Chapter four
A/N: Please comment and vote. It means a lot to me🥹🥹💕. Enjoy my darlings❤️
*****
My eyes fluttered open but I shut it back immediately. It was too bright.
After a while of adjusting to the light, I finally opened my eyes.
I saw James, Max, Maddie, Lucas and Tracy we're here, staring at me with concern and worry. I smiled and felt all warm inside until my eyes landed on a certain brunette girl: Iris.
What was she doing here? I didn't need her fake sympathy.
"Where am I?" I tried to sit up and James helped me sit comfortably.
"You are in the sickbay hon" The school's nurse, Stella, answered me.
They all turned to look at Stella with questions in their eyes. They just want to know about my condition.
"You all shouldn't look at me like that. She'll live. Luckily, Iris found her just in time or I won't be able to say the same thing" My eyes widened when I heard the name of my 'savior'.
Nurse Stella said some things to Lucas and James before walking out.
Then their attention was back on me.
I chuckled nervously. They wanted answers I didn't have.
"What happened to you?" Maddie started the interrogation.
"And why were you in your underwear when Iris found you?" Max asked
"And we found a vase shattered on the floor. How did that happen?" Max continued.
"You are so careless! What if something terrible happened to you!? How would I live without you,amor?" James jumped in. Aww. Too romantic.
"Do you two not have any sense of shame? She's in the sickbay and you both are hellbent on flaunting your undying love for each other" Maddie scolded James. Why was she so upset?
"You are not acting like yourself, girl Shayne" Max said as a matter of fact. Girl Shayne. That was his nickname for me.
"Quiet. Let her speak. She just woke up. Bombarding someone with questions is not the most sensible thing to do when they wake up from an accident" Lucas who has been silent all along finally spoke. He was like an emperor. His voice was always yes and Amen. Everyone revered him. He rarely spoke, but when he did, it was final.
I was grateful for his intervention because it gave me time to think of what to tell them. On a normal incident, he would have shot me down with questions but this time, it was different was involved.
This was a tactic we developed since we were kids. Anytime we were both at a disadvantageous spot, one of us would have to make sure the other had enough thinking time to think of an escape plan.
One thing people didn't know was that we were Shaynes and shrewdness was in our blood. I couldn't say cunning: it was too negative.
"I was about to take a shower and I forgot to send a message to Tracy about the after-party so I came back out. I tripped on something and then held onto the vase to prevent myself from falling. Unfortunately, the vase slipped out of my hand. Then about my head injury, I mistakenly hit my head on the wall" Lies. I didn't like it but desperate times called for desperate measures. Incidents where I was almost caught were rare, but still, I knew had to master this art, no matter how degrading and wrong it was.
"So careless!" Max gave me a look of disapproval. Underneath the disapproval was concern. They could be angry, however, I knew they deeply cared about me.
"Let's be grateful that she is safe" Maddie glared at Max and sat down on the edge of the bed.
She gently stroked my hair and suggested," Will you still come for the after-party? I think you should skip it and rest"
"No" I shook my head. "I can't miss it. I'll be fine"
"And no one should insist," I said that last statement to silence them. I knew they would all protest but I spent time and effort on this party.
We all chatted and had fun, which made the gloomy sickbay atmosphere disappear. Quiet wasn't part of S.M.J.
Everyone finally left to attend their last classes of the day. This was actually because I forced them. No one was willing to leave, so I had to force them.
I smiled thinking of the love they had for me. It was heartwarming.
"What's got you so happy?" I looked up to see Iris smiling at me. That smile. Something was wrong with the smile. Did she know something?
"Oh nothing" I replied and the room fell silent.
"Why are you here?"
"I only have three classes on Fridays" She responded.
"Thank you," I said after the room became quiet again. She did save my life, even if admitting it made my skin crawl.
"You are welcome"
"But there is something I don't understand about this accident," She said perplexed.
"What don't you comprehend Iris?" I smiled. If only the smile reached my eyes. My patience was wearing thin.
"I had a little chat with the doctor that attended to you and he said that your head injury was caused by a repeated hitting of your head on a hard surface. You said you hit your head on the wall, once." She explained calmly with that smile that seemed to be permanently stuck on her face.
"Are you saying that I did this to myself?" I asked incredulously.
She didn't say anything; she only stared. I knew what she was doing and boy was she going to be disappointed; she was analysing my face trying to see if there were any abnormalities to depict that I was lying.
Ha! She was smart. That I credited to her but I was smarter. I have been playing this game for a long time.
Iris sat down beside me on the bed. I was wary. What was she up to?
"Athena" The name spilled out of her mouth and I grabbed her wrist harshly.
"Where did you hear that name from?" I questioned her like a mad person.
She tried to struggle with me; my grip on her was firm nonetheless.
"What are you doing Ashley?" I could hear and see the fear on her face. I liked it. I wanted to crush her bones. Who did she think she was, trying to steal my brother away from me?
"Ashely you are hurting me!"
"Watch your tongue next time Iris. Stop acting cleverly with me. You are my brother's girlfriend and that's simply the reason I'm tolerating you. Athena? Did I try to harm myself? You should be ashamed of yourself. How dare you accuse me of such?" As much as I wanted to see her suffer, I couldn't do it now.
A little impatience can destroy the big plan.
I released my hold on her wrist and I could see that my words affected her.
"I...I am sorry. I shouldn't have such things. Forgive me" She quickly said and ran out of the sick bay without waiting for my response.
I chuckled. Scardy cat.
"Too weak. Tsk. Tsk"
"Don't be so quick to celebrate your victory. She's onto you. Better watch your back. She's smarter than she makes herself out to be" Athena stood by the door of the sick bay and said with warning in her tone. Like she cared about me. I scoffed
"Well, I'm smarter. Besides she's suspicious because of you in the first place" I retorted.
"What happened because of who hon?" Athena was no longer there but Nurse Stella was.
Judging by the question she asked, she didn't hear or see Athena which was a relief.
"I'm just mumbling" I laughed anxiously.
"Okay hon. It's time to take your medicine"
She didn't press on it.
Too many close calls. But what was going on with me? How does Athena suddenly disappear? Is everything alright with me? Who do I confide in?
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A/N: Aiya! Another plot twist! The next chapter is going to be a lot of fun. Get ready for more roller coasters.
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