The Badboy and the Baby

Chapter 10 - Shock Factor

My Sunday is filled with a satisfying feeling. I'm so glad I'm good with Alex. I'm not even sure why I was angry. I guess I just am a jealous girl. How could I not be? Alex is the greatest. I text him but he doesn't reply. Probably busy or working. I get to school to find some very hungover friends. Post party drinking Taylor says. Rushing Maya to the toilet to throw up is definitely not my favourite task. I enter early childhood, ready to see his dimpled smile. Instead his desk remains empty.

Ok where is he? I try to think it through. Ok there's possible sickness, family issues; maybe he's skipping? No I'm pretty sure he wouldn't, he has no aversion to school. Oh well I guess I'm a single parent today. I walk out of class, books in arm when the principal approaches me. "Hello Ms Cartwright." I say. She looks me up and down, checking my appearance before saying.

"Miss Jones, there's an emergency meeting. You'll need to attend straight away." And before I have a chance to ask why she strides off. I can't guess what it could be about.Usually when emergency meetings are called it's some sort of crime like grafiti. Or something concerning a student or teacher. I reach the office and rush to the conference room. My co-captain Michael is sitting at the long table with the other head staff. The have solemn expressions on their face and when Michael sees me he drops his gaze.

What is going on here? I slowly take my seat and survey the faces I'm seeing. It must be something serious. I hope no-ones hurt. Ms Cartwright walks in and takes her seat, silencing the whispers in the room. "There has been an unfortunate incident involving a senior student this Weekend. He has been put into hospital and is expected to remain their until his injuries are healed." My heart starts beating.

Who is it? What happened? "The perpetrators have not yet been found as the victim is in no position to speak as he's been in emergency surgery. But they will be found with a full police and school investigation. Of course this is an extremely delicate situation and needs to be dealt with carefully. Michael could you please speak on assembly. I will have a speech prepared by Friday.

Naturally incidents like these will probably the talk of everyone but we want to keep the privacy of the student involved respected. His parents have had to travel far to see him." By now I'm trembling, gripped by a fear so great that I can't bear it.

"So that should be all for today, we just needed to inform you on the incident as it's definitely a case where the victim was targeted. We will find the perpetrators, students or not. Yes miss Jones?" She says, looking at me. I've raised my hand shakily and I blurt it out. "What was the name of the student?" She seems apprehensive. She sighs. Everyone around the table avoids my eyes. "Alexander Cahill." The last thing I hear is Michaels voice when I black out.

I sit in silence in Michaels' brand new car, listening to the beats of daft punk as I anxiously fiddle with my fingers. He seems to get the idea that I'm not in the mood to talk and so he stares out the window as he drives. We're going to the hospital. To see Alex. My boyfriend. Who has been beaten and bruised by some horrible people. I feel ready to vomit. We park and I jump out, bursting through the hospital doors. I run up to the receptionist and ask for him.

"I'm sorry miss but no visitors unauthorised." She says in a, leave-me-alone-I-don't-care kind of voice. "Look lady I don't think you realise he's my bestfriend and boyfriend! He's probably in here because of me so just give me the frikin room number!" I yell. Michael pulls me back and approaches her. "Look this is sort of urgent so If you could please do us this favour "He says.

Her dull blue eyes roll and she looks at her computer. "What was his name?"

"Alex Cahill."

Typing....Waiting....Typing....Waiting.... and finally! "It's room 31 on level 2." She says, returning to whatever she was doing before. I race to the elevator and punch the floor number. We reach it and I search the white corridors. 28,29,30 bingo! 31 sits unopened and the blinds closed. I open the door softly and he's there. Asleep, I can see his eyelids bruised deep purple. I can see a thick layer of bandages underneath his gown near his chest. His arm appears to be broken. Now my heart is breaking. I walk over to him and sit in the chair beside. Up close he has a bleeding lip and his nose is badly brusied.

I reach up to push back the damp curls on his forehead. His eyelashes flutter and he opens his eyes. They fix on me and he tries to crack a smile. This makes him wince. I sob, distressed in the pain he's experiencing. "You've looked better." He says. I laugh and sob more. Knowing my crying patterns he probably does look better than me. "You're just as handsome as always. Though you have waaay too much eyeshadow on." I say. He laughs and I can see him moving his lips.

"Give us a kiss would you." He says. I lean forward slightly and brush his lips with mine so feather-like he probably didn't feel it. "Amature." He scoffs, and I laugh and kiss him for real. He tastes of blood, and pain and sweetness and I can't feel more for him than I do now. Because the most profound feeling is compassion and I have so much for him. For his suffering and his misery. I need him to know. "I love you Alex Cahill, not because the attraction of a girl like me to you is unusual and cliche, but the laws of human feelings bring us together." I say to him. He smiles goofily, a little bit out of it. "And I love you cos' I'm a fool for you!" He says. I burst out laughing. "You are a fool!"

Alex spends the next hour explaining the attack. "So I left you and I was ambushed. They were wearing balaclavas so I didn't see them but I heard their voices. The big one was Will." I shake my head. "Can't he get it through his thick brain that I don't want him!" I say angrily. I realise I've been gripping Alex's hand a little too hard. "Um Tina. Release." He says in a strained voice. I let go and he massages his clawed hand. "Sorry." I say. "Anyway, they kicked me to the ground and just kept beating me. There was 3 or 4 but one was a lookout or something. I was kinda drunk so I didn't really defend myself. Buy what I reckon is that they spiked your drink. They kept talking some bullshit about you." He says, closing his eyes.

I embrace him gently. "At least you're alright. Only a few broken ribs. Could have been worse. Hey I've got to go visit my mum but I'll be back." I say, kissing him goodbye. I walk down the hall to the lift and go up a level. Inside my mums room I find Margaret and my aunty watching her sleep. I embrace them both. We sit and watch her just breathe, all relieved by the help she's getting.

I shudder to think if we didn't have health insurance. A girl who works part time is definitely not enough to pay for all our needs. I realised I fell asleep when I'm awoken by my aunty. "Hey we're heading home for dinner. Do you want to come?"

I shake my head no and thank her. I think I'll spend the night with Alex. I find him down the hall enjoying a clear soup dinner. "Want some? It tastes like restriction." He says.

I laugh and bend down to kiss him. I'm surprised by when he grabs my face and sets his soup down. He deepens the kiss and I'm groping at his neck. That's when the young nurse walks in. "Oh I'm sorry ahh I just - Alex?" She says. We've broken apart by now but surprise registers on his bruised face. "Darla? What are you doing here?" He asks. She smiles sheepishly and I realise she resembles me. She has long, wavy brown hair and is tall. Her pretty face has the same shape except she has these hazel green crystal eyes.

"I started a nursing degree here cos' dad moved here. He's trying to find his long lost daughter, my half-sister." What? How does Alex know this Darla girl? And who is her father. I flick my eyes to her name tag. Gerise. My jaw hits the ground. I remember a particular conversation when I asked my mother about him. All she said was he moved away and his name was Shag Gerise. I ask Darla in a shaky voice. "What's your step-sisters name?" She raises an eyebrow before answering. "I think it was Tina. Tina Jones."