driver watching me and heard him mutter something about me taking my bloody time.  I rolled my eyes as the bus trundled away.

Wandering into the warmth of the hospital, a receptionist greeted me, her fingers pausing momentarily over her keyboard. 

“How can I help you?” she asked, placing some paper work to the side of her neatly kept desk and tucking in her keyboard. Her lipstick was startling pink.

“I’m here for an appointment with Dr. Collins.” I said, placing my cast on the desk. Normally I would have headed straight for her office but my arm was itching for freedom.

“Wait one second and I’ll just give her a call, what’s your name?” The receptionist asked, already with the phone to her ear.

“Christine Evans."

“OK then hold on one second.” The receptionist tapped in the number and stole a moment to inspect her nails. “Hello this is Hayley from the front reception desk. I have a Christine Evans here with an appointment. Uh-hu, yep, yep OK. Thank you.” Hayley put down the phone and returned to inspecting me instead of her nails.

“Dr. Collins is coming to meet you here. She’ll be down in a few minutes.”

Thanking Hayley, I retreated to one of the waiting chairs. I people watched as I pleased, observing the ins and outs of the hospital. It was somewhat quiet, for a hospital at least.