74
1267 Words
Back to school
7th January
The snow had fallen rapidly night autumn was not looking forward to school today.
She hated the winter, the snow even more. Connor had met her on the bridge she looked at him. “I was surprised you even showed your face today.”
“We will only unile lunchtime time, guaranteed.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Same thing happened last winter. Come on let’s waste a morning.”
He dropped his arm over her and they walked away. The snowballs flying in the air over the tops of their heads, making her nervous.
“You okay babe?”
“Yeah fine, let’s get to school.”
“Won’t be much better there babe, trust me.”
He was right the snowball fights spread across the school’s grounds. The snowballs spun through the air. Autumn turned, it hit her full force in the face, and she dropped to the ground.
“Autumn!!”
Everyone gathered around the principal and briskly walked over to see what the commotion was. “Right everyone to class.”
“But….”
“Now! And that includes you to, Mr Harborne.”
“Bu..”
“Now!!”
His eyes cold cutting into hers he hated this b***h.
She knelt. “Miss. Cleveland are you okay?”
She stared and gazed. “I’m fine.”
“What happened?”
“The snowball came out of nowhere.”
“Where did it hit you?”
“My eye.”
“Can you focus?”
She looked fuzzily at her headmistress. “I can’t see.”
“Right, we’ll get you inside and call the hospital and your mother.”
“Okay.” She sighed.
She sat outside the head mistress’s office Mr Grayson looked at her. “I know that Mr Harding is your psychiatrist but you can talk to me anytime Miss. Cleveland.”
“I know.”
“I know we’ve chatted in the past, but it’s really important to tell us what you saw. As well as who does it”
“I didn’t see anything. I didn’t see anyone I swear. I must’ve blacked out.”
“They’ll take a look at that eye. Hopefully whoever threw it hasn’t done too much damage.”
The headmistress stepped out of her office. “Your mother is on the way to the ital and is expecting you.”
“Thanks, miss.”
“Mr. Grayson would you like me too with Cleveland until her mother arrives.”
“Sure.”
Autumn’s mother pulled up and they went out to the car autumn sipped in closing her door as Mr Grayson spoke to her mother.
“May I have a word?”
“Sure.”
Autumn sat trying to focus on them and see what they were saying.
This couldn’t be happening again. She closed the car door started the engine up and pulled away. “Your teacher is concerned about you Autumn.”
“Really.”
“Yes. He seems to think that you hiding the truth.”
“Well, I’m not.”
“This is Taylor all over again.”
“Don’t mom.”
“Fine I won’t, but just think about what I said.”
“I will.”
Autumn sat on the sofa the heating drowsing her, they’d put a patch on her eye which was aggravating her face. The doorbell rang. “Stay here, I’ll get it.”
“Sure.”
She opened the door to a scruffy-looking male. “Yes.”
“Is Autumn in?’
“Who’s asking.”
‘“Oh sorry, my manners. I’m Mathew Harding. I work alongside Mr Grayson. I’m Autumn’s case worker.”
“Oh, okay, please come in.”
“Thanks.”
He smiled stepping in.
“Autumn you have a visitor.”
“Who?”
Mathew stepped in. “How are you, Autumn?”
“Mathew but..”
“Mr. Grayson filled me in about your accident this morning. I thought I’d come and see who you were.”
“Please take a seat and I’ll do you a drink.”
“Coffee, two sugars please.”
She smiled walking out of the room. Mathew sat down. “So, how long have you got to wear the patch for?”
“Not sure a month maybe, till it heals.”
“You were lucky Autumn. You could’ve lost your sight.”
“Yeah, I know. The doc said that too and the last time.”
He looked at the other and placed the cup of tea down. “Thanks, Mrs Cleveland.”
“My pleasure. I’ll leave you two to talk.”
He smiled she turned walking out of the room. “So this has happened before?”
“We’re not at school now.”
“Off the record.”
“I don’t know Matt.”
“We’ll recap when we return to school. It may be a while though the school closed due to the weather.”
“Oh.”
“So…” He looked at her, his blue eyes glowing.
“It was nothing.”
“Big nothing to almost lose your eyesight.”
“There was ice in the snowball he didn’t know.”
“Taylor?”
“Yes, Taylor.”
“So tell me what happened then.”
“They were messing around. They were all throwing snowballs at each other. Ganging up on one another throwing them at me and my friends. They loaded them up piling up and throwing them at all of us. I and Taylor the last he jumped on me and splattered it in my face and I screamed. All I could remember was waking up in hospital I’d been unconscious for a few hours my eye was packed up the doctor reckoned I was lucky that it just scratched the pupil and it should heal da ja vous yeah?”
“Did you tell your head teacher who done it?”
He knew though he didn’t believe the kid that told him he was a cry wolf type. He got hospitalised for his interference. “I lied.”
“Why Autumn?”
“Cause I didn’t want to end up like him.”
“I don’t get why you ever loved this guy all he ever did was hurt you.”
“That’s what made mom so angry, but no one understand.”
“You could always try to tell someone.”
“No one would listen.”
“I would.”
She looked at him and opened her mouth.
“I’m sorry to cut your talk short, but I have to change the patch.”
“Sure.” He pulled himself up. “We’ll talk at school okay?”
“Okay.”
“Thanks for coming to see her.”
“No problem thanks for letting me.”
“Well, at least she has got someone to talk to and tell them how she feels. I can’t seem to get through to her.”
“It takes time Mrs Cleveland.”
She smiled opening the door. “Bye Autumn.”
“Matt.”
“Bye, Mr Harding.”
He smiled stepping out f the house into the blustery snow. She’s closed the door. “He seems nice.”
“He is.”
“He’s a little young for a shrink.”
“He’s doing his degree. Mr Grayson thought it was a good idea that a younger face might help me open up. And help me.”
“It seems to be.”
“Yeah, it does.”
- Writer
