CHAPTER 6
“Hi, Casey.”
“Hi.” I looked down.
“How are you?” she sat across from me and Medina left again.
“Okay…you? Wondering how this conversation was going to go.
“Casey, really, how are you really? She got kind of serious but sympathetic.
“Horrible.” I started crying again.
“Oh, sweetheart.” She leaned in and rubbed her hand on my thigh. All the sudden my stomach began to drop again I ran across the hall into the bathroom and I felt Mrs. Lawson not to far behind me. I got sick again and it was continuous, I hate this, but seconds after I ran into the stall I felt someone hold my hair back and move their hand up and down my back. After 5 minutes it stopped and I flushed the toilet and leaned up against the wall, I was to dizzy to stand.
“Are you okay?” Mrs. Lawson was the one who was here, I recognized her when my vision started returning to normal, but her curly blonde hair was a give away.
I nodded and folded my knees with my hands around my ankles and my head on my knees. She moved over next to me and put my hair into a loose bun. About a minute later my head was in the toilet again, she resumed gently going up and down my back and pushed my bangs out of the way. It seemed like she knew I was going to be sick again. About 2 minutes later I was back in my previous position.
“How are you feeling?” Mrs. Lawson asked 5 minutes later.
“Okay.” I mumbled.
“Dizzy?” I nodded, “That’s normal, take your time.” I closed my eyes. Another 5 minutes passed and I looked up, “Thank you.” I managed to say.
“You’re welcome.”
“Why did you stay though?
“Because when I was in your situation the only person I could trust was my English teacher.”
“You were pregnant at 15?” I tried sounding like I didn’t know.
“Yeah, my teacher helped me through it.”
“I don’t see how I am going to do it.”
“You will, and I am here for you if and whenever you need me Casey.”
“Thank you, you can leave if you want, I don’t want to keep you here while I totally lose my guts.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll be here for as long as you need me to.” I smiled slightly.
“Feeling any better?”
“Honestly, no, so I wouldn’t leave yet.” I joked, but boy was ever correct. I tossed once more consecutively for 10 minutes, the longest ever and unusual. During which the bell rang and I heard the bathroom door open and I heard Mrs. Lawson say “Anna” but that was all. I sat up and my vision was so blurry I could see nothing. I tried to rub my head and it started going away and all I saw was Mrs. Lawson and Mrs. Jones outside the stall talking, and yet again my head was in the toilet and from what I felt one was holding my hair and the other was rubbing my back. This one wasn’t too long but would it ever end? When I finally finished I was so tired and I faintly heard my name being called and some “Are you okay?” When I gained back my vision they were both sitting across from me. I nodded, I couldn’t speak yet. I closed my eyes again.
“Do you want to go home?” one of them asked, I shook my head no.
“Are you sure?” the other one asked, I shook my head yes.
“I’m…sorry.” I managed to make out.
“It’s okay, we are here to help you Casey. We aren’t leaving.” Mrs. Jones said and Mrs. Lawson agreed.
“I’m sorry you…had to witness that.”
“We went through it, It’s okay.” Mrs. Lawson said.
“How did you even know I was here?”
“Mrs. Lawson texted me.”
I nodded. “Are you okay, that was quite a bit, how long have you been in here?”
“About a half an hour.” I nodded.
“Do you want to go to the nurse and lie down?”
“No.” I disagreed.
“Why not?”
“I just don’t.” I kept my head down it was spinning so much.
“What class do you have now?”
“Geometry.”
“It’s almost over.”
“Okay.” I tried to stand up but my legs were to weak to support me and my head was spinning worse than before.
“Casey, I think you need to go home.” Mrs. Jones said kneeling down to me.
“No…” I faded.
“Why though?”
“Because if I leave I won’t come back.” My voice started cracking.
“But sweet heart you’re sick.”
“I don’t care, maybe I will stay here today for the day I am sure I will be back.”
“Well you have me next I can just let you relax and listen in on the book.” I nodded.
“When does this stop?”
“How far are you?”
“8 weeks.”
“You’ve still got a while.”
