𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 (𝟏𝟖+) 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐄𝐃 ✓

Chapter 30

My head rests against the wall in the gym as I take a sip of my coffee. Last night I ended up sleeping thirty minutes before my alarm went off, my thoughts plaguing me the whole night. Today is the last day before March break and the school decided to do a fun activity day for the students and in cases like this, you need a nurse nearby. I lost count of how many kids I've given bandages to or given ice for their injuries. It's almost the end of the day and the second half of the school grades three to five are the ones participating in the activities.

"Victoria, how are you?" Camryn questions sidling up beside me and I have to hold in my frustration because she's the last person I want near me.

"Fucking exhausted," I say under my breath and she laughs at my answer.

"Hmm, you do a look a bit tired, a lot of things must have been happening to you, the car crash I mean. How have you been healing from that?" she asks in genuine concern.

"It's been healing fine and I don't feel any soreness from it anymore," I answer, my hand resting on my thigh. All that's left now on my leg is the physical mark from the accident, the jagged scar on both sides of my thigh.

"I'm so glad to hear that. I'll be honest, the day I heard you were in a crash, the following Monday I was planning to apologize to you," she tells me in a soft voice.

"What were you going to apologize for?" I ask turning away from the kids to focus on her. 

"I think I was being a little pushy last month and even before. I've been told I talk too much for my own good and that I'm lacking in social skills," her demeanour shifting to one of embarrassment as she scratches the back of her head. "Maybe I've been really shitty because I do want a friend but I'm just not that great at making them or keeping them." I eye her for a couple of seconds and this is the first time I'm seeing her like this. All the times she talked to me you'd think she was on some kind of high schooler,  poking her nose in things that weren't her business and full of confidence. This is a three-sixty from the usual Camryn I've had to deal with.

"Don't take it the wrong way, I didn't want to just apologize because I was guilty and you survived so now I could convey it," she continues. "It's a little embarrassing for someone at twenty-seven to say this but I genuinely want to be friends with you," she says looking at me with determination. My eyes widen in surprise, this was the last thing I was expecting and maybe I don't have a good track record of having people in my life but I can't get through life without giving some people the benefit of doubt in the beginning. 

"Why do you even want to be friends with me? I don't understand," I tell her which is true, I don't think I've done anything to her that's praiseworthy except brush her off when she's annoying. 

"Out of all the people I've come across these years, even though I've probably pissed you off you still haven't told me off or I don't know said some shit to me. I just took it as a sign we should be friends," she answers shrugging her shoulders. I look at her incredulously thinking she's crazy for taking that as a sign to be friends. Did she talk to the universe before coming to me? 

"One chance Camryn, you'll learn real quick I don't take any kind of bullshit," I say holding my finger. She seems little nuts but what do I have to lose? I already lost a shitty friend anyway so let's see how long this will last.

"Really?" she questions but before she can continue we hear some students calling her name. "We'll continue this later for sure," she says excitedly before running over to the group of students waiting for her. I'm no psychologist or therapist but there has to be something for her to be acting like that, maybe something triggering from her past. I don't have much time to think about it when another kid comes up to me asking for a bag of ice this time for tripping on their jump rope and falling to the ground.