His eyes narrowed on the clock. His papers were finished and turned in. He sat straight up, tapping his pencil against the desk in time with the ticking of the clock. Twenty-minutes turned into fifteen. So close yet so far. Time melted away into ten. He watched the clock hand tick in circles. Come on come on... He bit his lip. Five minutes. He glanced around at his classmates, they talked quickly amongst themselves or were working. They all seemed so unbothered. They laughed. George envied them. only because they all seemed so happy. They weren't stressed or anxious.
Ring... ring...
Finally. George let out a long breath and booked it out of the room. He bobbed and weaved his way through the crowded high school halls. George bit his lips. Exactly seven minutes to the middle school, thirteen home, twenty-one to the hospital. All-in-all, he had exactly forty-one minutes till he was at work, and his work started in an hour. Perfectly timed as usually. George made his way to his car. It was an old beat up thing, but it was good enough for now anyways.
"Hey George!" A friendly voice called out. George opened the backseat of his car and threw his backpack in, then turned to the person who greeted him.
"Oh, hey Bad." George smiled gently. Bad was a good friend of George's, they met last year of middle school and have been rather close ever since. Bad, of course, was not his actual name. He got the nickname 'Bad boy' because he said muffin instead of curse words, eventually shortened to 'Bad'. He was really sweet overall. He was easy to talk too and gave great advice when needed.
"You didn't come by computer lab after school." He asked. "Got kind of worried so i went looking for you."
"Oh, I'm in a bit of a rush, gotta get my sister home then i got work." George explained.
"Right. When are you off work?"
"Midnight." George sighed. It was going to be a long night.
"That's a shame, was gonna ask if you wanted to go to the game tonight." Bad pouted.
"Yea, hard pass. Sports aren't my thing. Take Skeppy. Sure you'd have a great time." George nudged.
"S-skeppy? I-" Bad sputtered. Skeppy was Bad's crush. They had been friends way before George came into the picture. Skeppy again wasn't his real name. Apparently everyone had nicknames. Strange. Best not think about it too hard.
George gave soft smile. "I have to go, call me after the game and we can chat." Bad waved goodbye and George slid into the drivers seat and started the car. Once he was out of his high school parking lot, George calmed down a little. He released the tension he didn't know he was holding.
Seven minutes later to the dot, George turned into the parking lot of his sister's middle school. He looked around for her face but George couldn't seem to find it. He pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contact, he tapped Eliza and called. She didn't even answer. George groaned but to his luck, the familiar short stature of his sister walking to the car. She looked almost exactly like George, just more feminine and long hair.
"Hey." She entered the car. Her aura was off. She covered her head with her hood and gazed at her phone and sighed.
"What's wrong Liz?" George switched the gear out of park and drove.
"The same girls as before..." She mumbled quietly. George's grip tightened on the steering wheel. A group of girl had been teasing his little sister for a while now. George had called the school about the issue several times, but apparently nothing was done.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips. "Alright, I'll call the school again..."
"No! You can't!" She pleaded. "It only got worse after you called..." Her voice cracked.
"Liz, i cant sit there while my little sister is harassed." George frowned. Liz allowed some tears to fall. "At least its the weekend. I'll let you think about it, but i am going to get involved. You are to amazing for this." Liz sniffled.
Shortly after the conversation melted away, they arrived at their house. It was very small, a two bed one bath. It was slightly worn down, with weeds overgrowing just a bit. George looked at the yard and frowned. He tried so hard to keep it tidy. The only thing that was really pretty about the house was the flower garden his sister planted.
"Alright I'll be home around 12:30." He called as his sister left the car. "Do your homework and make sure mom takes her meds and is in bed by 8. There is twenty bucks in my room for dinner." He sighed. "Love you!"
"Love you too. Stay safe." Liz waved to her brother and rushed inside the house. George smiled and drove off yet again. His sister was really good. Only thirteen and yet so mature. She was so understanding about the situation. They hadn't a lot of money, not with only George working, so she didn't ask for things she didn't need, and offered to help where he could. George regretted not being like her when he was her age. But that was years ago.
Exactly twenty-one minutes later, he pulled into the hospital parking lot. George inhaled and held the breath for a moment then exhaled, releasing the stress and tension from his body. He had nineteen minutes before his shift. He left his car and rushed into his work place. He waved his greetings to the receptionists and made his way to the locker-room and slipped into his own scrubs.
"Afternoon George." Someone greeted. George looked over his shoulder to the man.
"Hey Dr. Major." George grinned. "Afternoon!" He put on a cheery expression.
"You're here early." He commented. Scott S Major was head doctor here at the hospital and he had really taken George under his wing.
"I try to always be early."
"That's a good trait to have in the medical field kid." He smiled. He had a thick Scottish accent. "Though, i am curious you didn't ask for today off." He mumbled.
"Why?"
"Oh, because todays the Creeper v Rangers, right?" Major adjusted his lab coat. "Thought you'd want to go, since y'know... school spirit or whatever."
"Oh..." George blinked. "Sports... aren't really my scene i guess. I rather be here. Where I'm comfortable."
"A lots of things 'aren't your scene' i don't think I've ever heard you talk about anything other than your internship here and school." Major sat next George on the chair. "What are your hobbies?"
"I... uhh..." George thought for a moment. "I don't know... i like video games... i guess?" He shrugged. "In my life there isn't much time for hobbies right now." George sunk down. "With my mom and my sister.... I just don't have enough time." His watch dinged. "My shift is starting, i have to go doctor."
