They Came In Hoodies

Chapter 7: Else, please...

Stella's POV

I popped some pain killers into my mouth as I downed some water as soon as I sat down in my first period class. By now, these painful headaches were a daily occurrence for me. To help combat the pain, I downed pain killer like vitamins every morning. Normally the medication helped, however, this day was different. The normal amount in the morning with my coffee didn't work.

I tried to focus on the words of the teacher, however the pain in my head was a little too much today. I waited until second period for the second dose of medication to kick in, however it never did. It consumed my thoughts and as I sat in second period; the pain was all I could focus on.

Minutes ticked by and until I couldn't stand it any longer. I needed more medication to help me focus on school. There was a test after lunch that I needed to have a clear mind for. I grimaced as I dug through my backpack, hoping to find more medication that I could take. However, when I pulled out the pill bottle, I found it empty.

"Stella, I'm asking you the question. Can you tell us please?" the teacher asked, bringing my attention to her.

I put the empty pill bottle back in my backpack with a frown. "I'm sorry, I missed it. Can I be excused? I have a headache and would like to see if the nurse has anything that could help."

She nodded as she pointed to the door. "Sure. Don't take too long."

"Thank you," I said as I stood up just as black spots came into my vision, causing me to stumble back. I quickly regained myself and grabbed my backpack, then walked out of the classroom.

As I walked down the hall, I rubbed my eyes to clear the black spots from them. They quickly vanished, allowing me to walk at a quicker pace into the nurse's room.

"Hi! How can I help you?" the school nurse asked with a smile. She put her phone down as I walked in, ready to help.

"I'm struggling with a migraine. Do you have any medication that could help?"

She nodded as she turned to a cabinet closest to her in the small room. "I have some basic pain killer. Will that help?"

"We can try," I said, desperate to try anything at this moment. I found the nearest seat and plopped myself down with a sigh. These headaches were getting a little too much to handle, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to tell anyone just yet. A part of me feared what they would find if I turned to the doctors for help.

"Ok," she said and handed me a paper cup with two pills in it.

I downed the pills with no water.

Her phone buzzed, making her jump slightly as she read the message. "Dear, I have to go down the hall to check on a student. You can stay here until those meds kick in."

I smiled at her with a nod, although it made me feel sick to my stomach. "Thanks."

"Sure," she said, then left the room, leaving the door open for me to stare out into the hallway.

As I rested my head against the wall, I watched as a woman in a suit coat walked by. She took long strides as she tugged on her sleeves. Her heels echoed the floor, demanding attention. I didn't have to see the face to know who it was.

Else continued to walk down the hall, but I couldn't let her get by so easily. Hope filled me as I jumped to my feet. I pushed the headache to the back of my mind as I walked out of the room. Maybe if I was lucky, she could relay a message to Gray. I had to at least try.

"Else?" I asked.

My voice made her stop; however, she didn't turn towards me. She stared straight ahead for a second without even looking back, she walked towards the school front door again.