Emojis

blood and talks

Chasten

I was staggering through the hallways, trying to keep conscious. Blood ran from my nose and onto my shirt. My hair was matted with something unpleasant. Coach was gripping my arm a little too tight, and I could feel a bruise forming. His thick fingers were going to leave a purple bruise. Got what I deserved, didn't I? After science, when I answered a question so close to my ability, it drew the rat-faced guy's attention. Then, in gym, I got Jake out, the jock who already hates me.

I'm such a smart human being.

I smiled slightly then, glad that I got Jake out for being an arse. Hope too, she was drowning Lo in an ocean of hate and loathing. I felt a pang of regret at not being able to hear the satisfying thunk of a dodge ball hitting Kate's leg, but she was on my team.

Coach yanked my arm, and I snapped back into reality, one that was bloody. Coach walked me gruffly through the front office. Heads turned to catch my bloody face. Some winced in sympathy while others simply stared. Marcy was sitting with her back straight and her mouth wide open and her eyes followed me as I walked through the front office. Next to her sat a girl with silky red-brown hair whose eyes and head turned to keep me in sight. Her eyes were sharp and she seemed to be memorizing my every movement. I shrank under her gaze.

Her emotions were alert, severely interested and I could practically see the gears turning in her head. I averted my eyes, the girl's curiosity burning holes in my back, long after the wall blocked her view of me. But not soon enough, I could see Marcy leaning over to the red head, whispering to her.

Coach was annoyed with waves of anger crashing into me and I could hear muttering from him. He dragged me into the nurse's office, pushing me in front of him. Then, the waves of anger turned into a sing song of blush. I turned around to catch a glimpse of a rosy red fire blazing around him.

The nurse had dark brown hair streaked with thin gray strands pulled back into a pony tail. Long eyelashes framed her kind eyes and her mouth always seemed to be stretched into a joyous smile.

Coach pushed me gently towards her, and I stumbled slightly, causing the nurse's head to snap up. Coach was twisting something around on his finger nervously and an out of place shyness snaked into the room from him. The nurse payed no attention to his fluster and instead guided me to a cot covered in crinkly white wax paper. A thin gray haze cloaked her, making her seem older.

"This little bugger got into a fight today. Had to pull another kid off of him. Didn't even try to strike back." Coach said in a gloating tone, like he was the hero.

Beg to differ, Coach.  

The nurse looked up sharply, as red began to seep into her gray fire.

"You didn't get the kid who beat him up? He needs to be brought into the principal's office right away," the nurse said with conviction. Even though I couldn't see him, I knew Coach was shuffling around awkwardly under the nurse's gaze, the rosy red deepening.

"Alrighty then, I'll be going to get the other trouble maker. See you later, Maggie." Coach said, shame pinching at his sides.

I bit my cheeks to hide a smile. I turned my head to keep the nurse in sight but winced at the stabbing pain in my head. The nurse bustled over to me, the thin film of anger darkening into gray. She gave me a smile, the smile lines around her eyes crinkling and framing her large brown eyes. She leaned over me, and lightly pressed her hands on my nose, which was swelling. It was growing bigger, big enough for some of my vision to be blocked. Blood still gushed from my nose, making my shirt stick to my chest.

I yelped as a feather light touch sent a bolt of fire through me. She drew back, her brow crashing with concern. The haze darkened a bit, along with a yellowish tint.