Not many girls can say they've made a boy smile so much that he started to bleed. I have to admit, this is a record even for me, and that's really saying something. If you want to get technical, then I suppose he was already injured, but doesn't that make it worse?
Unlike how it was with Drew or Ted, with Kaden, it's actually safe to tell the truth. But of course, I still lie. I can't really explain it, but when I'm around this guy, it's like I go into self-sabotage mode.
We've been alone for maybe a minute, and already, I flashed him like some hussy and lied to him about the scar on my side which isn't from my war with epilepsy. And when this shadow washes over Kaden's face, and he tries to leave, what do I do? I beg him to stay, and he smiles so big that his chin starts to bleed.
Of course, I jump at the chance to fix it. I swipe at his hand so he won't touch the cut. "Sit." I push him at the couch and grab the first aid kit from the wall beside the door. Kaden sinks down into the couch, and I kneel in front of him and put the first aid kit on his lap. "Hold this for me." I grab his hands and make him hold onto the kit.
For a split second, I catch the glimpse of a smile in his eyes. The blood runs down his chin.
I scramble in the first aid kit and pull out a large cotton ball. Kaden cringes with anticipation as I bring the cotton up to his chin. I dab softly just below the cut, waiting for the blood to coagulate. In the awkward silence, Kaden fumbles with the first aid kit in his lap, and I realize that I'm pressed against his legs and our faces are only a few inches apart.
This is not quite how I envisioned I would be helping him.
The blaring sound of the intercom makes us both jump. "We have a Code Purple!" the lady practically screams.
"Jeez," Kaden breathes, and I laugh aloud as the lady finishes her page and hangs up the phone so hard the click echoes through the lounge.
Kaden stares over my head and goes stiff, trying not to move. I try to focus on the blood trickling from his chin, but I keep looking into his eyes. They're a beautiful deep brown color, but what really stands out is the neat pattern in the irises. Light brown rings spiral out from the center where the color is slightly darker.
He catches me looking, and instead of looking away, something really strange happens. We both keep staring right back at each other. "Your eyes are really cool," I say finally, and then I look down at his chin.
"My eyes are brown," he says in this outraged tone of voice, like I just told him the earth is flat. "Your eyes are cool."
My ears are burning. I allow myself to smile, keeping my eyes down on his chin. Just when I'm about to start worrying, the bleeding stops, and I stand and throw the cotton away. Kaden gets up and holds the first aid kit out for me. "Thanks."
"No sweat." I put the first aid kit back in its spot by the door. "Just a little blood, no big deal." I bite my lip to stop the rambling.
We stand in the awkward silence for what feels like hours. I start to plan an escape that involves jumping out the window. Finally, that lady comes on over the intercom again, breaking the silence with another Code Purple announcement.
"You're really good at ... uh." Kaden points at his chin.
I scoff, brushing him off. "It's just a flesh wound," I say in an awful British accent.
"Seriously. I could barely even feel a thing, and trust me, this hurts." Kaden pouts his lip in an effort to relieve the pain.
"I think I'm destined to go into nursing or something." Destiny? More like a curse.
"At least you know what you're good at," he says, registering my tone of voice.
"Yeah, cuz everyone knows that blotting out blood with cotton is not easy."
Kaden furrows his eyebrows at me. "I meant that you're good at taking care of people." He seems offended by my sarcasm.
"I'm really not." This is a touchy subject. I'm getting snippy. It reminds me of the first conversation I had with this guy. He's a complete stranger and we've already had two conversations that more closely resemble arguments. And it looks like it's my fault. Again. At least I can fix it this time, since he was the one who built the bridge last time. "But thanks." I flash him a nice warm smile. "For being such a great patient. You're very trusting."
His eyes soften. "Well, for the record, I trust you."
"Perfect. That means you won't suspect me when your stuff goes missing next week." But what about when I disappear without a trace?
"Don't make me laugh; I'll start bleeding again." Kaden smirks and covers his mouth with his hand.
"Would that be such a bad thing?" I ask without thinking.
