Beyond The Smoke

Chpt. 5 ER

"Mr. Rusak, I'm sorry. There is nothing I can do at the moment. We need a doctor's note or we need him to attend school." The secretary sighed on the other line like I was annoying. B.itch! Mike's school keeps calling, saying he has to go or I'll go to court. I don't have the cash to take him to the doctor, so school is my last option. I abruptly hung up the phone and threw it into my makeshift bed. Walking to the mirror, I stared into my disgusting reflection. The dark sunken area around my eyes had me looking like crap. My hair was disheveled, but I did my best to fix it. I was extremely sleep deprived, dozing every few seconds, and sick due to constant exposure to cold. My hopes in straightening myself up any further were crushed.

Turning to Mike, I sighed, biting my lip. The kid can't even f.ucking walk strait, how the hell is he supposed to make it through eight hours?

"Mikey, c'mon. Wake up. I'm sorry, but you've got to go to school. They won't let up." He slowly awoke, groaning.

"Uhh...y-yeah...th-that's....ok...I'll...be o-ok.....once I get there. D-don't ....don't worry." He spoke oddly slow, as if each word took all his focus to pronounce. Already unsure and anxious, this wasn't helping. My stomach churned at the though of something bad happening. It's just a concussion, right? They'll notice and send him to the nurse, they'll take care if him there. He'll be fine.

"Alright, c'mon." I lifted him up. He was still in the same clothes from last night as I haven't been able to wash everything yet, this'll have to do. I was already dressed as well, ready to go before they called me. So I snatched the small blanket he used last night, gave it to him, and left the apartment.

Mike was already late so, I had to walk him in. I would have done it anyway, but now I have an excuse at least. I had been trying to get Mike to walk, but he wouldn't make it too far without falling into me, throwing up shortly after. We entered trough the doors of the middle school and walking up to the office.

"Hello sir, give us a minute and I'll be with you." A woman behind the counter said, continuing on with the person in front of her. Sitting Mike into a chair, I had him look at me.

"Hey, Mikey. Look at me." I gently shifted his head to my direction. He looked at me trough tired, pale blue eyes. I ran a hand through his bleach blond hair.

"You do your best to work on whatever you can today, ok? Tell your teachers if there is anything wrong. If things go sideways at all, have them call me, ok?" I sounded like his parent or something.

"Y-yes....m-mom...." It took him a minute before he smiled at his own joke. I smiled back, hiding my worry. His speech was off, that didn't seem like a good sign. It's probably just cause he's tired.

"Sir? I can help you now." My attention shifted to the woman. Leaving Mike in the chair, I stood and made my way over to her.

"Yes, I've got to check little one over there in." I gestured to Mike.

"His name?"

"Mikael Rusak." She typed his name into the keys of the computer, checking him in.

"He's good to go. It is now second period, is he ok?"

"He's sick. I was going to keep him home, but they wouldn't let me. It was bring him here or they'd take me I court."

"Reasons not to become a teen dad, huh?" She mumbled, setting a pass onto the sleek counter surface. What the f.uck? Was she mocking me?

"Excuse me? He's not my son. He's my brother." I said sternly. What the actual hell?

"Oh..." She went silent. I was pissed. Is everyone at this place an a.ss?!