Bad News (Coprolalia Part Three)

Chapter Two

September 10th, 2024 C.E.

Parker Collins' binder and one of her bags plummetted to the ground when she walked straight into someone.

It was her first day of med school and she was already making a fool of herself.

Fantastic.

Fucking Fantastic.

"Oh god, sorry. I'm so sorry." Parker apologized quickly, bending down to pick up the fallen baggage as her oversized backpack threatened to slip over her head.

"It's okay. I've got it." The person she'd walked into replied. The hallway was nearly completely empty and she'd managed to walk directly into this boy. He bet down slowly, shaking on his legs, one hand holding onto a cane like an old man.

The boy turned around, holding her bag and binger in his hand. She knew him, she knew she did. Same dark hair. Same green eyes. Same face. Older, sadder, but the same.

"I'm Ben. Ben Braeden." The boy said, smiling slightly, confirming what she already knew.

Parker laughed.

Ben looked at her, confused. "What?"

"It's me, Ben. Parker." She reminded him.

No recognition.

She rolled her eyes. "Parker Collins. Mary's little sister? The three year old that hid in the corner when everyone got kidnapped?"

That made him remember. "Oh, yeah." He held out his free hand, the hand that wasn't wrapped around the silvery metal cane. Something about his balance was off, like he was putting more weight on one side of his body than the other. "Sorry. It's been... how many years?"

"Ten." She smiled. "Shouldn't you not be my age right now? You look twenty, not twenty five."

"It's complicated." Ben replied. "So, med school?"

"Yup. I'm going into general. You?" They started to walk again. But Ben didn't walk so much as limp, seeming to put most of the weight of his left side on the cane more than his leg.

"General too."

Parker nodded. "What happened to your leg?"

"What?"

"You're limping." She observed. "And you're leaning on a cane like an old man. What happened to your right leg?"

Ben sighed. "There was... an accident."

It was obviously a lie, but she didn't push it.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

June 23rd 2025 C.E.

Parker rolled her eyes when her med textbook was snatched out of her lap. "Seriously, Bane? We have two tests tomorrow, we need to study."

Ana laughed and Ben chuckled without looking up from his book as Bane juggled her textbook in his hands. Ben kept shifting in his seat, it was wierd. "Why, Parks? We've been studying for four hours- isn't that enough? Can't we do something fun now?"

"Collins is right." George said. "We have the first quarter exam in three days."

"Can't we at least order some pizza?" Bane asked. "I'm starving."

"Fine." Parker said. It was her dorm room so she got the final say. "But you pay."

"Fantastic!" Bane smiled and handed her back the text book, then immediately pulling out his phone.