Ryan and I are standing by the exercise equipment chatting when a sudden shout rings out from a distance. Before I can even react, a basketball comes flying straight at me. Just as I'm about to catch it, a girl suddenly darts out, blocking my path. She loses control and topples toward me, knocking me to the ground.
My palms get scraped in the process. Seeing my bloodied palms, a flicker of concern passes through Vera's cold, distant eyes.
I'm just speechless. This is seriously bad luck. The sports field is a danger zone in every campus novel. How could I forget that? I really am an idiot.
"Hey, are you okay? I saw the basketball coming and didn't think it through. I just wanted to stop you from getting hurt. I didn't expect you'd end up hurt anyway. Let me take you to the campus clinic."
Ryan immediately snaps at the girl. "Don't you know your own size? If you hadn't jumped in, Ethan would have just caught the ball himself. Instead, you and the ball both crashed into him. Good thing he didn't hit his head, or this would have been way worse."
A crowd is already gathered around. Vera has never liked being close to boys, but this time she suddenly crouches down to help me up.
I open my eyes wide, scanning the crowd, and ask, "Where's Nina from your class?"
Someone in the crowd shouts, "She's not here."
Vera says, "Since she's not here, I'll take you to the clinic. I don't want to get tangled up with her."
So I struggle to walk on my own, but Ryan grabs me and stops me, saying, "Stop being stubborn. Our school is huge. Limping there on your own would take you until nighttime. Since our campus queen is willing to help you there, just stop being so awkward about it."
I sigh. My eyes dart around, and an idea comes to me. I suddenly point to a chubby girl standing at the edge of the crowd who hasn't pushed her way in and say, "Hey, could I trouble you to come with me to the clinic?"
Chloe freezes on the spot. Her face turns red instantly. She's at a loss under everyone's staring eyes.
I say awkwardly, "This campus is just too big. I can't find where the clinic is, so could you help me out?"
Hearing what I say, Vera lightly furrows her brow. What's wrong with Ethan? Why, when I'm right here beside him, does he not want me to lead the way, and instead asks a stranger he barely knows? Did I do something wrong?
Amid a wave of envious, jealous stares, Chloe leads the way ahead, guiding me toward the clinic. Then, seeing that I'm walking too slowly, she comes over on her own to support me. Vera and Ivy follow along too. Further back, Ryan and the others want to come, but I turn them down. It's not that big a deal. A huge crowd following along is way too much. Not necessary. Really not necessary.
After walking for a long while, we finally reach the clinic. Chloe carefully helps me lie down on the bed. She even thoughtfully rolls up my sleeves and pant legs.
Seeing the state I'm in, the school nurse checks me over while asking, "Oh, poor thing. How did you fall this badly?"
"Um, he got hit by a basketball," Ivy quickly explains.
The nurse nods and keeps asking, "Besides your knee and palms, does anywhere else hurt?"
Everyone falls silent. I'm too focused on the pain in my palms, because that pain has grabbed all my attention, leaving me no room to notice if anything else hurts.
Then the nurse looks at us and says, "Let me examine him properly. The rest of you, please step outside for a moment."
After a while, the nurse finishes the check and starts applying medicine. I hold out my hand. When the cotton ball soaked in iodine touches the broken skin, a sharp, piercing pain shoots through me. I grit my teeth and don't make a sound, but the pain is truly unbearable, so I finally let out a low grunt.
Watching my stubborn expression, several of the girls are stunned. Chloe gently comforts me, saying, "Ethan, if it hurts, just yell it out. Don't hold it in. It'll feel a lot better if you do."
A little while later, the nurse finally finishes treating the scrape and bruise on my knee. Since my palms took the most impact, they're the worst injured, so they're wrapped in bandages, looking like two big white steamed buns.
The nurse glances at the girls and teases, "I'm about to apply medicine to his back now. You three might want to consider stepping out again."
The moment they hear it's for his back, the three girls blush and obediently step outside.
Not long after, the nurse calls them back in and earnestly advises them, "Be more careful when playing ball from now on. Don't let a game get in the way of your friendship. Just look at how badly his hands are hurt. How's he supposed to eat or write for the next few days? Also, no water on the wounds for the next few days. Keep an eye on him. All right, come back in two days to change the dressing."
Then the nurse turns to me and says, "Hey, I've got you some medicine. This one's for your knee and back. Remember to spray it every day. Don't forget."
After going over all the instructions, the nurse finally waves us off.
Then Ivy jumps in and says, "Chloe, you've worked hard. Let me take over supporting Ethan." As she says this, she reaches out to help me.
But Chloe, in her innocence, thinks Ivy's just being polite and waves her off, saying, "I'm not tired. It's fine."
Vera just watches quietly from the side. She sharply senses something's off about me today, but she isn't sure if it's just her imagination, so she doesn't say anything, letting the other two argue it out.
Just then, Nina comes rushing in like a whirlwind. Seeing me in such a sorry state, her heart aches badly. She glances at Vera and Ivy standing nearby and lets out a cold snort. "Hmph."
Then she says gently to me, "Ethan, let me help you back to the classroom." Before Nina even finishes speaking, she's already standing by my bed, reaching out to help me up.
"Thank you, but I think I'll let her help me instead. It's more convenient this way." I give Chloe an apologetic smile.