Little Blue Slips

Chapter 6

My mum was gone before I got up, I had managed to avoid her seeing my face. I knew I couldn’t hide until it healed as that could take weeks, but at least it might not look so awful when she did see it. I called in to the school to explain that I wouldn’t be in as I had to see my GP, but Mr. M had filled them in. The receptionist wished me well and told me to rest up. Bless.

            I had just hung up the phone and was dialling my doctor’s surgery when the door bell rang. Crap. I don’t want anyone seeing me like this, not even the postman, but I couldn’t hide forever and it might be important.

I walked slowly down stairs, each foot step sending a shock of pain through my face. I had avoided the mirror this morning for my sanity’s sake and could only imagine how bad I looked.

I opened the door slowly, trying to hide behind it.

            “Shannon! My God Doll, I came straight over when I heard. What happened?”

Jareth was white as a sheet, his eyes wide and his face full of guilt. It was worse than the pain.

            “Come in. I take it you’re not worried about being late for school?”

He raised an eyebrow as if to say ‘We have met, right?‘

He followed me into the sitting room, waiting for me to sit before he did the same.

            “So what happened? I got your note and then…”

            “Wait a minute, what note?” I said quietly.

            “The note you gave Maya to give me.”

            “There was no note.” I said holding my temples.

Jareth sat with his mouth open, looking from my eyes to my mess of a nose.

            “You look like hell Doll.”

            “Always a gentleman.” I said in a huff.

            “Shannon, if I had known…”

            “What did the note say?”

            “Your mum was meeting you as she finished work early. I don’t know your handwriting or I would have questioned it.” He shook his hair from his eyes.

            “It’s not your fault.”

            “Is it true that you fainted?”

            “Yeah, after Yasmin smashed my face into my locker door.”

            “WHAT?” He was on his feet then, his voice so angry it made me flinch. “That is it, I am going to murder her, it will be worth the jail time and…”

            “Jareth, sit down, you’re not killing her.” I said wearily. “As bad as this.” I indicated my face “…is, what really pisses me off is that she must have threatened Maya as well.”

            “I don’t want to be an asshole, but I couldn’t give a crap about her right now.” He had begun pacing across the living room, stopping at the window, his hands clenching and relaxing over and over. As much pain as I was in (and the pain killers weren’t working) I was more concerned about how I looked. It was vain and shallow, but I adored this boy who was getting angry on my behalf, and I looked awful. My eye bags would now be bruises, dried blood probably all over the place and my nose was swollen and covered in tape…It was too late now, he’d seen it all.