There is a knock on my room door.
"Come in," I say.
"I don't feel comfortable with you not getting checked out by a doctor. So get dress and meet me downstairs. I'm taking you—"
"Chase I'm fine, honestly. we don't need to go to the hospital." I sit up straight in my bed.
"Then let me take you to the medical center on campus. I will at least feel at ease if we went there. Something could still be going on inside you, and we don't know it yet. I get the pen thingy is supposed to work—let's just get a professionally licensed person to take a look at you." He pauses for a second staring at me. "I'll be downstairs in my car." He finally speaks when he sees I wasn't going to answer him.
All I can do is nod my head. Chase wasn't leaving me any room to say otherwise. He looks at me once more before closing the door. I spring into action putting on the clothes Raven gave me this morning. Super thankful she didn't give me a dress or skirt. Jeans are my comfort zone. Slipping on my sneakers I run downstairs. Not the best thing to do—I was out of breath by the time I made it to the car.
"You didn't need to run. I wasn't going to leave you." He shakes his head as I buckle my seat belt. Without another word, we silently drive to the medical center. It wasn't a far drive so I wonder why he didn't want to walk, but then again—maybe he doesn't want to be seen with me on campus. Chase pulls up in front of the medical center and says he will stay in the car. I don't say anything but just nod my head. Letting him know I'll be quick.
I hate the smell at the medical center. It's always so lemony. I swear the receptionist has to be spraying that damn can of Lysol every five minutes. The smell is just so overwhelming.
"Good morning, how can I help you sweetie?" the receptionist smiles warmly at me.
"Good morning, I had a serve allergic reaction about fifteen minutes ago. Even though I had my Epipen, why friend wants to make sure I'm all good."
"That's a good friend you have there. What's your name?"
The receptionist, also known as Shua asks me more questions and begins typing away on her keyboard. I sit in the waiting and Chase catches my eye as I look out the window. He's pacing back and forth near the entrance of the medical center. Seeing him like this brings me back to when I first saw him in middle school.
Flashback - 2006
"Wow, you're right Chase is cute." I follow Raven's eyes.
He was more than cute, he was handsome.
"Why is he pacing back and forth? Is he nervous or something?" I frown. "Do we have a test coming up? I don't remember anything about a test. Sweet nibblets—I can't fail." I start to work myself up.
"Charlotte we don't have a test coming up. Stop working yourself up. I think—well u I don't know why he is doing that." She turns her head to look at me. "You should go talk to him."
"No thank you. He hasn't said much to me all school year. I don't think he likes me very much." I say truthfully. I've been sending Raven over to Chase almost every day with handwritten letters, confessing my admiration of his immense knowledge of Marvel and Harry Potter. He never responded back, nor gave me the time of day. I was like the walking plague to him—so it seem. But I kept writing letters because it was nice to know that someone else in this classroom had a love for both of those things.
"I've been delivering the notes to him." Raven snaps.
"I didn't say you didn't." I look at her with wide eyes. I hate when Raven snaps at me. I literally do and say nothing wrong and she starts to snap at me. My mother said sometimes people are going through things and lash out at the ones around them. Telling me I should have some patience or speak to Raven about it. I've tried to talk to her and it only gets her even more snappy. So I've decided to just keep quiet and move on when she does.
"Right, but I think you were trying to imply..."
"I promise I wasn't. Maybe I should just give him the new letter then." I say, opening my notebook to the green envelope I have stashed inside.
"Charley, I'll do it and this time I'll give him a piece of my mind for not showing you any appreciation." Raven grabs the envelope, tucking it in her backpack.
"Ms. Withers! The doctor is ready for you." Shua calls out. I mentally shake my head. I look away from the window, standing up. Who would have thought I would still be head over hills for this guy after all these years.