The Nerd Diaries: Arnold (18+)

Sixteen: The Patient's Impatience

"You had a very normal reaction to a high-stress situation, Arnold," the Doctor explains.

    I woke up about twenty minutes ago in the emergency room with a Doctor pushing a needle through my skin in order to stitch shut the gash in my head.

    "Sometimes people will feel chest pain or even faint all together." He points out my bandage. "This did not help your case any. You probably wouldn't even have needed to come in if you hadn't hit your head.

    The bleachers did a number on me, apparently. At some point, Tommy went looking for me and found my unconscious body. He had panicked when he saw the blood and brought me here instantly--He's waiting outside of the room now even.

    Though I'm thankful, he's not the one I had hoped to see when I first opened my eyes.

    "Can I go?" I ask the Doctor. It's early in the morning, I was sleeping for most of the night and until a couple of minutes ago, but I don't care. All I can think about is Prescilla; all I can see is her leaving with so much hurt in her eyes.

    The hurt that I unintentionally inflicted.

    "Yes, you're all clear."

    I rise and head for the door immediately. "Take it easy!" The Doctor calls out.

    Tommy jerks to a stand as soon as the door shuts behind me. He looks a little worse for wear but not as bad I think because he was passed out while I was. My unconciousness was caused by a sharp wound to the head and heart, his was the fucking pint of vodka he drank from a damn water bottle.

    "Let's go," I order.

    "Yes, Sir." He salutes, mocking the white bandage around my head.

    We get into his jeep and the moment we arrive back at the school I'm itching to get into my car to go find Prescilla. Even if that means showing up at her parent's house.

    "What's the rush?" Tommy asks as I fumble to get out of my seatbelt.

    I need to find Pre," I explain. "She saw Winnie come onto me last night at the game and she thinks I was cheating."

    "Ohh..." He grimaces. "Good luck. Call me if you need help, I guess."

    His ease in trusting me has me off-kilter. "You believe me? Just like that?" I ask him.

    Tommy nods. "Yeah. If I didn't know you cared about Pre or couldn't see how much with my own eyes, maybe I would doubt you. But, that's not the case. Whatever is going on with you two I have no doubt that you'll figure it out."

    I really hope that's true.

    I say a quick goodbye and get in my car to set off toward Prescilla's house. I'm halfway there when my phone starts ringing in my pocket. It's Tommy?

He whistles dramatically when I pick up. "You'll never believe who just called me."

    "Was it Pre?" I press, desperation in my tone.

    "No," he answers. "It was Jonny."

    I curse out loud and hangup, dropping my phone in the passenger seat as I make a u-turn and drive as fast as I legally can toward Westwood.

    Prescilla hasn't disappeared there since that time all those months ago. She never talked about it, but I know what sort of mindset leads her there.

    Knowing she's there now because of me is tearing me up inside.

    I'm anxious as every minute passes and as every dashed line in the middle of the road flies by on the way to Jonny's house.