That time I got rejected three times on the same day!

Chapter 16

The nurse's office was an extended wing of the residential property used as the teacher's office and the administration office. It had a cheap linoleum floor with a flower pattern and smelled like ammonia. Mrs.Fredriks sat me down on one of the two beds which were covered in white sheets. Neris sat down on one of the chairs on the other side of the room. Mrs.Fredriks got out a black bag and reached into it, pulling out a small flashlight. She tilted my head up and shone it into my eyes.

"This won't hurt a bit, dear."

She was wearing surgical gloves. There was some blood on them. Was I bleeding?

"Okay, look into the light."

I did as I was told.

"What's your name?" she said.

"Henry," I replied.

"Where are you?"

"The nurse's office."

"What happened?"

"I got beat up."

Mrs.Fredriks put away the flashlight.

"It looks like you weren't hurt too badly, but I'm still going to need to patch you up. I'm going to keep you here for observation."

"But Mr.Williams said—"

She waved her hand dismissively.

"Don't be silly. I'm not going to send you back to class after an incident like that. There are reports to fill out, statements to be made. This is a very serious issue. You could have died."

Neris walked up behind her.

"Can I help with anything," she said.

"Certainly dear, see that cupboard over there," Mrs.Fredriks pointed to a glass cabinet. "There's a white box with green and white cross on it. Please get it for me."

"Yes miss," Neris replied.

How was I going to explain this to my parents? They are going to freak out.

Mrs.Fredriks had a serious expression on her face and Neris put her hand on her mouth, trying not to laugh.

"Take off your clothes," Mrs.Fredriks said.

"No way," I said indignantly.

"I need to check dear. You don't need to be embarrassed."

"No – way!"

Neris giggled.

"I'll wait outside miss."

"Thank you dear."

The door closed and I was alone with Mrs.Fredriks.

"Clothes off," she said with a voice that broached no argument.

With Neris out of the room I felt less reluctant. I took of my shoes and stripped down to my underwear. There was a large mirror near the bed. I looked at myself. My face had two scrapes and a cut above the brow. There were no wounds on the rest of my body, not even bruises. Mrs.Fredriks was also surprised. She came closer and started poking my shins and forearms.

"Does this hurt?"

"Ow," I pulled away. "Of course it does."

"You are pretty tough. I would have thought there would be black bruises all over your body." She returned to her chair. "Tell me, what did you do to make those boys beat you up this badly?"

I started putting my clothes back on.

"I almost killed the big guy's brother."

"Oh," she said, filling out a chart. "I remember that incident. I examined the boy afterwards," she shifted her legs,"you didn't almost kill him. You saved his life."

Well, that was one way to look at it.

"Whatever happened between you two, when you threw him, you cushioned his fall and allowed him to land safely. That was a very noble thing."

But also unintentional, Judo was the gentle way. It was not that I wanted him to land safely, but he did so because that was the design of the technique. Mrs.Fredriks stood up and walked to the door.

"You are in good health Mr.Knight. I don't know what you did to that boy, but his wrist is broken and he has some fractured fingers. He was just picked up and driven to the hospital by his parents. I saw how severe the beating was the boys gave you, but you still came out with fewer injuries – like last time. That will reflect in my report. The principal will want to see you when you are feeling better."

She walked outside and spoke to Neris.

"You can go inside and see him now."

Neris walked in, and closed the door behind her. What was she up to?

She was leaning forward with a wad of cotton wool dipped in antiseptic.

"Ouch." I winced.

"Stop being a baby," she said.

It was starting to feel like the longest day of my life. Enough had happened in the last five hours to fill half a book. I was enjoying myself though, the early morning orange missile crisis, the disastrous confession, and getting beaten up. Neris was concentrating on cleaning my wounds.

"What's so funny," she said.

I couldn't help but smile.

"This," I said.

"You like getting beaten up?"

I shook my head carefully.

"Thanks."

"I'm sorry," she replied. "If I had gone sooner this wouldn't have happened."

She had also said 'sorry' when I had messed up my confession.

"I thought you didn't like when people say 'sorry'? Yet, you use it yourself."

Neris pressed the wad of cotton wool into the cut above my eye. It stung like crazy.

"Girls can say 'sorry', but when boys say 'sorry' it makes them look pathetic. I hate pathetic boys."

I think I started to understand.

"Do you think I'm pathetic?" I said.

I was looking down at her. She removed the wad of cotton wool and tweezers.

"This morning? Yes. After walking away from that fight with only a few scratches and breaking the other boy's hand? No."

She looked away.

"Neris," I said.

"Don't," she replied.

"I've seen you around school."

She was fidgeting with the tweezers.

"I like you. Will you go out with me?"

Nerissa turned her head and looked at me form the corners of her eyes. She was wearing a crooked smile. I thought I had gotten used to her presence, but my heart skipped a beat. The chest pain returned. I had never seen her from this angle. Her face was mischievous and angelic at the same time. How could such a creature exist on earth?

"No," she replied.

Her toothy grin was incredibly cute. I don't know why I had never noticed it before. On the left side, she had a canine tooth that was slightly longer. I wanted her more than ever.

"I'm never going to give up on you," I said.

She pressed the wad of cotton wool back into my cut. I winced again. Our faces were close enough to touch. She looked me in the eyes.

"Good."