The Wallflower

Mr. Hendricks

Sang

The week passed by without incident and soon, it was Friday. The weather that day took a drastic turn; from clear, sunny skies to rumbling black clouds that began crackling with thunder. By lunch, it began to pour and the rain came down so hard I could barely see two feet in front of me. I worried it was going to flood, which was  common at Ashley High. Most people were forced to squeeze into the cafeteria but many were sitting in the adjacent hallway because it was just too crowded.

Karen and I managed to find an empty table near the door that we happily claimed for ourselves while the others stood or shared tables. More than once, my gaze wandered, looking at different faces old and new. I hadn't seen hide nor hair of Luke, Gabriel, North and Silas. I saw them in passing and in the few classes I did have with them, but for the most part, they left me alone and didn't pester me as much. And since I didn't have classes with either Kota and Nathan, I never saw either of them much except for those moments when they finally showed their face down our lane.

I suppose that was probably for the best, considering every time they were near my heart sped up like crazy and I was a shivering, nervous wreck that didn't know left from right.

Karen groaned beside me and I could see the cold shivers that wracked her body. We huddled close together because the temperature seemed to have taken a drastic drop and the heating in the cafeteria was horrible. She was still fighting a nasty cold and was currently laying her head in the crook of her arm as we waited for lunch to end.

Things at home generally quieted down and school went on as normal. Even Jade seemed to have forgotten me for the time being and for that, I was grateful. If it meant I could live my life in peace once again, then I wasn't going to question it.

With Karen down with a bug and just getting over her cold, things went on as normal. She missed quite a bit of school but I was just grateful to have her back. Things didn't seem so bleak when she was around. With her here I didn't feel the crushing anxiety of having to hide in bathrooms to avoid Jade and her cronies.

"I hate getting sick," Karen croaked, whining at the sound of her voice. "I sound like a dying goat or something."

"I'm not sure a dying goat sounds that way..." I giggled at the dramatic flail she did after and rubbed her back when that caused a coughing fit. "You should go to the health room and lie down."

Karen groaned but she didn't fight me as I pulled her up. She leaned against me for support as we slowly made our way to the exit where a blast of cold air hit us square in the face. I shivered and took my glasses off as a splatter of rain hit the lens. Tucking them into my bag, Karen and I ran through the rain at high speed across the courtyard until we got to the joining hallways.

The chatter here wasn't as loud as the cafeteria and thankfully it wasn't as crowded either. I breathed a sigh of relief and together, we made our way to the health room. I was sure the weather didn't help things with her cold or with the shivers that began erupting all over her body. I was grateful when the sign on the  health room door said open.

Inside, the light was on, and as I pushed the door, holding it open for Karen, I noticed a man, with his back to us,  standing near the nurses desk. His outline was blurry, and I squinted to see him before putting my glasses back on.

I was surprised, stopping in the doorway with Karen leaning on me heavily. The man was tall, with sandy blond hair that curled around his ears and when he turned at our entrance, his eyes were a brilliant green. I couldn't stop the nervous shiver that came over me; he was very handsome.

"Oh, hello there," he greeted, with a dazzling smile, before he laid a worried gaze upon Karen. "Someone doesn't look too great."

He smiled at the pair of us as I gently guided Karen to a nearby chair. She all but collapsed in it and dropped her face into her hands. I stayed close to her, unsure who this strangely attractive man was since I didn't recognize him among the staff. I peeked up at him from my frames, noticing the bright yellow tie he wore that looked odd with the blue collared shirt he paired with it. His jeans were faded and bootcut, with sneakers that have seen better days. When he caught my eye with a smile, I looked away in embarrassment, afraid I'd be called out, but he never said a word, his gaze focused on Karen's hunched form.