“Damn.”
“Do you feel you are okay to make it to English?”
“Maybe.”
“Well there is about 15 minutes left to this period, so stay here for another ten, then we all have to get back.” She sort of laughed.
About 2 minutes later my head was in the toilet again, I think by now I lost 20 pounds with how much has come up. Mrs. Lawson and Jones returned holding my hair and going up and down my back. 5minutes I was finally done and leaning back against the wall. There was a knock on the door, “Laura, Anna it’s me Dave.”
Lawson went to open the door and talk to him. I faintly heard the conversation. “How is she doing?” he asked, “Not great, I feel so bad knowing there isn’t anything I can do.”
“Anything I can do?”
“Can you stay here with Anna while I go get a ginger ale from the English lounge?”
“Sure.” Within moments he was in the stall crouching down beside me and Jones, “Hey Casey, how are you doing?” he asked in the sweetest voice possible.
I nodded to inform him I was doing okay. In 2 minutes Lawson returned with ginger ale, then they helped me was to English after making sure I was okay. When the bell sounded I was just sitting in my seat. When everyone piled in it gave me a bit of a headache but I just kept my head down praying I wasn’t going to get sick again.
“Well I have the next period free I could just hang out in here and if she needs anything I’ll be on it.” Mr. Smith discussed and Mrs. Lawson said “Sure she agreed.”
It was half way through the period and all it took was a whiff of a girls perfume and I was running out the door which wasn’t easy because I was weak kneed. Mr. Smith came running after me. I got into the bathroom moments before he did and next thing I knew he was holding my hair back. The whole time from when I was talking to Ms. Tyler until now I wondered where Nick was.
NICK POV
I sat in class just thinking about Casey and what she was doing, I wondered how her conversation with Ms. Tyler went. I just couldn’t stop thinking about her.
CASEY POV
It was 5 minutes later when I finished emptying my guts completely. Mr. Smith retied my hair in a loose bun for me. “Thank you.” I mumbled.
“You’re welcome, are you sure you don’t want to come home?”
“Positive.” I said.
“Is there anything I can do for you?”
“Can you get Nick for me?” I looked up at him with my eyes starting to water. He nodded and went to go find Nick.
NICK POV
I was day dreaming when I heard my teacher Mr. Miller called my name, “Nick, you are needed.” I looked into the doorway and saw Mr. Smith, I got scared for a minute, but my legs took control and lead me out the door.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Casey wants you.” We started walking towards his wing of the school.
“Is she okay?”
“Well, she has been vomiting her guts out all morning. So I am guessing not that great.”
We reached the teachers bathroom I wondered why she was here but I figured it was the closest bathroom. I walked in in front of Mr. Smith, I heard her getting sick and I ran over to her and held her hair back, it looked like someone tried putting a bun in it but it fell out. When I thought she was finished I kissed her shoulder and carefully put my arms around her and set her on my thighs hugging her lightly. She had her head buried into my shoulder. I slightly rocked her. Mr. Smith sat across from us but then told us he was going to go inform Mrs. Lawson on what happened. I sat there wishing I was here all morning with her.
“Baby, why don’t I have my mom come and get you.” She shook her head no and I kept quiet running my hand through her hair. Her eyes remained closed and her head stayed in my shoulder. I felt guilty for doing this to her. The bell sounded ending the class but I didn’t care. Mrs. Jones came in and asked how she was doing and then told me the teachers were going to have a quick meeting and come back.
MR.SMITHS POV
When the teachers piled in it was only me, Tonya, Anna, Laura, Sarah, Marie, Julie and Medina.
“So how is everyone’s day so far?” Julie asked.
“Wonderful considering Laura, Dave and I have been with Casey all morning while her head was in the toilet.” Anna answered.
“Is she okay?” she replied.
“We don’t know Nick Bowman is with her now.” I added.
“Where?”
“The teachers bathroom.”
She nodded, “what are we going to do?” Tonya asked.
“We honestly can only just be there for her. I tried talking to her this morning but plans changed.” Laura added. Medina just nodded in agreement.
