Lines in the Ice

Chapter 13

My bottom lip trembled as I thought about telling him. My mouth tried to form words but I couldn’t quite make any noise. I struggled before barely managing a low response, “B-Bianca happened.”

Will’s form hugged me again and I started to tremble. I kept reliving the moment when she dragged me in the bathroom. I didn’t think she had the guts to even manage something like that. The nurse walked back in and looked at both of us; her lips were slightly parted as she looked over us.

“This might hurt a little bit,” she said softly. She put something on a white cloth and slightly dabbed my nose. I winced in pain each time she touched my nose. Will held my hand tightly as he watched the nurse clean me up. She finished up quickly and did a double take of me. She sighed before getting up and getting some medicine.

“Take this,” she said handing me two small pills. “Your nose is broken, but I’m not sure about anything else. I advise you get to a hospital as soon as you can.” I nodded before getting up.

I stood on my ankle and almost fell to the floor. Searing pain shot through my leg. Will held me up and helped me walk out of the room. I tried to slip from his grip when we were outside of the nurse’s office. He held me tighter.

“I’m going to take you to the hospital,” he said.

“Will, you don’t have to. I should get to my classes and so should you. I have a friend who will bring me after school,” I lied to him. There’s no one directly after school, Michael’s going to pick me up from skating; if I ever get there.

Will sighed and then picked me up. He was careful not to hurt me anymore. I could tell he wasn’t going to take no for an answer so I just stopped talking. As he was walking towards the exit someone walked out into the hall. My head was buried in Will’s chest so I couldn’t see who it was. Will stopped almost immediately.

“Will? Who’s that, what’s up?” The voice was someone I knew, but who?

“Tod, it’s Brenna. She’s badly hurt.” Will continued to walk down the corridor. I could hear Tod’s echoing steps as he followed us.

“Why is she hurt?” Tod asked quietly.

“Why don’t you ask you girlfriend?” Will snarled. The sound of footsteps stopped; I guess that got him to shut up.

The cold outside air nipped at my exposed skin. I snuggled deeper into Will’s chest. I listened to the sloshing of mud as Will walked over the lawn towards his car. He had a difficult time opening the door because he was holding me, but when he finally got the door open he placed me in gently as if I was going to break. I’m not some china doll. I don’t need to be looked over. I watched the scenery rush past us as Will drove down the road. The windows started to fog up and I drew a broken heart on it.

When we drove up to the hospital Will insisted of helping me. I was stubborn and declined. I pushed him away and smacked his hands. Will was pouting next to me and looked like it hurt him that he couldn’t make me feel better. As if, he barely knows me. Every time I stumbled on my foot his hands went right to my waist until I got steadied again.

I hobbled into the emergency room. I stumbled over to one of the girls behind the counter. She looked bored and uninterested in anything. She saw me and that all changed; her face contorted into a look of horror. I cringed at the thought of what I might look like.

It took awhile for the doctor to finally get to me but I was grateful when it was my time. I just want this pain to go away. I also want the killer headache I have to just disappear. I sat down on the bed thing in the doctor’s room. I told him everywhere I hurt. He assured me that my nose was indeed broken. He also said that I had a badly sprained ankle, a close to broken rib, and major bruising. Will sat next to me the whole time getting angrier and angrier. When the doctor asked me about how this happened I almost broke into tears again. Will answered for me and the doctor looked sympathetic.

“You could press charges,” he said softly. I looked straight into his eyes as I shook my head violently. I was not going to tell anyone; that’s the last thing I need everyone to know. Bianca is a looked up to girl and I’m nothing. I would never hear the end of it and everyday I’d have to hear “look at the girl who snitched on poor Bianca”, yeah no.

“Thanks doc, I’ll think about it.” I said before practically running out of the hospital, favoring my good ankle. Will followed me as I rushed back to his car.

We sat in the parking lot in silence. Neither one of us talked. We listened to the slight hum of the engine. I didn’t really want to be the fist to make conversation and I don’t think Will was ready to talk. I stared out the window as time crept by. I wanted to scream because of how awkward it was in the car.

“Where to next?” Will finally said.

“Bring me to the ice skating rink,” I said subconsciously. I wanted to see Dan more than anything. Truthfully, I wanted to see Michael the most. I knew he was probably in classes and I didn’t want to rip him away from that just because of something so silly. I’ll see him eventually and then it will be okay.

“You sure?” Will asked.

“Yeah,” I said. I curled up and got ready for the drive. I closed my eyes and listened to the music softly playing in the background. I fell asleep humming the tune to an old song that had came on the radio.