Nursery

18

The door squeaked as Ms. Diane walked into the room and closed it behind her. She was holding a change of clothes that Alex had, thankfully, packed in my diaper bag.

I was glad she didn't yell at me for using the sink. We were allowed to but only with supervision. But I was never one to follow the rules.

She helped me down and knelt on the changing mat. I did the same and let her get me out of my dirty clothes and into clean ones.

I felt more like myself than I had in a while when I pulled my arms through the sleeve of the sweatshirt. I wasn't sure if Alex had done it on purpose but the outfit was exactly something I'd wear if I was my real, teenage self.

Ms. Diane patted my leg before she stood. "Let's go get something to eat."

I stuck the pacifier into the pocket of the sweatshirt and followed her out of the bathroom. Even after getting applesauce dumped on me, I was still hungry for whatever we were having. Since I could go to the bathroom whenever I wanted and my stomach was so much smaller, I found myself hungry more often than I had ever been. I became full faster, too.

We were walking to the table when I saw it. When I saw him.

My eyes focused in on him, like he was the only thing in the room. Everything else went red.

I ran over to the boy and grabbed my bunny, trying to free it from the boy's grasp. He giggled and tugged harder, pulling me forward a step.

"Give it back!"

I tugged as hard as I could and got my bunny free. Except the force I used was too strong and it sent me falling to the floor. My head hit the tile and my vision clouded up.

Slowly, as if time had stopped, I could feel the pain making its way through me. It took a total of five seconds before the realization of it all came to the forefront. Tears welled in my eyes and a sob escaped my chest. Then another. Then more came until I couldn't breathe because of it.

I couldn't hear what was happening around me. I couldn't see through my tears. I couldn't focus on anything but the pain in the back of my head.

Someone picked me up and cradled me to their chest. They started moving slowly, rubbing my back to try and soothe me.

I hid my face in her neck, wanting to get away from the light. Ms. Diane. She was warm and her skin was soft. I didn't know if she had any kids of her own but I felt like she'd be a good mother.

This time, she didn't ask if I wanted a bottle. She was already going to the kitchen to make one for me.

I was already starting to calm down when she handed it to me. She carried me over to the rocking chair and covered me up with the blanket.

"Do you want me to take over so you can eat?" Ms. Quinn asked as she passed out sippy cups.

Ms. Diane shook her head. "No, no, it's okay. I can stay with her until Alex gets here."

I was almost asleep when Alex walked through the door. The nipple of the bottle was sitting in my mouth like a pacifier.

Alex brushed the hair from my face before he took me from Ms. Diane. He held me the same way that she had been. "Do you have your bunny?"

I looked back to Ms. Diane and she held him out for me. "Take good care of him, okay?"

I laid my head back on Alex's shoulder as he carried me over to my cubbie. He put my shoes in the diaper bag, setting them on top of the bag of my dirty clothes.

"Where's your pacifier?" He asked me softly.

I paused as I tried to think of where I'd put it. Then I felt it poking my stomach and reached into my pocket to pull it out. He clipped it onto my sweatshirt and let it dangle between our chests.

Ms. Diane followed us out into the hallway. She shut the door behind her before she spoke. "She hit her head pretty hard. I don't think she has a concussion but you might want to double-check."

"What happened?"

She sighed. "One of the boys kept trying to play with her. She was okay until he tried to take her stuffed bunny."

Alex nodded slowly. Then he looked down at me. "Did you hit him?"

I glared at him. "I didn't hit anyone. He shoved me and I fell."

"Alex," Ms. Diane said softly. "she's not in any trouble."

He looked at me for a few seconds before he sighed. "I'm not used to someone else picking the fight with Lyla. We'll see you tomorrow."