Enid's POV
When we reached the clinic, it was already half past ten on the white wall clock. I said my name and the receptionist told us to wait, there were two more to go before it was my number. The waiting room was fairly clean, polished, so white that could hurt your eyes and very silent.
I was going to told Aiden that it was unnecessary and we should just get out of here, grab the ice cream he promised, but his phone started ringing.
He pulled out his phone and giving it a glace, he looked at me as if he was afraid.
"What?" I asked.
"It's Dri." His phone's shrill ringtone was very annoying in the quiet waiting area.
"Go, take it outside." I told him.
He got up and walked away. I kept watching his back absent mindedly, but he did not seem to realize as he picked up the phone and talked into it.
"Enid Grey." The receptionist called and standing up, I walked into the room, but not before looking at him once to tell him I was going in, which was a futile.
"Enid, I must say, you were the last person I thought I would see with a broken nose." Dr. Rubyn said as soon as I came through the door.
"It's not broken." I told him rolling my eyes.
"But, Aiden said that..." Then he stopped and something crossed his face. "Ah, I get it. Over protective." And shook his head. "Okay, let's get you check up."
He got out of his chair as he said it and came to the chair beside mine.
"Look up." He ordered. I tilted my head so he could examine it. He pinched the middle of my nose lightly and shook it once both sides. "Does it hurt?" I shook my head. "If it does not hurt, doesn't mean it's not broken. I'm gonna suggest a X-ray anyway. Just so we are all sure about it." He said and patted on my back once and went to his chair again behind the desk.
"I am prescribing a gel that would help you relief if you feel any pain. Okay?" I nodded my head. "How's your parents, Enid? And Ethan?"
"They are all great, Ethan too. In fact mom and dad are in town for a month." I said.
"Really?" He looked up and handed me the prescription. "I should go and meet them, then?"
"Yeah."
"Well then, when are you coming again?" The question startled me. Is he just joking with me?
"What? Why?"
"With the X-Ray report. I have to see it, you know."
"Oh, right. Sorry. Um... I'm not sure. We'll see." I stood up to leave when Dr. Rubyn spoke again.
"Be careful and come soon. I'm leaving the country for two weeks next week." I nodded my thanks to him and went out.
I looked around the waiting area hoping to find Aiden, bit he was not there. The next patient pushed past me hurriedly into the room. I thought he would be outside, so as I was heading for the door, the receptionist spoke up.
"Enid?" I looked at her. "Hey, your friend said he had to go, but he wanted you to wait for him." My heart thudded painfully.
"Yes, thank you." I said and sat down on one of the chairs to wait for Aiden. The piece of paper in my hand burned.
It was one and half hour later when the lunch came, Dr. Rubyn left hurriedly, maybe to his house or he was heading towards the hospital. I could feel the patience of the the receptionist wore off. She had to leave to have her lunch too.
"Where is your friend, Enid?" She asked, barely concealing the irritation under control with her fake smile.
I hastily tried again. No answer. I cursed under my breath.
"Sorry, he is not picking up." She nodded again.
"You should try your parents or maybe other friends?" She suggested.
I wanted to kick myself, of course, I could call anyone. It was not like I did not have other friends. Why was I waiting for Aiden for an hour and half to pick me up? I felt anger boiled under my skin, not towards Aiden or anyone else, but me.
I dialled Rick's number. After the second ring, I was doubting myself. Why was I calling Rick of all people?
"Hello?" Rick answered.
"Is Dri there?" The first question that left my mouth had shocked me. I gasped.
"No, Aiden came and took her home almost an hour ago." I remained silent, I did not know what to say anymore. "If you were looking for Aiden, you should have said it earlier, Enid." I could hear him smirk through the phone.
"Actually, I'm here in the Dr. Rubyn's clinic and Aiden was to take me home, but he isn't..."
"Stay there. I'm coming." Rick cut the phone without hearing me fully. I did not want him to come to my rescue.
I stayed looking at my phone until Rick came through the door. I did not have the gut to look up and met with the overly trying fake smile of the receptionist. When he stood in front of me, he was panting heavily. Did he run here all the way from his home? What was I thinking? His house was all the way on the other side.
