Normal Lovers: Chpt.5

Instructions

After lunch we (me and Fox) went to science. Adrian said he would catch up with us. I walked in and took in the room around me. Posters were hung all around the room, and instead of desks there were tables. The teacher was standing in the front of the room while working on her computer. I went to my seat in the back of the classroom and looked at the names of my tablemates. Zack, Leo, and, of course, Fox. Right next to me. She sat down and smiled, “Together again! You used to love science in elementary school, how about now?” She asked me. “I mean, it’s great, but I prefer math. As you know,” I replied. She chuckled softly. The other two people at our table, Zack and Leo, sat down too eventually and the teacher called for our attention. “Ooooookaaaaay. Welcome to science class! The one where you dissect frogs and set things on fire! My name is Ms.Syler, I’m one of the science teachers. To start, we will be playing a get to know you game. This one is a spin off of two truths and a lie. Everyone writes down two true facts about themselves that they haven’t told anyone in this room on two separate pieces of paper and I will put all of them into a bucket. After, I will pick out 4 of the notes and read them aloud, you will guess who’s fact it is,” She informed us while passing out pieces of paper. I thought for a moment, what about me is interesting or weird. I wrote down on my first slip that I got a r@bies vaccine when I was 8, then I struggled to think of a second one. I don’t want to out myself, what else is there? “Alright, time's up!” Mrs.Syler announced and walked around the room with a bucket. I panicked and wrote down the first thing that came to my mind and gave the slip to her. Then, I realized what I had done. Oh no oh no oh no. Not that, please don’t pick my fact. The first three rounds went okay, and I thought I was safe. Surely she won’t pick mine, right? “When I was 13 I had a stroke,” My teacher read out. My blood ran cold. That was mine. Now I was going to be that one oversharing weirdo. My teacher had a look of mild alarm on her face and I saw my classmates look around in shock. Adrian for his part did his best not to look at me as though I was a specimen, for which I was grateful. “Um, any guesses?” Ms.Syler asked us. I looked around and saw nothing but blank faces. I cringed. “Okay, who is it?” “Me, My name is Ellia,” I said as I stood up hesitantly. I looked down at Fox, she had a facial expression between horror, shock, worry, and something else. “Ellia, are you sure this is right? At 13? A stroke?”My teacher asked me with a dubious expression. “100% certain. I have a clotting disorder, and it led to a clot in my neck. That cut off my brain from its blood supply. I wish I was lying, it would have made my 7th grade year a lot more pleasant. I was in the hospital for 8 weeks,” I replied. I saw the faces of my classmates, all expressions between curiosity and fear. “It’s actually more common than you think, 0.05% of teenagers get blood clots. I’m just more likely than the majority of us. I take a blood thinner now as a precaution," I said while sitting down. “Okay then, well, let’s continue,” She replied curtly, clearly wanting to move on. Class continued, and then it shortly finished. As I was leaving, I felt a tug on my backpack. I turned around to see Fox. “Could you come with me?” She asked, her facial expression blank. “Yeah sure,”I replied. She took my hand and pulled me somewhere, though I didn't really notice over the instant rush of thoughts as she grabbed my hands. She led me into one of the girls' bathrooms, and turned to look at me. We only made eye contact for a minute before she started to cry.