A/N
You guys must love my fast updating.
So, here it is, the long (well, not really) awaited chapter nine!
Enjoy!
I limp into school on my crutches.
"El! Nolan remembered something!" Matt yells as he runs down the hall.
"Yeah?" I ask. Maybe he finally remembered it was me he saved.
"Yeah. Don't look too hopeful, he knows what he ate for lunch." I try not to show my disappointment. But I'm happy, truly.
"Hey, at least it's something! Next it could be jumping off the building," I say. Matt claps me on the back.
"That's the spirit."
"I remembered something too," I tell him.
"What? When?"
"Yesterday. I was watching Dora the Explorer-" Matt snickers. "It was the only thing on! Anyway, it told me to close my eyes. Then Dora said to open them. And I remembered Nolan telling me that," I explain.
"Why are you doing so much better than him?" he asks.
"I didn't have over one hundred pounds on my back as I hit concrete from twenty metres up, and didn't actually hit it directly," I remind him.
"Right," he says, unconvinced. "Dora the Explorer." He snickers quietly to himself. I punch his arm.
"Ow! Damn, for someone with amnesia and a ripped up muscle, you've got a mean punch," he groans.
"And don't you forget it," I reply, smiling. I plonk myself down next to Maren.
"You seem happy," she observes.
"Must be the Dora the Explorer," I reply. She gives me a weird look.
"Ella, what happened to your leg?" Stanley calls. I look back at him.
"Mogador!" I call back. His eyes widen.
"Jeez, I know they're bitches, but they're not that bad," he says, confused.
"I used to go there," I reply.
"You? But you're nice!" he exclaims.
"Yeah. I guess," I mutter, turning back to my drawing. The other two stop talking about me. By the time lunch rolls around, I'm completely irritated by everyone. I slam my tray down next to Daniela. Change of scenery's always good. And I feel like I can relate to her today.
"You know that feeling where you hate everyone?" I ask her.
"Yep. Everyday," she replies.
"Everyone keeps asking about my leg, and treating me like, I dunno, I'm too nice for Mogador, or too fragile, or whatever," I rage. Daniela nods.
"I totally feel you, but sitting over here and raging? Probably not gonna help," she says.
"Yeah, you're right. What do you do when you get...seriously mad?" I question.
"Rule breakings a shoe in to make you feel better," she winks.
"You have anything in mind?"
"That depends. How angry are you?"
"Whatever. I'll do whatever," I reply.
"I dunno, break something? Whatever you want," Daniela says. I consider. I have an idea.
"Daniela, don't blame yourself if you don't like what I'm gonna do," I tell her, then run off. I open the nearest janitors closet, and find the sharpest object I can. When I do, I smash my cast. I bin the shards, then walk, albeit a slight limp, calmly back into the cafeteria. Daniela's eyes widen (and that's bloody hard to do) when she sees me.
"Are you bloody crazy?" she hisses as I pick up my tray. I just grin, and head over to Drake's table.
"Hey," I say, putting down my tray.
"Hi. Have you tried these burgers? They're amazing!"
"Ella," Adam says.
"Adam," I mock.
"Why did you do that?" he asks.
"Do what?" I answer innocently.
"I'd believe that if I didn't see you walk in," his eyes narrow.
"Whatever do you mean?" I question.
"Stand up, Ella," he says.
"Why-" Drake gets up, stands behind me, and lifts me off the seat. I'm standing behind it. Everyone's eyes widen.
"You didn't-"
"Why did you-"
"Are you crazy?" Matt shouts. I turn to him.
"Nolan freaking jumped off a building to save you, might have permanent knee damage and never be able to walk properly again, not to mention his deformed bone and brain damage," he pauses to let that sink in. "And you repay him by smashing your cast, so you might not be able to walk again? You think he wants that?" Matt rants. He's livid. David and Damien try to calm him down. No dice.
"I-I'm sorry. I just felt so angry, and broken, and-" Matt's face softens.
"Sorry I yelled. But you really shouldn't have done that," he says.
"Yeah. I know," I whisper.
"So let's go to the hospital and get a new one?" I suddenly realize.
"Oh my God, Crayton cant pay for all this! I'm so stupid..." I drop to my knees. Jeez, talk about mood swings.
"Then I'll pay. My familys bloody rich enough," Damien says. I look up at him.
"No, you cant, thats not-"
"They have, like, twenty cars. Trust me, we can afford it," he assures me. I dont believe him.
"Look, think of it as an apology for making you go up on that roof."
