'I don't want them to go. I know I will forget them if they leave now.'
****
After the third period, she emerged from the front doors of the biology lab, hugging her journal against her chest as if someone might come and snatch it from her. The pair of hazel eyes scanned the crowd for Ais and the rest. She spotted a familiar figure by the vending machine accompany by other 3 girls. Slowly making her way toward them, she 'bump' into a buff figure who is standing by the end of the table near the door.
"Ah, um." Fidgeting herself, she moved a step backward before looking up at the figure.
'Oh shit. Oh shit.'
She stands still like one of those scarecrows at a cornfield across the town, waiting to be scolded by whoever she just bump into.
"I am so sorry, I-"
"Hey, it is fine. It is my fault too." The sweet, husky voice hits her eardrum.
'Oh shit oh shit.' She recognizes this voice.
'Please not him, please not him' Well, guess what. It is him. Standing a few inches from her is one of the most popular guy in school. Calculating how this situation could end, which is not like one of the movies that she had watched, she chooses to walk away leaving Ian behind.
"Did my breath smell?" He turned to one on his friend.
"Nah, you good man."
"There is nothing wrong with you, dude. That is just how she is." Drey said, putting a mouthful amount of fries into his mouth.
"You know her?"
"Unfortunately, yes. That is one of Naina's friend. She is a weirdo tho. I don't think she ever hooks up with any of the guys from this school," said Drey.
Fifteen feet for them is poor Hestia who is playing with her soup. She notices that the boys are looking at her. They always gave her that 'look'. As if she is some kind of diseases. Ais is too busy talking to Fishy about her problem with Ethan and so is Luna who is paying attention to what Savanna is talking about.
Despite her attempts to call out for them, she felt as if she is disturbing them from what they are doing. That is when she felt the tingling and uneasy feeling in her nose.
'Gosh not again. Not now.'
She whimpered, grabbing the tissue from her pocket before stuffing it in her nose, but it was too late. Blood starts gushing and dripping from her chin.
"God! Hestia are you okay?" Ais shouted, she quickly moves toward Hestia, helping her to wipe the blood stain on her face and shirt. "Let's go to the infirmary. Sav, could you pack Hestia's stuff and Luna, lend me a hand here."
Hestia shook her head weakly. "It is fine. I can walk." Her voice sounds wheezy. The pain shot up her nose like fire. She cringed. It exploded in her head with blinding whiteness. Making her dizzy. It made her reel. The pain was like needles that had been dipped in alcohol had been jammed through her skin, like her nose had been replaced with some kind of heavy metal and electricity wired straight into her spine. The last thing that she heard is Ais calling her name before everything turn dark.
******
She woke up to the hums of The Neighbourhood song. White walls. White ceiling. She must be in the infirmary. She let out a small sigh. Looking by the clock on the wall, it's 1:38 in the afternoon. Her head is still hurt while her nose feels like exploding, yet it felt better than before.
'At least it stops bleeding.'
"Hello there, I was wondering when you will wake up." Miss Flynn smiled as she approaches Hestia's bed. "You gave your friends quite a fright you know," she continues talking as she reached out for a piece of paper on her desk. She hands it to Hestia. "Give this to the clerk at the office. I already called your parents but they seem to be out of reach, do you have any other family member that could pick you up?"
She wanted to say Harriet's name, but she remembered he told her that she got some practice. She shook her head weakly before giving in a smile. "It is fine. I can just wait for the school bus along with the other kids after school."
"Oh, I can't let you do that. There are an hour and more before school ends and you, my dear need to rest."
"Then, may I rest here until school ends?" Miss Flynn hesitated for a minute before nodding.
"Make yourself comfortable. I must return to the lab. If you need anything, press the buzzer on my table." Hestia nodded, she watched as Miss Flynn disappeared behind the door. She could feel her cheeks gaining heat and her eyes start to itch. She quickly closes her eyes tightly preventing it from shedding a single tear, yet once that first tear broke free, the rest followed in an unbroken stream. Hestia bent forward where she sat on the bed and pressing her palms to the bed sheet, she began to cry with the force of a person vomiting on all fours. She felt helpless and lonely. As if she is the only left behind in this world. All her surrounding started to feel 'grey'.
She slowly gaining strength, enough to wipe her tears using the back of her hand. She then feels like something touching her cheek. She looks up to find a packet of tissue being given to her.
"Here, use this to wipe those tears."
'Do I know him? Shit, this is embarrassing.'
"Er, thanks," she clears her dried throat. "Were you here, all along?"
"Yeah, I guess. I am always here when I feel like skipping class." He sat by the end of the bed. "I am Xander, you are Hestia, right?"
"How do you know my name?"
"We have art and drama class together, besides, I sit next to you in Mr. Hamith's English class last year." Xander smiles. Showing a perfect set of teeth.
"I know you, you are the-" before she could even finish her sentence, Xander quickly get up and walk out from the infirmary. Hestia frown, she looks at the pocket tissue in her hand.
'What a rude guy.'
*****