"Are you going to keep staring or go?" His question brought me out of my wondering.
"Yeah, sure." I said and stood up to follow him out of the clinic, but not before a grateful "Thank you" to the receptionist. She also smiled at me gratefully before packing her bag to leave, too.
His sleek black car was in front of the door of the building and he opened the passenger side door of the car for me. I slammed it shut. I knew I was being rude.
"Don't do that again." I warned.
"Fair enough." The receptionist lady passed us. "Let's go." He sighed out and went for the driver's side.
"I did not tell you to come, you know. Then, why?" Was I seriously accusing him of helping my poor butt out?
"I don't know." He replied and opening the door, he went inside. I got inside too.
It was silent drive towards my house, but as soon as I saw the ice cream shop, something happened to me. My heart felt heavy, my throat perched, I could feel the sadness creeping towards my face, so I shook my head to clear off the things.
"When did the party end last night?" I asked to distract myself.
"What do you mean? You weren't there then, I guess." He said, not taking his eyes off of the road.
"No." I replied quietly.
"Hmm, around three or three and half, I think."
"Really? Ethan was not home till we left the house this morning. Where he was, I wonder."
Rick suddenly hit the break so hard that if there was no belt, I'd have gone flying through the front.
"Oh God!" He gasped.
"What the fuck, Rick?!" I shouted.
"Sorry, are you okay?" He asked me, wide eyed.
"What was that, Rick? Are you trying to kill me?" I was angry, afraid, adrenaline rushed through my body.
"Sorry, I-I thought I saw something." He was searching all over my face.
"There wasn't anything." I sank down in the seat, letting out a breath.
"I said I thought I saw something." He banged his head on the steering wheel and sighed out a deep breath. I sat there dumbfounded.
"Let's go. We shouldn't be in the middle of the road." He started his car again.
"Why were you at the clinic?" Rick asked, clearing his throat, after a little awkward pause.
"Aiden wanted Dr. Rubyn to check my nose." I answered nonchalantly.
"Oh, right. How's your nose? What did he say?"
"It's nothing. He wanted a X-ray report. It'd be alright." I shrugged it off.
"Yeah, alright." He chuckled nervously. The rest of the drive to my house was peaceful.
"Enid!" Rick called when I was about to open the front door of my house. "I'm sorry about what happened back there."
He sounded so sincere that I had to smile. "It's okay. Thanks for picking me up and..."
He did not let me finish before he spoke up. "The pleasure was all mine. See you on Monday. Bye." His eyes seemed to linger on the house a bit too long before he drove off.
As soon as I entered the house, my knees buckled and I slid down the door, maybe the heat from the outside was too much for me. I could feel the beads of sweat that formed on my forehead dried up from the coldness inside the house.
How long I sat there i did not seem to realize until my phone rang, making me jump. I took out the phone and looked at the screen.
It was Aiden. For a second, my frustration and anger took over, but it was not me. I hated being a hormonal, angry teenager. I was a nice person, so I picked it up.
"Hello?" I could hear the frown in my voice.
"Where are you?" His panic was apparent.
"Why?" I shocked myself. I wanted to be nonchalant, but it was impossible for my part, at least for now. It was not like he did not forget about me before because of Dri.
"Enid, the clinic's closed, you are nowhere to be seen. I dropped you here and I don't know where you are. Please, Enid, tell me." He begged.
As usual I melted. "Home."
"How do you get there?"
"Rick dropped me."
"Rick?!" He shouted through the phone.
"Yeah, you weren't picking up, then it was unreachable and I called Rick..."
"You called him?" That was the last draw of my patient.
"If you didn't want me to call him then you should've been there." I told him rudely before cutting the phone off and threw the phone on the floor. I regretted it immediately, but put my head in my hand instead of picking it up.
"Why would Rick drop you?" Ethan's accusing voice rang out. That was all that I could take that particular moment. That was enough. I wanted to be alone for the time being.
"Not you, too!" I shouted and stood up. Pushing past him, I went up the stairs.
"What did I say?" He asked, as if more to himself than to me, confused.