Sketches

9. Concussion

Josiah

I turned into the hallway past the bathrooms and onto a familiar path. My heart thrashed loudly in its cage and I gripped the railway, pulling my stiff body up onto the second floor. I glanced at my feet and felt my whole body sway. My brain was clouded and for whatever reason my heart was trying to escape from my chest. I stumbled onto the last step and felt myself fall. The sudden gust and effect of falling pulled me down and I closed my eyes and let it happen. If this was how I was going to die then so be it.

"Whoa!" I heard Baring's voice say as his hands circled my waist. I looked into his eyes and instantly regretted it. His beautiful chipper smile had turned sorrowful and his eyes were drawn up resembling a sad dog, "Are you ok?"

I nodded.

Baring's grip tightened around my waist and he gently pushed me forward helping me stand upright. I awkwardly shuffled away from him glancing towards the door a few centimetres away from me. I was so close to my destination but my legs refused to cooperate with me. Instead I looked up at him wondering if he would catch me if I ran. After a few unhelpful suggestions from the voice in my head, I decided against it.

"What happened?" Baring asked, holding my face between his warm hands.

I shrugged, again.

"Are you sure you are ok? You didn't hit the floor but you could get a concussion or something," Baring turned my face in the palm of his hands and looked it over.

I wanted to tell him that, that's not how concussions work but instead I stood there heart hammering in my chest as Daniel Baring practically felt me up in the hallway.

"Maybe we should go see the nurse. She will know what to do. Maybe you hit your head and we just don't know it. Or like you have vertigo or something. That's not a drug by the way, it's a medical condition."

A sudden laugh escaped my lips, surprising the both of us.

"Glad you think it's funny because I am worried. Do you know how many people die from falling on the stairs."

I shrugged.

Baring sighed and held my wrist. He looked at my face one more time before tugging me towards the nurses office. My heart beat started to calm down as soon as we entered the familiar place and just like a switch all the panic that was slowly bubbling inside me faded away. Baring's hand felt like lead on my wrist and hot shivers seemed to emanate from the spot he was holding moving through my skin. His hand never left my wrist even when I sat down on my usual bed.

Baring stood next me holding my wrist in a slight grip. His eyes darted between me and the door as we waited for nurse Ratchet to come in. I watched him tap his foot in frustration and felt myself smile. This idiot was actually worried that I could have a concussion from falling into his arms? Ha.

A small squeak escaped through my lips again and I used my free hand to cover my mouth. Baring glared at me and I looked up at him from under my eyelashes. Even with forehead creases and a smile that didn't look all that brave he was ... beautiful. Handsome under fluorescent lighting and Breathtaking under the golden sun.

"I am going to sit next to you, ok?"

I nodded. Baring lowered himself onto the small thin mattress while keeping his hand wrapped around my wrist. My heart had gained momentum again and Barings hand was starting to feel like an extra appendage on my skin. This time my heart speeding up wasn't because someone had understood what I had said, instead it was because of the beautiful boy sitting next to me, holding my hand like I was going to disappear into the air. Without knowing it Baring had calmed me down and raised my heart rate in a matter of minutes. Remarkable what a handsome boy and the sick bay can do.