ForestLands Institution

Chapter | 20√

Nadia woke up to the feeling of someone taping her leg. She opened her eyes to see Lloyd crouched before her with a scowl on his face.

“The game isn't over, you know,” he said.

“My shoulder,” was her reply.

His eyebrows furrowed. “Your shoulder?”

“My shoulder, it hurts,” she repeated.

“What happened?”

“Ahryan got it dislocated.”

“Ahryan, your bloodsucker friend?”

She nodded.

Lloyd let out an amused snort. “Some friends you have.”

He moved closer and touched the shoulder. She flinched and hissed in pain before glaring at him.

He looked up at her. “Does it hurt?”

Her glare intensified. “No, it's very pleasurable!”

He ignored her. “You're sweating. Take off your jacket.”

She gave him a look. How was she supposed to take off her jacket without causing herself more pain?

He sighed then gently slid each arm from the jacket. He made her lean forward so that he can remove the jacket from behind her. He then dropped it beside him.

He analyzed the shoulder. “I will need to put it back in place.”

She shook her head rapidly. “I will get it fixed in the nurse's office.”

“If you leave it like this, it will only get worse.”

“No!”

“Just let me fix the damn shoulder!”

“Why are you shouting at me?!”

“You started it first!” he took a deep breath to calm himself. “Just let me fix it.”

She reluctantly nodded her head.

Lloyd gently placed his hand on the shoulder. “On the count of three I'm going to place it back, okay?”

Nadia took a deep breath and nodded.

One

two

He swiftly pushed the shoulder back in place and she sucked in a sharp breath.

“It didn't reach three!” she snapped after she had composed herself.

“You would have tensed up and that would have made it more painful,” he picked up her jacket then using it as a sling, he place her arm in it and tied the sleeves around her neck.

He stood up and admired his work.

“Hey!”

They heard someone calling out from behind them. Lloyd quickly faced the intruder, lightning dancing at his fingertips but they seized when they saw who it was.

Elijah was limping towards them, the left sleeve of his jacket was ripped off and there were claw marks on the arm. His dreadlocks had twigs and leaves stuck in them. In his right hand was a flag which was dirtied and torn I'm some areas.

When he got closer to them, Nadia asked, “Is that a flag?”

Elijah smiled and then raised the flag to examine it. He afterward shook his head and said, “No. It's my boxers, I placed it on a stick and now I'm parading around with it.”

Nadia frowned while Lloyd let out a snort from beside her. Elijah looked at her and noticed her shoulder.

“What happened?” he asked.

“Ahryan happened,” Lloyd replied.

Elijah scrunched up his nose. “Which Ahryan?”

“How many Ahryans do you know,” Lloyd retorted.

Elijah went to lean against a tree. “Why am I not surprised?”

Nadia closed her eyes ready to fall asleep again but Lloyd quickly shook her shoulder.

“We need to get out of here before the others come,” he said.

Elijah pushed himself off the tree and walked over to them. Lloyd looked towards Nadia and pursed his lips.

“Get up,” he ordered.

“No,” she refused. “I'm tired.”

Lloyd looked at Elijah who immediately shook his head. “I can't carry anybody, can't you see my leg? I don't have the strength to carry anyone.”

Lloyd frowned even deeper if that was possible. He would have left her here but she needed to see the nurse quickly. He bent down and placed a hand under her knees and another one under the small of her back. He then lifted her effortlessly.

Nadia place her head on his chest and mumbled, “You look a lot like Ebenezer Scrooge when you frown.”

LIoyd lips twitched but that was all.

When they got out of the woods, the coach who was waiting by the trees blew the whistle. They had come third.

The school doors opened and students started rushing out. Jace ran up to Nadia and Lioyd, a worried look on his face. Nadia's friends too.

Faryal stared at her shoulder and then marched to where Ahryan and Elijah were discussing. She greeted Elijah before she grabbed Ahryan by his ear and started pulling him to God knows where.

“Give her to me,” Jace ordered. Mia pursed her lips but didn't object.

Lloyd slowly handed Nadia over to him as if he were reluctant about it. When Jace had her in his arms, he pushed through the crowd, in a rush to get to the nurse's office on time.

When Jace walked into the nurse's office and placed Nadia on the bed. They were other students there two with their friends. Mrs. Anya and other fairy students were doing their best at lessening the pain the victims were going through.

Jace sat beside Nadia who was sweating profusely, he placed the back of his hand on her forehead and frowned.

“You're hot,” he stated.

She smiled weakly. “Thanks.”

“No, I mean I think you have a fever.”

He gave out a frustrated groan, tapping his foot impatiently. Why weren't they attending to them? A fairy suddenly approached them and he immediately got up from the bed, so that she could do her work.

Jace wasn't comfortable letting a student attend to Nadia but there was nothing he could do but watch.

Nadia watched as the fairy's hands hovered above her shoulder, colourful particles were emitting from them and into her shoulder. When the pain and headache lessened, Nadia closed her eyes and went to sleep.