Myocardium

After all four of us have left the dean's office, the coach takes the word again 

"Fine. Now you two better get it together, I don't want to find you two bicker like damn preschoolers again, got it? I believe the campus is large enough for you to not get close enough to beat each other down again, understood?" 

From both Ben and me, he receives a 'got it' before he bids his goodbyes and leaves the spot, shaking his head in disbelief of our disrespect for our uncivilized behaviour.

Ben quits the scene with him and most likely heads straight to his buddies to tell them the newest gossip during a smoke break, leaving Rafael and me alone on our way to the health station. 

I'd lie saying my heart doesn't still hurt whenever I look at him, remembering the freezing cold attitude he's shown me yesterday. Once he has unlocked the door with his master key and closed it behind us again, he dares to speak up after an uncomfortably silent walk here. 

"What the hell was that all about?"

He gestures me to sit down on the bench, while roaming through the cupboards and shelfs all around the room to get some wet cloth and ice and putting on some sterile rubber gloves, sliding over to me on one of those rolling stool-thingies doctors often have.

"I don't know. Sorry about that", I sigh and flinch slightly when he uses the wet cloth to wipe the blood off my face. 

 I don't like being around him this way. 

At all. 

Even though he is doing nothing but help me, I can't shake this odd, yet terrifyingly familiar feeling of distrust. 

The feeling that has been keeping me safe for the longest time. 

"Can you keep a secret?" Rafael asks with a mild smile decorating his calm face, I nod. His voice is back to sounding low and tranquil.
"I'm not a huge fan of your dean. Seeing how he handles this situation just strengthened that thought," he whispers after looking around to check if nobody's near to eavesdrop. 

His words bring a crooked smile to my face. 

"You're right, but it doesn't really matter. He's always been this way."

My head lowers and my mind drifts off to a distant memory of mine, bringing me right back to the insensitivity I had to face when I first came here. The conversation regarding my parents' passing in this dark den of his should have never turned out the way it did. 

I should have stood up for myself more. 

If only I knew that back then, too. 

"Is it okay if I disinfect the wounds for you?" Rafael informs me more than really asking, yet I nod regardless. Rafael pours some of the stinging liquid that took him a long time to find in one of the drawers onto a cotton pad and dabs it on the small bleeding wounds on my lip and nose.

Once he's done with his acts of aid, he gives me an ice pack for my bruises and a tissue or two for my nose, which has luckily stopped bleeding as much by now. According to him, it doesn't appear to be broken. 

"Thank you...for everything," I utter hesitantly when he slips off the gloves once finishing the check-up.

"But why did you intervene? About the drugs, I mean," I continue after a short pause of considering my words very carefully. He turns around and sits back down on the chair, looking directly at me with a sigh. 

"Just...don't worry about it, you're welcome. I have my reasons, and I can't just watch everyone side against you without question. That's simply not fair."