Fire and Ice

Chapter 9: Thought You Had to Stay Away

A sharp pain shoots through me as I breathe. Any attempts to move end with me gasping and laying on the ice-cold floor. Nicci, Jade, and Kim are all hovering around me trying their best not to touch my sides but still trying to move my clothing so that they could assess my injuries from Carla's vicious assault. Nicci eventually manages to move my shirt enough to take a glance at my wounds which causes her to gasp. 

"We need to get you to the nurse," she says her voice laced with worry. 

"Is it that bad?" I ask through a groan. 

"I'm not sure. I'm not a doctor," she chuckles. "But we can't be too cautious," she adds.

The small part of me that likes to imagine she is tough and doesn't need any help tries to take over but as I twist my body to try and sit up again my ribs and abdomen scream in pain so I decide to allow Nicci and Kim to become my human crutches. So, with a nervous and furious Jade close at our heels, we slowly start hobbling to the school nurse's office. 

A few people stare at me as we walk past, their eyes burning into my soul, some of them look at me with pity others–who I assume are Carla's friends–with happiness. While they may be showing a range of emotions I am only feeling one, embarrassment. Embarrassed by the fact that I couldn't stop Carla from attacking me. 

After walking down so many hallways we finally reach the nurse's office and Jade gently knocks on the door. Not long after the door slowly opens and a middle-aged woman steps out.

"Well I'll be damned, Jade, I think this is the first time I won't be treating you," she laughs which causes her almost mystical blue eyes to twinkle. "So what can I do for you, ladies?"

"Vega got beat up," Nicci says to her.

She turns her attention toward me, her eyes scanning me up and down for a few seconds before she looks back toward Jade. 

"Carla?" she asks rolling her eyes.

"Yeah," Jade answers.

"Okay, let's get you inside and I can see what I can do to make you better." She gives me a comforting smile. 

Nicci and Kim helped move me inside the room, Jade once again followed us and closes the door behind her to block the few curious onlookers standing in the hallway from looking inside. 

"Get on the bed," the nurse instructs as she gets some of her equipment ready. 

Before I can even attempt to maneuver myself onto the bed Nicci and Kim unexpectedly pick me up and put me on the bed. 

"I could have gotten up here by myself," I gasp as yet another round of pain shoots through me. 

"We couldn't be too careful," Kim shrugs. 

"They do have a point, who knows what kind of internal damage you could have," the nurse says. Her calm expression immediately drops when she looks at me. "I'm not saying that you have any... It's just—" she starts to stutter but before she says anything else that makes my heart pound with fear I interrupt her. 

"I know what you mean." I turn to look toward Nicci and Kim. "Thank you for helping me," I say with a small smile tugging on my lips, the small cut stinging with the subtle motion. 

"What are friends for?" Kim smiles. 

"Okay that's enough of this emotional crap are you going to fix her or what?" Jade hisses through clenched teeth interrupting the special moment.

We all roll our eyes as we turn to look at her. 

"You're right we should see what we're dealing with. Just try to be nicer when saying it," the nurse smirks.