Where We Began

Liam Griffin

Hayden's racing eyes darted from her hand to me. The color drained from her face because she was concerned for her hand. Her hands look like they are sweating. I know she regrets her actions but, she didn't regret it when it happened.

The same look she has on her face, I have seen on my mother. My mother had forgotten her keys at the bank one early morning. She stood outside practically in tears because she thought my father changed the locks on the door.

Eventually, two hours later, my father saw her outside. She told him the story. He didn't say anything at all.

There was not much to say when you knew the answer. They sat there on the concrete, hugging for the longest while. I need to calm her racing thoughts before I take her to the nurse.

There's nothing here that I have I could use to patch her up. Hayden might hate me for me wanting her to get help. I only want her to be safe when I am not there or around her.

"I need you to listen to me, Hayden," I pull away from the hug to meet her eyes. I try my best to look at her with no fear to show her that she shouldn't be scared.

In reality, I am concerned about what she did to herself. It could happen again.

"W-what is it?" she wiped some of her tears herself.

"Don't keep it from me or anyone in your family. They have a right to know like me. We are friends, for that, I would hate to see you in pain," I urged. She stayed quiet for a while.

"I'll try," she nodded.

"That's good. How did this happen exactly?" I tuck the flying strands of hair to the back of her ear.

"I was hitting a mirror. It cracked. It's under my bed where I'm hiding it from my parents," she said quieter. I run my hand through the locks of my hair that started to stick at my forehead.

"You need to tell them. There are no buts about it."

"How am I supposed to tell them that I'm hurting myself without my mother acting like at any moment I will try and hurt her," she stormed. I get it. She's afraid they may never have trust in her again. I understand that.

"Show her that you're not okay. That doesn't mean she should fear you. They should be there for you and help you manage this. For example, the way you help me manage how I feel when you listen to me," I explained. Hayden's fidgeting threw my eyesight off guard of her eyes. Her legs constantly moved like a nervous tick.

The chubby parts of her cheek look beautiful in the sun. "Yeah. I'll show them that I'm not someone to be feared," Hayden said with more confidence than before.

"That's the spirit. Now that I established that, we need to tell the nurse what happened," I got up.

"No, we can't tell her. She'll call my parents first. I want them to hear it from me," she insisted.

The plea in her pout from her lips made me confide. Hayden said a silent thank you while I thought of a lie we could form. We told the nurse that she fell outside from feeling light-headed in the heat.

Hayden got rid of the old plaster to show her injured knuckles. I know nurses aren't stupid. I'm just hoping this one lets us off the hook. I see the sign hung above after reaching inside the office. Hayden took a seat in the nurse's room.

"Hello, it's you two again. What can I help-" the nurse said kindly before realizing Hayden's hand.

"This looks bad. How did this happen?" She asked abruptly.

"Hayden fell outside because she was feeling light-headed earlier today. She was scared that she would need stitches, so I got her to come," I lied. The nurse listened to my story. She opened a drawer nearby with the needed materials. Hayden bit her nails while watching the lady take out a couple of bandages and cream.