Chapter Ten
*1 1/2 Months Later*
I sighed and frowned, looking at the packets in front of me. The work seemed to pile up in front of me, growing to a colossal height in mere seconds. I seemed to have very bad luck lately. First a massive concussion, next memory lost, now this. Did I really need loads of homework right now? But I knew that I was lucky, the doctor said I would make a full recovery. Most he said, in my condition, would have permanent brain damage. He was calling my recovery a miracle. I rolled my eyes at the thought.
"Gahhh!" I moaned and rested my head on the table in the library in defeat. People stared at me, but it was normal for this time of year, for next week was midterm week. I remember most of the work I did this year, but I had to be retaught most of the spanish that I apparently 'already knew', which was especially annoying. Speaking of spanish work- where was he? My tutor was late, again.
Suddenly the doors of the library swung open as a figure ran through. He looked around frantically before his eyes rested on me. He then begun to stride over to me, talking fast.
"Dude I'm so sorry, I was busy with the teaaaam ah-stuff. Arghhh, I promise to never be late again!" He was stopped by the librarian.
"Pass?" she interrupted. He ruffled through his books while I rolled my eyes. He knew he came here everyday but always forgot his pass. I said with a small smile, "Mrs. Lewis, it's okay, he's helping me with spanish! I have a pass from Mrs.L!" I flashed her my pass and she grabbed it from my hands.
Garfield Logan graced me with a grateful smile which I immediately returned. Boy, was he forgetful. Boy… boy what? Why does that sound familiar? It was a weird, saying Garfield to me, I felt like I should be calling him something different. But nothing came to mind except one letter, repeated over and over: B- which was crazy. The letter B wasn't even his name, Garfield Logan. But as soon as the thought passed through my head, my migraine returned.
It seemed to come whenever it wanted to- it had an attitude of its own. At the randomest times my head throbbed, like one day I was looking at birds with my Dad. He liked bird watching, said once it was his calling, and I liked sitting outside with him. Even though snow was already on the ground, it was still nice to be outside, even though I missed the green grass and-and something else green. But I didn't think too hard about that. He pointed at a bird and said, "Wow, I don't think I've ever seen such a beautiful raven. Raven. And with one word, my head-ache begun. I had to lie in bed all day because of it, doing nothing, bored and in pain in the dark.
But now my head hurt again- like I said, it was completely random. I closed my eyes for a moment and clenched my teeth shut. A hand touched my shoulder as Garfield touched my arm. "Headache again?" he asked. I nodded, biting my lip. After a few minutes it stopped and I opened my eyes and smile apologetically.
"Sorry, my head has been really annoying lately," I said, my tone slightly frustrated.
"What brought it on this time- my awesome good looks too much for your fragile mind?" he joked smiling. A single tooth seemed to poke out his lips as he grinned.
"Oh yes, it was your fabulous looks B. I'm positively faint!" I said sarcastically with teasing grin. His smile froze. "Did you call me B?" he said through tight lips. My brow furrowed.
"No?" I half- asked. I honestly didn't know. "I'm pretty sure I said Garfield, Garfield. Are you sure you don't have a concussion?" I said, trying to get the conversation playful again. He stared at me until he seemed to snap out of it. He clapped his hands loudly and said, "Okay!" Shhh noises came from all over.
"Shhh yourselves, Riley and I are learning espanol!" he called out, only to be greeting with more shhhs.
"Tough crowd, he whispered loudly and I hid my smile. He rubbed his hands together and said, "Vamos a empanzar! Let's begin!"
He claimed to be helping me with my spanish homework and mid-term packet but all he really did was ask weird questions. Like, "What's your favorite color?" When I immediately responded with green he smiled and looked away. Another weird question, "What's your favorite animal?" I said the first thing that popped into my mind, "Raven. I mean a wolf… I don't know why I said that." But he looked extremely satisfied with the answer and excused himself to 'go pee' or whatever. I just gave him a strange look. Guys are so weird. When the bell rang I ruffled his hair and said, "Thanks little buddy!" I laughed as he pouted.
"I am not little!" he said, his voice cracking on litlle. I laughed even more.
"Bye Beas-Garfield!" I called out, stumbling on his name. I seemed to be doing this more lately. I thought my memory was suppose to be getting better, not worse.
With his voice suddenly high he squeaked out, "Bye Riley!" and vanished into the sea of bodies. I started walking to class, still puzzled. What was wrong with me? If I was suppose to be a medical miracle, then why was I so fucked up? My head was mess to put it lightly. I was almost to class when the announcement came on. "Riley Shabbit, please report to guidance, Riley Shabbit, to guidance." I looked up at the ceiling and groaned. Not again.
Every week I had to go to the school psychiatrist, along with my doctor to check if my brain was functioning properly. It was annoying everytime I failed the concussion test. I felt cheated of my lost freedom. I couldn't even go on the computer anymore, "for the fear of brain damage is too great." But my doctor agreed that I had to go to school, I was missing way too much work. So even though I wasn't suppose to be in school, here I was, with weekly appointments to the psychiatrist to make up for it.
I walked to guidance and went through the doors. Basically guidance was a group of offices in our school for all the guidance counselors. We had one school psychiatrist, Mr. Remmings. He was a balding 40-something guy with a slightly larger frame to put it nicely. But he was nice enough. The guidance secretary (yes, they even had secretaries) nodded me towards door. I nodded in thanks and walked dejectedly towards it.
As I opened the door, I was greeted to the sight of and the nurse sitting in the office, waiting for me, like every week. The nurse ran the concussion tests on me, very simple tests that I could now do in my sleep, and announced me still concussed. She then accordingly left me and alone.
I settled down into a comfy armchair and waited for the questions I knew were coming.
-"How do you feel?"
"Okay."
-"Has your head hurt you lately?"
"Yeah, but its better now."
-"What were you doing when your head hurt?"
"Working."
-"Maybe you should take a break."
"We both know I can't do that ."
The questions continued in this order, me, being sassy as usual and him desperately trying to find sense in my short answers. After a good 10 minutes of this he said finally with a great sigh, "Well, right now, I think you need to rest. I know mid-terms are coming up, but your brain is much more important that some tests you can make up later. I can sign you a pass to the nurse's office and you can take a nap there."
I raised my eyebrow but said nothing. "I can take a nap," I thought with a yawn. He went to go get a pen out of his desk but came up with nothing. He sighed and said, "Can I borrow a pen? I seem to have lost mine."
As I dug through my bag for one while he continued rambling.
"When I was little, I use to think pens went to a different dimensions, one filled with all lost stuff like the other sock in the dryer and all that jazz. You know, scientist say there are an infinite number of dimensions, all next to each other layered, kind of like sheets of paper. New dimensions are apparently popping up all the time! That kind of stuff always interested me. Maybe there's a dimension where the Harry Potter world exists! That would be possible with an infinite number…" He continued to muse about dimensions and such as I handed him his pen cautiously. Maybe he needed to be checked out for mental problems. But somehow, it made sense. It could be possible. I felt like all the pieces of the puzzle were finally fitting together; all except for except one. It was on the tip of my tongue; starting with the letter-
"Here you go!" Mr. Remmings said kindly, handing me a blue sheet of paper that interrupting my train of thought. I smiled distractedly and muttered thanks and left more confused than ever. But one thing was completely clear to me. I had to have a serious talk with Garfield Logan.