Beauty of the Dark

Chapter 3

          Phoebe leaned over her desk and tapped Lucy on the side of the head. "Earth to Lucy," She said. "Hey, have you heard anything I've said." 

          "Oh, um, sorry. I'm just a little distracted this morning." 

          "Yeah, I bet! You know that sophomore that Josh has been hanging out with?" Lucy's head snapped up at the sound of Josh's name. I don't care, I don't care, I don't care. But she couldn't fool herself, she did care. Phoebe leaned in a little closer and lowered her voice to a whisper, "I heard she's been getting pretty chummy with the captain of the hockey team." She wiggled her eyebrows like a comic book villain and Lucy giggled. Maybe this made her a terrible person, but she thought it was hilarious that Josh's new girlfriend had baled already. 

          "I thought you might like that." Phoebe smiled girlishly and Lucy mimicked her. Suddenly, Phoebe gave a quick glance towards the front of the room. It was aimed directly at Christine. Lucy flicked her eyes from Phoebe to Christine. She was talking to one of her "friends" in a hushed tone and occasionally looking toward the back of the room, at Lucy. 

          "What are they talking about?" Lucy furrowed her brows and awaited an answer from Phoebe with wide eyes. 

          "It's nothing, don't worry about it." She said unconvincingly.

         Lucy's voice became more urgent, "What are they saying about me, Phoebe?"

          "It's just that," She paused as though looking for a way to explain, "After you left yesterday, Christine might've told some people some things." It was vague, but specific enough. "Look, I know it isn't true, that's all that matters." Phoebe didn't want to say the rumor aloud, and Lucy didn't want to hear it.

         Their intense eye contact was abruptly shattered by the sound of the door shutting. Of course she'd known he would have to enter the room at some point, but she'd pushed it to the furthest corner of her mind. "Class," He greeted the room. His eyes briefly met hers but then instantly he broke eye contact. Lucy pretended to immerse herself in the textbook, not wanting to even chance eye contact. 

          "Today we'll discuss," He paused. Curious as to why he'd stopped, she flicked her eyes upward, her head still tilted downwards. "Actually, I think we'll just watch a video on the revolution today." Vacant cheers filled the room, everyone was glad to be given a day off, especially Lucy. 

          The student aid quickly pulled down the screen and turned on the projector. She tried to pay attention to the movie, but found it was more trouble then it was worth. Lucy could almost feel Finn's eyes on her from the back of the room where his desk was. He was supposed to be grading papers and she was supposed to be watching the video. She turned ever so slightly but snapped back to facing forward when she found his eyes on her. Phoebe leaned over her desk again. "Are you okay?" She whispered.

          Lucy tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and pursed her lips. "Yeah, I'm fine," She whispered back. Phoebe nodded but still seemed unconvinced. On the screen soldiers, some in red and some in blue, were fighting with muskets and swords. The video cut into a historian speaking about the event and how it forever changed america. She absently took notes, but hardly understood them. Her mind was elsewhere.

          Finn walked to the front of the classroom and paused the video on his computer. The lights flicked on and everyone groaned and stretched. "Class dismissed." She picked up her binder and textbook and quickly double checked for anything she might leave behind, as Finn didn't need an excuse to talk to her again. 

          Lucy walked in tandem with Phoebe out of the class, not giving a backwards glance. "There's nothing true to that rumor, is there?" Lucy turned towards her in surprise. "Well, I mean he was just staring at your back the whole time."

          "What are you saying?" Lucy stared at her in disbelief. How could her friend believe those lies? And could everyone see there were deeper emotions beneath the surface of their relationship? She could hardly comprehend what was happening between them herself. 

          "I'm sorry I said it."

          "Good." Lucy pursed her lips, "I'll see you in class.

          "How are you Miss Colde?"

          "I'm okay."

         Dr. Carmen, a women with warm toasted caramel skin and shiny black hair, said, "Well, if you were okay you wouldn't be here, would you?" She smiled a very doctor-ly smile. 

          "I guess so."

          "I hear you're still having those headaches. How many per week?"

          Lucy hesitated, "Almost every day."

          "On a scale of 1-10, what is your pain level today?"

          "Um, today? Like a five maybe." 

          Aunt Sarah was sitting in a chair next to the examination bed, where Lucy was perched. Dr. Carmen finished writing on her clipboard. "Would you say the pain is improving, staying the same, or getting worse?" 

          "Getting worse." She replied simply. Her Aunt clutched her hand a little tighter. Lucy hadn't told her the extent of the headaches and it showed in her furrowed brow and worried glances.

          "Now, are you experiencing any other symptoms?"

          "Yes. I throw up sometimes, I don't really have an appetite anymore, and I can't really focus very hard anymore." 

          Dr. Carmen set down her pen and looked up at Lucy. "That's a little worrisome. I think I'll schedule you for a CT scan and an MRI at St. Joseph's." Lucy was worried that Dr. Carmen was worried. 

          Just then, her Aunt chimed in. "What are you saying? How bad do you think this is exactly?" Aunt Sarah sounded as worried as Lucy felt, but at least she had the strength to keep these concerns to herself. 

          "I don't want to worry you if it's nothing. I'm not sure what it could be, myself." That was a lie, she could see it in her chocolate eyes. Lucy didn't want to think about whatever it was the doctor was subtly implying. 

          Aunt Sarah frowned at the evasion, but left it alone thankfully. "Thank you for seeing us doctor." She said curtly and left the room.

          Dr. Carmen watched her go, a little confused. "Lucy, if you could just go up front they'll schedule an appointment with you at the hospital." 

          "Okay, thanks." Lucy walked through the doorway in suit of her Aunt who was in the lobby. She'd beat Lucy to the front desk and was scheduling an appointment at St. Joseph's with the secretary. Her Aunt quickly finished up and they both walked out the double doors into the chilly Autumn air. "So when are they going to do the scans?"

          "Monday." Today being Friday, Lucy was again concerned by the promptness of the follow up. "How do you feel about all of this?" Her Aunt's voice was fairly vacant, emotionless really. 

          Lucy thought about how she felt for a moment. It was like a gray area that she didn't want to define into black and white quite yet. "I'm not to worried." Lie. Aunt Sarah seemed convinced though. 

          "I'm glad." Again, her voice was vacant and not especially warm. Wasn't this when her Aunt would usually be smothering her in concern and worry? But this time she was distant and all of her words felt more like reflex rather than an authentic care. They each threw open the car door at the same time and climbed in in tandem. 

          Aunt Sarah pressed the key into the ignition and slowly pulled out of her parking space. Lucy still didn't have her driver's license, even though she was nearly sixteen and a half now. She'd just never really had the need to. Her Aunt or Phoebe had always been willing to drive her, and she'd never wanted to go anywhere without them knowing, so it just hadn't really made sense. 

          "Do you want soup or fried chicken for dinner?" Her Aunt turned to look at her from the car seat, while at the same time pressing the gas at a stoplight. 

          "Look!" Lucy screamed. But it was too late, the car on the right of them was already on course to hit them.