"No-"
"Yes. Now, you're going to the hospital. I think you're still a bit traumatized." I don't have the heart to disagree. When I get there, I fall asleep straight away. Nurse O'Connell gave me a few pills. I wake up to a face staring at me. A really busted up face.
"Argh!" I yell, putting up my hands.
"Woah. Calm down, girl. Damien told me you were stressed and moody, but-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence, Nolan Ambrogio Kodenz," I warn. He throws up his hands.
"Wouldn't dream of it," he replies. I make a mhm noise.
"You remembered you were eating that gross meatloaf. Congrats," I tell him.
"Hey! The meatloaf was amazing," he says defensively.
"You'd say pig slop was amazing," I point out.
"If it was a posh pig, yeah," he agrees. I scrunch my nose.
"Apparently Dora the Explorer reminded you of me?" He asks, snickering.
"Yep. You're both stupid, ugly and Spanish. No offense to Dora, though," I smirk,
"I'm Italian! Not Spanish," he grumbles.
"Oh really?"
"Yes! My name actually means 'immortal champion'," he says. I burst out laughing.
"For real?" I ask.
"Yeah. Nolan means champion and Ambrogio means immortal. So, immortal champion," he says.
"Wouldn't it be champion immortal?"
"Well, yeah, but that doesn't make sense."
"Or does it?"
"No, I'm pretty sure it doesn't," he says.
"Well, maybe that's why you didn't die. Cause you're the immortal champion," I say, only half joking.
"Are you...making fun of me? " he raises an eyebrow.
"Mhm. What're you gonna do, stab me with your gross deformed bone?" I scoff. He starts unwrapping the bandage.
"Sure, if that's what you want," he says.
"Oh, well actually..." he holds out his arm.
"Yugh." It is gross. It has lumps sticking out of it, and its bruised and green and yellow and purple and just...disgusting.
"Like what you see?" He jumps his eyebrows.
"Ew, God no," I answer, staring at the arm in horror. "That's just wrong."
"Mhm. But its pretty cool grossing people out with it," he grins.
"You strange, strange boy," I tsk. He's right, though. I do feel slightly sick. "Now put that away, I'm feeling sick." He complies, though grudgingly.
"How did you remember what you ate for lunch?" I ask, then stifle a laugh. That sounds so weird.
"I dunno. It just randomly came to me," he shrugs.
"I always have the thing that happened to me happen to me again. Or something like that, anyway," I say.
"Maybe you'll have to fall off a roof again to remember it," he jokes.
"Maybe," I reply.
"Hey. What were you going to tell me?" I question.
"Huh?"
"The day in the cafeteria. You were about to ask me something, then Avril's friend screamed," I explain.
"No idea," he says. "Things from the weeks before are a bit blurred too. But I remember you okay, so I guess its not that bad."
"Really? For me, its just that day." Nolan gives me a wry smile.
"Mhm. But you didn't eat gravel at miles per hour with over a hundred pounds on your back," he quotes. I scowl.
"When I say it, its 'hit concrete', not 'eat gravel'," I tell him. He shrugs.
"Same difference."
"I bet if you went up to a freefall surviver and asked them which one they preferred, they'd say hit concrete," I argue.
"I wish I had your memory remembering system, cause something about that sentence seems familiar," he scowls. "I don't know what for the life of me, though." I nod, and plug my headphones into my iPod. I stick the earphones in my ears. Nolan looks peeved.
"That's rude, you know," he says, taking one of them out and putting it in his ear. He starts singing along (badly) to The Script's Superheroes.
"A heart of steeeeel starts to grow!"
"When you've been fighting for it all your life! You've been struggling to make things right! That's how a superhero learns to fly!" we sing.
"We should make a duet," Nolan says thoughtfully.
"Oh yes, we should call it the Booed since 2016," I state.
"Hmm, that could work. Argh, this song sucks!" he rips out his earphone. I listen. Marvin Gaye.
"It does not!" I retort.
"Yes, it totally does! Have you heard it?"
"I'm listening to it right now!"
"Why? It's terrible!"
"No it isn't."
"Yes, it is."
"No."
"Yes.
"No."
"This is stupid."
"Yeah."
"Ha! You said yes!" Nolan grins triumphantly. I scowl.
"No."
"Yes."
"No-this is stupid," I agree.
"Told ya."
"N-I am not starting this again," I say.
"Good idea," he agrees.
"You know, we're gonna have so much work when we go back," I muse. Nolan grins.
"If I go back before the end of the year. They might send me in for one day later this week," he says.
"Wouldn't you need someone pushing you, though? Cause of your arm?" I ask. He shrugs.
