FicWad

The nurse finally comes back about ten minutes later. She checks my temperature and calls mum to come and collect me from school. "I can walk, it's fine..." I mumble, reaching down too quickly for my heavy bag, causing me to stumble, nearly toppling over. "No Frank. You're not well, I'd rather your mum drive you home today. We can't have you falling over or something on you're way home." The nurse says before talking into the phone. " Hello Mrs Iero? Hi, it's Miss Allard, the school nurse. I've got Frank here with me, he's not looking so good, headache and high temperature. Yep....yeah. I think he's feeling a bit dizzy as well." I fidget in the hard plastic chair as the nurse talks about me as if I'm not even here. " Yes, that would be great, thanks a lot Mrs Iero. Okay, bye." she puts the phone back on it's holder, scribbles something on a green paper slip and hands it to me. " Here you go, hand this to the office when you leave. Don't forget to sign the book with the time you go as well. Your mum should be here in about fifteen minutes." I take the green piece of paper and walk slowly to the front office. I pass the classroom Grace went into before, I can see her at her desk, concentrating hard on the work in front of her. I tear my eyes away, biting hard on my lip. Stop looking at her. Stop. Now.

Mum appears finally, and I push the slip towards the scary woman at the desk and scrawl my name and the time in the exeat book. Mum stands beside me and signs the book too, then turns to head out to the car. Kids are spilling out of lessons by this time, and my class is no exception. Noah swaggers out of the class I should have been in and sees me. With my mum.
"Oh, mummy's come to take you home has she? Aww...that's just adorable Frankie! Is she gonna kiss your head and make you better? Is she gonna tuck you up in bed, bring you a hot water bottle?" A group of girls behind him start giggling. I flip him off and march out of the building, mum following behind me.
"Who was that Frank?"
"No one. Just an idiot in my class." I slide into the passenger seat, throwing my bag into the back. Mum climbs into the drivers seat and turns the key. "Well, ignore him then. Anyone who acts like that isn't worth associating yourself with honey."
"I know that." I say, leaning my head against the cool window.

Mum drops me off outside the house, then goes back to work. " Go to bed and rest for a bit Frank. I don't think you've been getting enough sleep lately. I'll be back late, make yourself something for your dinner. I'm sorry." She looks it as she looks at me from the rolled down window.
"It's fine mum. See you later." I give her a wry smile and wave as she drives off again.

I do as mum says and try and get some sleep, and end up doing so for about five hours. I'm woken by the doorbell at about five o'clock. I groggily stomp down the stairs, rubbing my aching head and open the door. And immediately shut it again.
"Frank? Let me in please."
"Go away Grace, I'm sick!" I shout over the noise of my pounding heart.
"Frank, I'm not leaving until you let me in and if you stay like this I swear I'm going to climb through the fucking window."
"Fine! But I'm only saying it because it's your own fault if you get sick for being here." I open the door a fraction, only for it to be pushed right back and for Grace to come marching into the hallway. "Frank, we both know thats not why you don't want me here." She says sternly and grabs hold of my arm, dragging me up the stairs. My skin tingles at her touch, but anger boils in the pit of my stomach. Once in my bedroom I find the strength to wrench my arm out of her grasp. "What are you doing here Grace? Shouldn't you be at Ray's? Why waste your time with stupid, pathetic me?" I say. She begins to say something but I'm too angry to listen. " I don't understand it Grace. I told you how I felt about you, something I've never done to anyone. I told you everything, knowing that it was useless. I never wanted to come between you and Ray. I would never do that to either of you. I'd got over that I couldn't have you, but then you go and kiss me. Do you know what that did to me? That drove me so fucking insane, even more than I already was! All this mess is your fault Grace. So if you've come here to ask me how to get you out of it, then you can forget about it, okay?" I yell the last bit, my heart beating crazily.
There's a silence for a few moments, then Grace finally speaks. " Frank, listen to me. I didn't mean to...you know. I don't know why I did, it just happened." Her eyes are dark, she's fiddling with her long, bony fingers. "I know this is all my fault, I...I just wated to come over and say I'm sorry. I'm sorry all this happened, especially when you had so much to deal with already."
I pause, "Yeah? Well I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that I think you're the most beautful girl in the whole school. I'm sorry I think that I'm in love with you, and I'm sorry I walked into you that day in the hallway!" I don't care anymore that my face is probably bright red. I don't care how embarrassed I am. I suddenly feel that horrible burning feeling rising from my stomach, up through my throat. I dash to the bathroom and I'm horribly sick, again and again. It takes all my energy just to reach up and flush the toilet. I'd shut the door, but as I sit slumped on the floor, I hear Grace push it open softly. I jump as I feel her arm slide around me. She strokes my arm. I feel safe.
We stay there, on the bathroom floor for about twenty minutes. We don't say a word. We can't.
Eventually, Grace breaks the silence. "I'm going to tell Ray. I'm going to tell him everything." She says it matter of factly, as if it doesn't matter, but I can see the worry in her eyes as she stares hard at the tiled wall.
"What? Are you sure? It'll break his heart, you know." I break free from her, sitting back on my heels.
"I've broken it already, he just doesn't know it yet. That's worse in my opinion." She replies, finally breaking her gaze and looking down at her hands, digging her long nails into her palms.
She leaves for Ray's house after that, leaving me still on the floor. I can't seem to make my legs work properly, they completely refuse to let me stand up. I hear the door slam. Now all I have to do is wait.