Hiding Anna

Chapter Fifteen: Cramps

A/N Please go and read the end of the last chapter again because I added an extra bit.

The next day was absolute crap. I was spending the night at George’s but the knives planted into my ovaries were making me very unsociable and I wasn’t sure if he wanted to be around me.

My lower stomach was splitting as I stumbled down the corridor to my last lesson clutching my side as if that would make the pain go away. I had Art now which was my favourite class but there was no way I would be able to do any sort of art in this much agony.

I decided to skip. I could catch up on my project another day when my uterus wasn’t being attacked.

Staggering my way over to the nurse’s office I pressed down on my abdomen and found that soothed my period pains slightly before I pushed open the door.

“Can I help you?” the nurse asked, her short brown hair in a friendly pixie cut.

“Can I lie down and have some period pain tablets?” I muttered through sharp inhales. It was beginning to be painful to breathe.

“Of course, sweetheart, come and lie down. I’ll be right back,” she said and helped me slump down onto the bed and curl myself up into a ball.

The nurse quickly exited the room and left me whimpering like a beaten kitten on the bed. I began distracting myself by doing times tables or revising History work for upcoming tests.

It was no use, and I only felt a sense of relief when the nurse came back in handed me some medicine which I immediately drowned with water. Several minutes later the pain relief kicked in and I fell into a deep nap.

“Cassie? Cassie darling, it’s the end of last lesson. You can go home now,” a voice awoke me and when my heavy eyelids fluttered open I was met by the friendly face of the school nurse.

“Oh, okay,” I was locked in a daze, my vision disorientated and myself in a mess. My period pains had seized a tiny bit; just enough so I could walk.

I swung my legs around the bed and pushed myself off, and quietly exited the room muttering another thank you to the nurse.

The crowd swept me up as I heard the bell ring like a siren rattling my brain and knocking all sense of direction out of me. I clutched my bag and my side again as I was pushed through the flood of people and managed to make my way outside school doors.

The fresh air hit me and instantly I felt a sense of new life. Oxygen rushed through my nostrils providing breath for the sluggish feeling inside as I wandered over to the yard with the buses.

I found my pass, hoped on and slouched down in the seat, bringing my knees to my chest because it was a lot more comfortable. I had a dull yet persistent aching sensation in my lower stomach that wouldn’t go away and I longed for some more of that medicine.

Pressing my head onto the window and taking deep breaths I closed my eyes, like that would make the discomfort go away.

“Cass? Are you alright, your sat in my seat,”

I opened one eye to peek at Liam waiting in the aisle. His eyebrows were furrowed in concern.

“Sorry, I’m getting off after you that’s why I’m sat here,” I managed, in short raspy breaths.

“Oh, okay. Why do you look like you’ve been stabbed then?” he continued and I forced myself not to laugh since it would hurt too much.

“Time of the month,”

“Oh right, did not need to know–“

“Hi Liam. Do you mind if I sit next to Cassie?” I recognised the voice as George’s and instantly looked up to see him gazing curiously as me. There were still the bags under his eyes and a sense of fatigue consuming him.