Phil's Kid

Ch-75-Back-?

. . .

Karter refused to take off their bandages while I was still there. And claimed they would show the nurse later when I left. So now we were just sitting, and waiting, for one of my parents to pick me up

. . .

"Why can't you show me?" I askes Karter once again. "I don't want you to worry." Karter said sitting on the other bed next to mine. "But you said it wasn't that bad right? So why can't I see?" I asked Karter. Karter looked away from me avoiding eye contact.

"Why not just turn around while I see how you are? That way Alex can't see and I can." The nurse suggested. "Yeah that works too." I said. I still noticed Karter seemed upset. "Karter." I moved to sit on the edge of my bead across from there's. "It's ok if you don't want to show me yet, but I still think you should let the nurse have a look." I said placing my bandaged hand on top of one of Karter's hands. Karter hesitantly nodded before standing up and sitting on the other side of the bed facing away from me.

"Alright." The nurse said walking up to Larter with gloves on their hands. "Let's see how things are going." The nurse said standing in front of Karter waiting for them to most likely take their shirt off. Karter slowly grabbed the bottom of their shirt and raised it just about the bandages. At least that's what I could see from their back. The nurse sighed. "I need it of all the way to take the bandages of. "I can take it off." Karter mumbled. "I'm sure you can, but it needs to be done with your shirt of. And I want to see how things are healing so I want to take it off myself." The nurse said placing their hands on their hips.

Karter kept the shirt frozen in place neither highering it nor lowering it. "Look Alex can't even see." The nurse said gesturing to me." Karter turned their head back and I waved my hand. "We can go in the back room without Alex if you want to, but the room isn't big enough." The nurse suggested point into a room that had a lot of different medicines on shelves. Karter shook their head and the nurse sighed once again. "I can't take your short of for you buddy, you're going to have to do that yourself. If it hurts I can get you some pain meds." The nurse offered. Karter didn't respond, shake, or nod their head. Instead, I saw Karter's head tilt towards the ground. "I-I can leave the room." I suggested hesitantly not sure what to do or say. Karter shook their head at that.

We sit in silence. I'm trying to think of something to say when I see the nurse's mouth open. The nurse opens their mouth then closes it again for another second, when their mouth opens again and it seems there about to talk, they get interrupted. "Wheres Alex?!" A familiar voice yelled slamming the door open. I turn to the door and wave nervously. "Hey, dad." I say with a nervous smile.

I guess waving wasn't the best idea because Dad's eyes go to my bandaged hand. "What happened?" He askes quickly sitting in the chair next to me where Karter was earlier. "Was it a fight? Did you win? Who hurt you?" The nurse coughs standing next to dad interrupting him. "And you must be Alex's father." The nurse askes with a raised eyebrow. Dad stands up and takes the nurse's hand and shakes it, even tho the nurse didn't have an outstretched arm.

"Yes I'm Phil, and you must be Doctor Geo, thank you for taking care of Alex, but what happened?" He asked letting go of the nurse's hand and gesturing to mine. The nurse coughs again and I think I hear them say. "Nurse." Dad gives the nurse a confused look then sits next to me again. "Alex." He says placing his hands on my shoulders. "Tell me what happened. "Actually it's a funny story." I start but stop when I see the look the nurse is giving me saying, "don't". I gulp. "Fine, it wasn't that funny." I admit.

"I-sorta-kinda-got-mad-at-a-kid-for-hurting-Karter-and-wanted-to-pun-I-mean-hi-I-mean-teach-a-lesson-to-him-so-I-hit-a-wall-instead-of-them." I say quickly. Dad looks at me and blinks before finally processing what I said. "We're going to talk later." He says standing up and heading towards the door. I nervously nod my head. "O-ok." I say still very nervous.

I stand up and grab my bad remembering the work packets I had to turn in. I turn around and see Karter sitting on the side of the bed still facing away from me. They had their shirt down and we're hugging themselves. I grab all my work packets and give them to the nurse at their desk. "Can you give these to my teachers please?" I ask whispering. "It says who they go to." "Sure thing." The nurse smiles at me then takes the packets.

I turn around to walk up to Karter and hug them. Sure it kind of hurt my hands, but it was worth it. "See you soon." I whisper to them. "Good luck." I whisper. I feel Karter nod their head so I take a step back and see them still hugging themselves. I give Karter a short pat ok the had and say. "Thank you." Out loud.

I follow my dad out the door to the nurse's room, but when I'm closing the door I just barely see Karter taking their shirt off. Larger was still facing away from the door, and since I was closing the door I only had a glimpse. But I knew very well I would never forget that small little glimpse I had of a portion of Karter's back.

I saw something.

Something on there back.

It wasn't supposed to be there.

It was a buruse.

If it came from the whole closet thing,

shouldn't it have started to vanish or heal?

Not,

look fresh,

and new?

. . .