Paper Wings

Chapter 7

My eyes flutter open but my vision is blurred. I am blinded by the lights. All I hear are my ears ringing. Dark figures move around me.
Where am I?
What happened to me?
My heart is pounding. The surface beneath me is cold and hard. My bones ache. I want to move, but my body is weak.
Where am I?
What happened to me?
The dark figures turn into concerned faces. The ringing subsides and I hear people talking. I am on the floor.
How did I get on the floor?
What happened to me?
People grab my sides and slowly sit me up so the wall is supporting my back. Teachers and nurses are shoving cups of juice and snacks in front of my face. They want to see me eat something.
I don't want it.
I have to drink it.
I reach out my hand and the nurse holds out a cup of grape juice. I take it.
Don't overthink it.
I need to drink it.
I stare at the sugary dark purple liquid concealed in the styrofoam cup. I raise the cup to my lips and take a deep breath. Silently I count to three before throwing back the juice. I drink as fast as I can.
Don't think about the calories.
Don't make them suspicious.
The sugary remains stain my lips, making them feel sticky. The nurse flashes me a bright smile, but she doesn't quite seem satisfied.
I did what you wanted.
See? I'm fine.
I start to stand up but one of the teachers stopped me.
Nurse: what happened? How did you fall?
Me: I don't remember...
Nurse: why was the bathroom door locked?
Me: uh, I'm not sure?
Nurse: how much have you eaten today?
Me: I don't know.
Nurse: your blood sugar is low, that's why you fainted.
Me: I didn't pass out, I must have tripped.
The nurse gives me a sad look and then helps me to my feet. She holds on tight just Incase my legs fail to support me, but they don't. As she's pulling me up I can feel the squeezed grapes eating away at my stomach lining. Suddenly I feel hot and sticky. My hands clam up and I can feel myself sweating beneath the layers of clothes I wear.
She sees me.
She knows.
The nurse and one other teacher insisted on helping me to the nurse's office and I agree to go as long as I only have to go with the nurse. I wasn't about to have two escorts. One is bad enough.
To prove I'm totally fine I walk straight down the hallway into the nurse's office with ease. Thankfully it's a ghost town in here, the last thing I need is more people. The nurse comes in behind me and shuts the door softly. She takes a seat behind her desk facing me.
The nurse drops her shoulders slightly turns her head away and sighs, "I need to call your parents about this." I don't speak or look in her direction instead I nod understandingly because I know that after all, she is only doing her job.     
    "Do you want to call them or should I?"
     "You can call them." I murmur
     "Alright, but you need to drink more juice first." she said reaching into the mini-fridge that sits in the corner of her office and pulls out a small carton of orange juice then hands it to me. I know the drill. I open the carton of 100% real juice and hold it to my lips. I make eye contact with her before I start pounding it just to make sure she sees me drink it. It tastes like cardboard so I hold my breath. She seems fairly impressed with how well I'm cooperating.
I can drink orange juice.
You are wrong, I am fine.
The nurse picked up the phone and began dialing the number listed in my chart. My Dad's name is listed in the fine print and below it, there is a phone number, but it's not his phone number. It's Tanners.