Pacifier

Chapter 4

It was Monday afternoon and everyone was lazing around the computer lab. I had a free so I decided to do some research for my history coursework.

The more I forced myself to concentrate on the screen, the less I focused on my task. My tired eyes stared blankly at the old monitor in front of me, my playlist had came to an end leaving an uncomfortable silence before allowing the loud chatter from others to fill my eardrums.

I didn't notice Larry stroll into the computer lab but he sure as hell noticed me.

"Hey El, you alright? You looking pretty out of it, no offence." He bit his lip.

I probably looked like a mess. I hadn't slept since Ade's.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I forced a smile, logging off.

He nodded before a smile formed on his own face.

"Come chill with the lads and I, we are better company than all these shit-heads." Larry chuckled in a low tone.

Larry could see my reluctance and that's when he grabbed my arm and tried to pull me up.

I winced in pain and scrunched up my eyes. The burn on m arm ached and my entire skin around it was sensitive.

"Oh my god! Sorry El, did I pull to hard?" He apologised.

I tried to breathe away the pain but it wasn't helping, I could feel Saturday morning all over again.

"Nope, I'm good." I replied in a shaky tone.

Unfortunately this time he didn't buy it.

Grabbing my hand, a lot more gently than my arm, he got me up and took me down the corridor and to a small space under one of the stairs.

His eyes looked straight into my own, as if he was trying to figure it out before he got me to tell him. I couldn't tell him though, I just needed to think of an excuse fast.

"Really El, what's up?"

I felt bad lying to Larry, he had went out of his way just to see what was wrong and I was just going to lie straight up to his face.

"Jus slept on it wrong, think I've dislocated it or summat." I shrugged, avoiding all eye contact.

I was never good at acting or anything like that. My old drama teacher back in Allerton said my eyes would always give me away which wasn't great. Not that I wanted to be a fantastic liar, I hated lying. But at times like this, I wished I could put up a better front.

"It looked fine to me? Roll your sleeve up, I got training in first aid."

Of course he had.

There was no turning back, my reluctance to show him my arm was probably already telling him something wasn't right.

I tactfully rolled up my sleeve, ensuring that all Larry could see was the outside of my arm.

"Nah you're sweet." He chuckled.

With a sigh of relief I rolled down my sleeve.

At least until Larry's hand stopped me.

"El what the fuck is on your arm!" He gasped noticing something from the reflection of the window behind me.

My eyes went wide, my heart began to race. Larry already had my sleeve back up and was examining the burn on my arm. It was huge and disgusting, I couldn't look at it without wanting to be sick.

Then came the tears. How pathetic of me.

"No no, please don't cry El. Shh, I didn't mean to make you cry." He frowned, putting his arms around me.