Page 42 of Akarnae

Alex heard Fletcher murmur something soothing before the sound of a chair scraping across the floor caused her to back away from the door. She didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping so she quietly scrambled back to her bed. The moment she lay down and closed her eyes, she heard the door squeak as it was fully opened. She blinked and sat up, schooling her face into an expression of surprise.

“Fletcher?” she asked, playing the innocent card. “I didn’t realise you were here.”

He pulled the medical mask off his face. “How long have you been waiting, Alex?” he asked, glancing nervously towards the room he’d just left.

“Not long,” she replied, telling the relative truth. “I hope you don’t mind, but when I realised you weren’t here, I decided to wait.” Also the truth. “I was going to try and have a nap.” Again, the truth. She’d just left out some other details.

What he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him.

Fletcher relaxed at her words and excused himself for a moment. He left the room—presumably to wash his hands, or so Alex hoped—and returned with her file.

“Now, what can I help you with?”

“I—uh—” She felt foolish now, knowing that she really should have come earlier. “You mentioned at lunch that Finn told you what happened this morning?” He nodded and she continued, “Well, I was just wondering if you might have something to help me—um—feel a bit better?”

His gaze softened. “Why don’t you tell me how you’re feeling, and I’ll tell you if I have something that will help, hmm?”

She swallowed, and then winced again at the pain.

“Sore throat?” Fletcher asked, watching her reaction.

She nodded. “Really sore. And my chest hurts.”

“Hurts how?” he asked, scribbling on his chart.

“Like it’s burning,” she responded.

“All the time?”

“Only when I breathe,” she said dryly.

Fletcher chuckled. “Well, we’ll want to fix that then, won’t we?”

“That would be nice,” she agreed.

“Lie down on your stomach for me,” he said, all professional again. At her questioning look, he explained, “Finn mentioned that he gave your back quite a thumping in order to expel the water from your lungs. I just want to make sure he didn’t crack a rib. He can be rather… enthusiastic.”

Enthusiastic? Alex could think of better descriptions, none of them anywhere near as complimentary. But Finnhadpractically saved her life, so maybe she should cut him some slack.

Fletcher whistled through his teeth when he got his first look at her back and Alex rememberedwhyshe had such negative descriptions for her PE teacher.

“Is it bad?” she asked, her voice muffled by the pillow.

Fletcher pressed on a few tender spots before letting her sit up again. “It looks worse than it is,” he told her. “Nothing appears to be broken. You just have some impressive bruises.”

He bustled over to his medicine cabinet and returned with two vials. Alex scrunched her face up at the unappealing brown colours.

“Don’t give me that look,” he said. “It wouldn’t have been so bad if you’d come in earlier.”

She looked at the ground. “I know. I’m sorry.”

He patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it, Alex. But in the future, try to remember that prevention is often better than a cure.”

She nodded in agreement and took the vials from him. Holding her nose, she raised the first one to her mouth and swallowed as quickly as she could. Her eyes widened when she recognised the taste. “Chocolate!”

“What did you expect?” Fletcher laughed. “It’s like you’re disillusioned to believe medicine is disgusting.”

“Before I met you, medicinewasdisgusting,” she murmured, raising the other vial to her lips. It tasted faintly of cinnamon.

---