Finding Claire

Chapter 29

When Monday can by, I could happily say I was at peace. Even though my mind told me that something bad had happened, I told myself to not think about it and just ignore it. Of course it was going to be hard, seeing him at school but I had to try my hardest. He didn't care about me, so why should I care about him?

I got to school at my usual time, and of course the whispers started as soon as everyone saw me. I just stood straight, held my bad wrist against me in a tight grasp and walked inside, focused on one thing.

I tried my best to go to both Ms. Hoff and Mr. Lopez before the bell rang so I could see what I could make up for last week, but I only managed to get to Ms. Hoff. Her questions and concern took away the time I had and before I could answer anything, the bell had rung and students were walking in, signaling first period had started.

"I'm fine. Nothing happened to me. I have to go but I'll see you in third," I told her and ran out. I didn't hear her response as I walked to Mr. Lopez classroom, hoping he didn't have a class. But when I saw students sitting down, I just kept on walking and sighed, going down to the music hall. Might as well get this over with.

As soon as Mr. Zee saw me, he gasped and stood up. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing important. All that matters is that I'm ok right?" I told him and he nodded. I knew that my teachers knew I was in the hospital because my dad had told me he had sent a note to the school, but it still bothered me that they wanted to know why. It was none of their business! "So I came to see what I can do to make up the week I wasn't here. I obviously can't play anything right now so I was thinking-"

"Claire!"

I froze and flinched at the familiar voice calling out my name. I didn't even turn around as I heard him running towards us. I only moved when I sensed him near me and I kept my eyes on Mr. Zee, who was looking back and forth between us. "What was I saying?" I asked him but he didn't answer. Instead, Nathan grabbed my arm and turned me around so I could face him.

As I saw him for the first time since that day, I couldn't help but to notice how much he had changed. He had dark bags under his eyes that looked lifeless and the busted lip from days ago was still there. He didn't look like himself.... he looked like he was in pain and someone who needed to get something out of their conscience before something bad happened. But I didn't let his looks stop me from living out my life. Yeah I felt guilty, knowing I was the one that had caused him too look like that but he should feel guilty too. He made himself like that by doing what he did to me. It was all his fault.

I immediately flinched out of his grasp and took two steps back. "Don't you dare touch me!" I hissed. "You have already done enough damage to me so leave me alone. I. Don't. Want. To. See. You. Again..... EVER. So please just leave me alone and pretend we never met." I turned back around to face Mr. Zee -who stared at me with wide eyes- but Nathan spoke.

"Claire, please! Let me explain!"

"There's nothing to explain. Now go, before I do something I should have done a long time ago," I whispered, while looking away.

"What can you do to me that you haven't done already?" he cried. "Let me just explain! You have this all wrong!"

"I don't care. I heard enough. And if you don't leave me alone, I'll make sure the restraining order I have in mind will take effect by tomorrow morning. So please..... just leave."

I heard him sigh and then walk out. I took off my glasses, rubbed my eyes and sat down on the floor, already feeling down. Why did he have to do this? Why couldn't be just leave me alone? I felt a hand on my shoulder and I flinched, thinking he was back but when I looked up, I saw a blurry Mr. Zee looking down at me. "I'm fine. If you can't tell by now, we are over and I'm not talking to him. I don't want to go into why, so let's just forget that ever happened, please?" I said as I stood back up and placed my glasses back on my face. I saw him purse his lips in curiosity, but then he nodded and sighed.

"So I'm guessing you won't do the recital with him anymore."

I didn't even think about that. I stood there for a second, blinking rapidly but then shook my head and frowned. "Of course I'm not doing that with him. I'll rather play two songs by myself instead of playing and singing with him." He groaned softly, but nodded. His shoulders slumped as he walked to his office and then came back with a bunch of papers in hand.

"When do you think you'll be able to play again?" he asked me as he eyed my wrist. I shrugged, not really knowing. I hadn't tried to play, let alone move my fingers. I could hold a pen or pencil and write out words, but they looked like a kindergartener wrote them and I got tired after a few minutes. "Well can you get back to me with an answer please? In the mean time, you can do these pages for last weeks lesson. It isn't anything you don't know so it should be pretty easy and straightforward. I'll think of something for you to do for the class and the recital just in case you can't play yet. Will you be ok with the change?"

I nodded and shrugged. "It's not like I have a choice. I brought this to myself." He nodded and smiled. I assured him I would be in class later on and then made my way back up the stairs and went to the library. After talking to the librarian -an old woman who didn't believe I had two off periods so she made me look for my schedule- I sat down and pulled out the papers I had gotten.

"Oh boy," I murmured as I stared at the sheets in front of me and grabbed my pencil. How was I going to get through this?