"You tell me." Kaden blushes ever so slightly, a rusty red against his bronzed cheekbones. I realize I've been flirting, which is not what I had in mind.
I need to leave.
"I guess we should go." I turn around, but when I reach the lounge exit, I stop, because Deb just walked by. "Hey, Deb!" I call out to her.
Deb spins around and comes back to me. "Mirna? How did you get here?"
"Took the bus. Hey, can you do me a favor?"
"Um, sure, just a moment, okay?" Deb tries to smile encouragingly, but she doesn't look at me.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"Oh, just looking for a lost boy. This is ridiculous; we've been looking for nearly ten minutes. I hope someone didn't abduct him," she says, and she points up at the ceiling as the lady announces the Code Purple over the PA again. This time I actually listen.
"We have a Code Purple, a boy with dark hair wearing a white shirt and black shorts, last seen in the ER waiting room. Again, that's a Code Purple ..."
I spin back around and take a look at Kaden, who is standing with his hands in the pockets of his black shorts. I let out a laugh as I realize that he's the Code Purple. Which means that he gave somebody the slip to follow me back here. And that somebody is really worried about him.
"Your mother is looking for you," Deb says. She stares at Kaden with this distant gleam in her eyes, like she's not really seeing him. I wonder if she's thinking the same thing I thought when I first saw him. He nods at the floor and turns to head back to the waiting room. Just like that, he's gone.
I'm about to go after him when Deb says, "I'm ready to go. Let me give you a ride home."
"Um, sure." I almost hide my sigh of disappointment. We turn to walk down the hall back towards the E.R. waiting room.
"Cancel Code Purple," the lady announces over the PA.
"Mirna, how do you know that boy?" Deb asks me as we head down the hallway.
"He's just some guy at school," I say, which is mostly true.
She narrows her eyes at me. "Then why were you two back here together?"
I sigh. Deb is like a lie detector, so I tell her the truth for once, and then ask, "Is he in trouble?"
"Oh, no. It's nothing like that. Let's just go." She motions for me to follow her. "So, he's in your art class? ... What did you say his name is?" she asks.
"Kaden ... Hasting? I think?"
Deb's mouth pops open in surprise. "I think I have a consult with him next week ... What are the odds of that?"
What are the odds of that? I can't help but think that it can't be a coincidence.
Deb walks through the doorway to the waiting room. It's still really crowded. Kaden is standing with a lady, who must be his mother, over past the desk. I wave at him. Even though he's facing me, he doesn't notice.
His mom is lecturing him, right in the middle of the waiting room. Kaden looks ready to kill somebody, but for some reason, he just stands there and lets her drill into him.
The sight makes me feel strangely protective and ready to jump down someone's throat. And I know there's no way I can leave without making this right. "Hang on, I gotta pee," I say to Deb. "Meet you in the car?" I don't wait for her response. I spin back around, aiming right for Kaden's mother. I only take two steps before I get pulled to a stop.
"Don't get involved, Mirna," Deb says in that annoyingly calm tone she uses when she thinks she can tell me what to do.
"But! She's chewing him out and it's my fault," I hiss.
"You'll only make it worse; just let it go."
"No!" I shake my arm loose. "I want to make it right."
"Then apologize the next time you see him."
I glare at her. Apologies don't make things right, but trying to get Deb to see that is like building a bridge with an alien life form. I spin around and stomp across the waiting room to the exit. It's only after I've reach the parking lot when I realize that I have no idea where Deb parked, and my dramatic exit turned out to be a bit melodramatic.
I lean against the building, fold my arms over my chest, and cross one leg over the other. If looks could kill, the couple approaching the door would be toast.
A moment later, Deb follows me out the door, looking rather flustered. The sight nearly makes me smile.
"Next time, try not to be so overly histrionic," Deb says. "I have friends who work here, you know."
"Whatever," I say under my breath, turning to go.
"Hang on, we're not leaving yet."
I catch Deb's eye and gape at her.
"I have a cut to go suture," Deb explains, and I crack a smile.