"I'll just get someone from my class to do it. Besides, Nurse O'Connell wont be there, so I can just use both arms," he explains.
"Rebel," I tsk.
"Of course I am. I'm like those bad boy types. Handsome, tall...maybe not silent. Witty. Yeah. Not to mention strong. Charming, e-"
"I'm pretty sure none of those apply to you," I smile. He looks hurt.
"El, don't deny your true feelings. You know you want a piece of this," Nolan spreads his arms wide, gesturing to himself. I made an 'ew' face.
"A piece of what? Your smashed knee? Then yeah, I totally want a piece," I say sarcastically.
"Aw, I knew it! Ella's growing up!"
"What the actual heck-" he cuts me off.
"Everyone's fancied me at some point. It's inevitable," he grins.
"Firstly, are you British or something? Because you're always saying British stuff, like 'bloody', or 'fancy', and it's weird. Second, if you went to Hogwarts, you'd be in Slytherin," I tell him.
"Hey, no objections there, Slytherin's awesome! And no, I'm not British. Italian."
"What? No, Slytherins are evil," I argue.
"No, El. Think about it. The most powerful wizards came from there. Even Merlin was in Slytherin. Plus, Harry would be dead if it weren't for his Slytherin heritage, he couldn't speak Parseltongue and Ginny would be dead, too. Narcissa saved Harry's life, Snape saved everyone heaps of times, must I go on?" he says. I stare at him.
"I still think they're evil," I say.
"Typical Gryffindor," he grumbles.
"You know what, you're taking a quiz. I will too. See what houses we get." After taking both, we end up with the expected results.
"Evil," I mutter.
"Reckless," Nolan mutters back.
"Hey! Lets test Drake!" I exclaim.
"Oh, this'll be interesting," he mumbles. We dial Drake's number.
"So, Drake, we're gonna ask you some questions. Okay?"
"Who's we?" He asks.
"Me," Nolan says.
"Ahkay. The hospital buds!" Nolan and I make weird faces at each other.
"Okay, so, when you die, what would you want people to do when they hear your name?" I ask.
"Uh, I'm not dead. So, who cares?" He answers. Nolan ticks that answer.
"Heads or tails?"
"Heads," he replies. We ask the rest of the questions and read out the options. Drake seems thoroughly confused. I snort when I see the least likely house. Ravenclaw. No surprise there.
"We have a hatstall!" Nolan calls.
"What the hecks a hatstall?" I ask. He sighs dramatically.
"A draw. Gosh, Ella, keep up."
"Well, what houses?"
"Gryffindor or Hufflepuff."
"Eh, cool," I say.
"I'm a Huffindor! Ew no, that sounds weird. Gryffinpuff! Cool!" My eyes roll.
"Why is being a Hufflepuff cool?" Nolan questions.
"Typical Slytherin," I mutter.
"Whats Ella?" Drake asks.
"Gryffindor," I reply.
"Buddies!"
"Now we just need a Ravenclaw. I'll bet anything that's Adam," I say.
"Well, lets call him." I do.
"Hey, Adam? Can you take the Pottermore sorting quiz?"
"Sure. Why?"
"Uh, we just wanna know," I reply. I hear clicking in the background.
"Okay. Calculating now," he says.
"Ravenclaw and Slytherin."
"Another bloody hatstall! But good for you, mate, Slytherins the best," Nolan exclaims.
"I'm guessing that's you?" Adam asks.
"Ravenclaw smarts. Yeah. I'm Gryffindor. Drake's a, and I quote, 'Huffindor! Ew no, that sounds weird. Gryffinpuff!'" I grin.
"Typical. I guess that makes me a Slytherclaw."
"Cool. Well, bye!"
"See ya!"
"This obsession with Hogwarts houses isnt very healthy, you know," Nolan muses.
"Eh. You aren't very healthy," I shoot back. Then I realize how dumb that was. He smirks.
"So you're implying that you're obsessed with me?"
"No!"
"Its okay, Ella. Tell me how you truly feel."
"But its not like that!"
"Shall I tell everyone? I got half the school on contacts."
"How?"
"Ah, you forget my reputation. I've got, like, two thirds of all the girls-"
"Okay, okay! I get the point!" I interrupt.
"Was that an okay to the message?" He grins.
"Nurse, he's having some brain damage problems. I think you're needed," I say, pressing the button.
"Coming right up, Ella," she replies.
"Delete that message on the way out," I tell him. He scowls in response.
So. That was a pretty pointless chapter, but it was fun to write.
Signing out for approximately two minutes,
HV