“The one thing that really got my attention was when I offered he to go home she said no and that she wouldn’t return if she did.” Anna said.
“Well I felt the same way, I didn’t want to show my face in public I was so ashamed, but she will come through.” Laura replied.
CASEY POV
I just sat on Nick’s lap with my head on his shoulder for what seemed like forever. Every now and then I felt like I was going to get sick again. Thankfully I didn’t.
“Baby?” Nick asked.
I moaned in a reply.
“Why don’t you want to go home? I will go with you.”
I shook my head no. I didn’t want to leave, I would just be a coward. I finally opened my eyes and looked at Nick, “What class is it?”
“You have P.E in 10 minutes.” He said.
“Will you walk me there so I can take my time?”
“Sure.” He gently set me off his legs and he stood slowly helping me up. We left the bathroom after rinsing my mouth out and sticking a mint in. We reached the gym,, I handed Coach my doctors note and he handed me a packet for credit without any word at all. I told Nick to go to lunch and get some food. He did as I told and I went through the last 3 periods free of the bathroom. When I walked back down to the English room to gather my bag Mrs. Lawson stood up and asked, “how are you feeling?”
“Better, I am going home and sleep a bit now, I am so tired.” I grabbed my bag.
“Good, and, if you need anything e-mail me okay?” I nodded and left. I told Nick to drive slowly just in case. When we got back I took a shower and went down to the kitchen to get a ginger ale.
“Casey, what happened today? Your Chemistry teacher called and tolled me to keep an eye on you.”
“I had my head in the toilet all morning.”
“Why didn’t you come home? I would’ve gotten you.”
“Because I didn’t want to feel like a coward. If I went home I would be to ashamed to come back.”
“Casey…you have nothing to be ashamed of dear.” We both sat at the table.
“Yes I do, I am 15 and pregnant.”
I knew I was going to go back but I couldn’t face everyone.
“Well, go get some rest, you look like you need it.” Theresa said.
“Ok.” I got up and went upstairs. When I got upstairs I heard Nick in the shower and I just laid on the bed and closed my eyes. About 10 minutes later I felt Nick lay behind me and cradle me against him. I felt his breath move my hair. He kissed me head. I turned over so I was facing him, he wrapped his arms around me. He put his head down and kissed me and slowly moved to kiss my neck trying to comfort me. I guess we fell asleep because the next thing I remember was Theresa saying I have a visitor. I went downstairs and say Erica, “Erica!!” She ran into a hug, “How are you?” she asked. She has been gone since we had that small argument outside of Mr. Smiths’ room.
“Fine, you?”, “Fine, how is everything?” I nodded my head and we carried on our conversation on the front porch. After about 45 minutes she left. I returned inside and Theresa called for dinner. She made spaghetti and salad. I figured I would play it safe and just eat salad. Theresa tried to get me to eat more but I went against it. After a few bites I thought I was okay, then the next thing I knew I was running upstairs into the bathroom. I threw myself on the floor and 1 minute later Nick was holding my hair back. I love how he is always right there. 5 minutes later and I was leaning against the wall, Nick moved over and cradled me again, my head was spinning like crazy. I faintly started weeping, Nick was hushing me. A few minutes later he stood and picked me up in his arms and carried me over to the bed and laid me down. He told me he would be back. He went downstairs and I heard his conversation with Theresa since he left the door open.
“Mom, how long is she going to do this? I feel so guilty.”
“For a while, it is new to her body so it is natural.”
“I just feel so horrible, and knowing there isn’t a thing I can do kills me. In a few weeks she will be showing and has to walk around with it and no one knows enough to blame me.”
“Nick, just be there for her. That is all you can do, she has had a lot going on and she just needs people there for her, speaking of which, were you there this morning?”
“Not until period 4, but Laura, Anna and Dave were there.” I guess she only knew them by first name. Nick then returned upstairs, I didn’t hear anything after that. He crawled in next to me in the same position as before Erica came over. I loved being in his arms. I whispered, “ I love you.” To him and we drifted off to sleep.
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Kind of long, but eventful! What did you think??