The Whispers

10: Penny Copper

"People's ignorance really pisses me off. Stupidity is when you can't help it -ignorance is when you choose not to understand something." - Sarah McLachlan, Canadian singer/songwriter

The school nurse is named Penny Copper. I'm not sure what her parents were thinking when they named her that because I genuinely hate the name. It's like the receptionist in the school office being named Wren Bird, it's just ridiculous. It's not cute or creative and the kids are just being set up for a life of being teased and laughed at.

Nurse Penny is perky, has wavy red hair, is twenty-three years old, and is married to an electrician. It would be safe to assume she's smart because she got her bachelor of science and nursing at the age of twenty-one and has two minors: kinesiology and education. She's not smart, however. In fact, she's dumber than a bag of bricks and I'm baffled as to how she got her degree early or even at all.

When I was in grade 10 I got hit on the head with a dodgeball and had to go see her. She told me that maybe my brain shook inside my head. I thought she was joking at first but then she tried to contact a nearby hospital for some kind of scan. When questioned about how I was behaving and what exactly happened, they did not bring me in for a brain scan and I was sent home.

I suppose this time is a bit better because she isn't trying to send me to a professional.

"Maybe you had a seizure?" She asked as if I would know the answer. I've never had a seizure before and I've told her this twice now. I'm not sure I would recognize what was happening if I did have a seizure, but I'm positive that what happened out there wasn't it.

"Is there anything else that it could be?" Harper asked Penny.

Stella told me that Harper had disappeared for a while after my "fit" and then showed up at Penny's to look for me. Stella went to tell Dallas that I was fine and left me with Harper and Penny to wake up to. Stella wasn't allowed back in the nurse's office because only one person can stay with me for support, any more and it would somehow be a danger to my health.

I don't think that having two people sitting in chairs and doing nothing but watching me would more dangerous than the idiot school nurse not knowing what a seizure is, but I supposed rules are rules.

"Could it possibly be a panic attack?" Penny speculated. I'm lying down and can't see much of them, but I can just make out that she's chewing the ends of her hair like a space cadet. "I don't know what it could be, honestly, I'll just call her parents."

"You haven't called her parents yet?" Harper scoffs.

"Evidently not," I say and their heads turn. "I've been here for god knows how long, nobody has shown up to take me home and it's ridiculous. Please, Penny, go call my mom."

It's not like my mom will do much but it's worth a shot if it gets me out of here.

They both stare at me. Harper smiles and Penny frowns before she leaves the room to make a phone call to my mother. I look at Harper - he looks tired as if he hasn't slept in days. Maybe he hasn't, but I don't suppose that's any of my business.

"By any chance do you know how Maggie is?" I have to ask. I'd hate myself if I didn't and I trust him to tell me the truth.

"No," he shakes his head. "But I saw what was happening. That was what you were running to, right?"

"It is," I confirm.

"I told the principal," he squeezes my hand. "The kid was livid that someone told, he was screaming in the office and throwing candy from the bowl that Mrs. Bird had out. Whoever that guy is, he's been suspended."