Jay groaned as he opened his eyes. Where was he? Looking around the room, he realized that he was in the nurses' office. As Jay tried to sit up he winced in pain by the sudden movement, getting the nurse Belle's attention.
"Oh my, you shouldn't get up yet! You took a rough beating," Belle held onto to Jay to prevent him from moving. "Here," she handed him an ice pack, "This should reduce the swelling from your eye. Put pressure on it." Jay did as he was told, lightly hissing by the sudden coldness.
"Who did this too you?" Belle asked. The one question Jay was hoping she wouldn't ask, what does he say? He can't rattle on Chad, that'll give him more pleasure on beating up Jay.
"No one." Jay lied, shrugging his shoulders. That was probably the worst lie Jay has ever told; look at him, he's got a black eye, a busted lip. Belle frowned by the answer. "Jay, whoever is doing this to you needs to stop."
"I'm fine." Jay sternly snapped, getting irritated by their conversation. He doesn't want to talk about it anymore than he has to. Why does she care anyway?! It's not like anyone ever cared for Jay before.
Sighing in defeat. "Very well. If you excuse me I have to step out shortly. Please rest for a little while." She melancholy smiled as she stepped out of her office. Jay was relieved and lay back down as he put more pressure on the ice pack. The pain was slowly melting away. Jay can only imagine how he'll look tomorrow...
"How are you feeling?" Someone asked, causing Jay to swiftly sit up, which was a huge mistake as he winced in pain. Ignoring the pain from his sides, he looked up and saw the mysterious boy staring right at him.
"Wow. It's you. Who are you?" Jay questioned, "I've never seen you before until today."
Carlos slightly laughed, and it sounded so genuine that Jay liked it when Carlos' laughs. "Believe me no one has seen me before. You're the first," he smiled at him. Jay was confused by the answer. What did he mean that no one has seen him before?
"I'm Carlos, nice to meet you." Carlos greeted, giving a small wave. Blinking, "I'm Jay, nice to meet you too," he cleared his throat to avoid any embarrassment. He never talked to anyone before, certainly not anyone around his age.
Carlos made a sad expression as he sees Jay's bruises inflicted on his face. "Why didn't you fight back? You just let it happened." His voice was filled with sorrow and complete disappointment. Jay didn't even try...
Jay narrowed his eyes as he gazed on the bed he was lying on. "I don't know how to fight. Besides, it's just a few punches, I can take it." He remembered the time he actually try to fight back, but it only made him look like a complete fool since he didn't know how to punch.
"Do they hurt? Your bruises?" Carlos asked, concern lingering in his tone.
"Why do you care?" Jay argued, glaring at him. He never met Carlos before, so why should Jay tell him anything? Carlos tensed and backed away from Jay's bed. Carlos never liked it when people raised their voices at him. He didn't know why, he just hated it.
Now Jay felt horrible, he was acting like Chad. "I'm sorry," Jay shut his eyes to think of a better apology. "I didn't-" He halted when he saw that Carlos was gone, no longer across him. "Carlos?" Jay didn't hear any footsteps leaving and he wasn't anywhere in the room. Where did Carlos go?
Jay was confused. Suddenly, Belle entered the office, "How's your pain now, Jay?" she asked.
"Did you see a boy walking out of here or in the hallway?" Jay wondered, ignoring the question Belle asked him. He needed to go apologize to Carlos.
Belle blinked. "No. No one left the room, in fact, I was just outside the room talking to another teacher." Strange...
She stood beside Jay, grabbing a light pen from her shirt pocket. She looked at his pupils as she shine the light into his eyes. "Maybe you were hit harder than I thought." Belle grabbed a notebook and wrote down something.
Jay stood there, almost numb. If Belle was just outside the door, who was he talking? Was Carlos even real? Or, did Chad gave him a concussion so hard that he started to hallucinate.
But it couldn't be, he saw and heard Carlos. He has to be real right? Also the fact that he saw Carlos earlier before he got the beating. Many questions began to filter through Jay's mind. Then he remembered what Carlos said, believe me no one has seen me before.
What did he mean by that? No one?
You're the first.
Was Jay losing it already? No... It can't be. Carlos is real, Jay knew that for a fact. Now he wanted to talk and see Carlos again. Wondering what in the world is going on?!