Pain

Rugby... I hate Rugby. I'm a pretty fit guy, put me on a running track and I'll run laps all day... Rugby is just ****. A fact I'm reminded of as I regain consciousness. A stray tackle during PE knocked me for six... More like twelve from how my ribs feel. Shit.

Where am I anyway? I guess this is the nurse's office, a small room with a bed in it, I can hear the sound of typing and lulled voices from another room. This could very well be God's waiting room, it definitely feels like I'm dead. I try to sit up, causing a sharp pain in my ribs, forcing a groan from me.

"Oh, he's awake!" I hear Marie's voice announce, I turn to see her and Rouge enter from the other room.

"You joking? Every day with me is a dream." I correct her, before realising laughing hurts.

"Well, at least you didn't break your spirit." Rouge groans. "Sit still, I need to check you for signs of a concussion."

I'm certainly not complaining about receiving world-renowned medical treatment but it does beg the question. "So, are you the school nurse as well?" I ask, immediately realising how stupid I sound.

"Yeah, Rufus, as well as being an award-winning reproductive endocrinologist, I moonlight putting plasters on grazes." She responds bluntly. "I was at home, Trish called me, said you'd been hurt, figured this would save you a trip to the hospital."

Well that makes a lot more sense than what I said. I suppose the next question should be less stupid. "In that case, what are you doing here?" I ask Marie.

"Rosie and Poppy have lessons now, they made me promise to keep an eye on you." She explains. "You're welcome, by the way." She adds with a huff as Rouge begins shining lights in my eyes.

Well, if nothing else, I'll be blind now, which is fun, I suppose. Always wanted one of those canes. After a few minutes of poking and prodding, Rouge settles on a diagnosis.

"Well, you're looking alright on the concussion front, and I think all four of your brain cells are working." She decides, standing up straight.

"That's actually really good news, I only had three before, I think I'll call this one Lucky." I chuckle, before my ribs halt me.

Rouge appears to enjoy this instantaneous karma. "Yeah, you do still have bruised ribs though, so maybe take it easy for a few days, I'll leave a prescription for some painkillers with Trish." She clarifies. "In the meantime, I'll leave you in Marie's capable hands." She adds, before making her exit.

Marie looks disheartened as her Mother leaves, I would try to comfort her, but at the moment my body's in too much pain for my brain to really focus on empathy, best I can do is comic relief. "Well, they say it's common for wounded warriors to fall in love with their nurse." I smile.

Marie turns to me, clearly unimpressed with my attempt. "Hmm... There's still time to give you a concussion, you know." She responds, cracking her knuckles.

*

The walk home is awkward and achy, but the pain's dulled to being manageable at this point, I put my arm around Marie to help support my weight, which she begrudgingly accepts. As we reach our house, I finally have some good news. She's here.

"Oh my gosh, I heard what happened, but you look awful." Andi observes, rushing over from her doorway to assist Marie in supporting me inside. Damn, if I knew it was this easy to get my hands on her I'd have gotten knocked out yesterday.

"You should see the other guy." I joke. "Actually, I should've seen the other guy, might've prevented it."

Marie sighs as she opens the door. "Come on, let's get this idiot upstairs, if only to push him down them." Between the three of us I manage to get up the stairs, to my room, where I sit on the bed. "Alright, off with the shirt, I need to check the for signs of bleeding." She orders. I suppose it makes sense that she's picked up some first aid skills, given whose daughter she is.

"Aha, you've fallen into my trap, now I've lured two beautiful women to my room." I chortle, pulling by blazer off and unbuttoning my shirt.

"Yeah, you got me, my fetish is men being unable to breathe." Marie replies sarcastically as she gently presses the area around my ribs.

Andi giggles at our banter. "I can't believe you guys only met yesterday, you have great chemistry!" She decides.

Marie scoffs at the thought, which I feel a tad offended at. "Yeah, like the chemical formula for TNT, fucking unstable." She argues.

"And hopefully ending with a bang." I add, causing Marie to halt her examination and flick me on the forehead.

"Watch Casanova here, will you? I'm gonna go get him some ice." She tells Andi, who's looking around my room inquisitively, as she makes her exit.

Well, me and Andi in my room with me half naked, definitely not the way I pictured this. Suddenly, she chuckles while looking out the window. "Wow, you can totally see my room from here." She points out. Well, there's an interesting thought. "And wouldn't you know, you only realised the day after I stopped changing with the curtains open." She adds, mocking me.

"That's cruel, you're being cruel right now." I groan, laying down on my bed. "Can you blame a guy for looking at a work of art and appreciating it?"

Andi snorts at my flirting. "A critic's opinion means less when he gives every piece top marks." She counters.

Alright, fuck it, what's the harm? "Okay, I'll cut the bullshit, wanna go on a date with me?" I ask.

"No." She responds immediately. Oh. That usually works. I wait for a follow-up that never comes, guess I have to be the one to ask.

"Alright... Can I ask why?" I request, not entirely sure if I want to know the answer.

"Because, I wouldn't say yes to anyone. No one's met the prerequisite yet." She replies vaguely, still staring out the window.

The games were fun before, but now I'm getting annoyed. "And the prerequisite is?" I inquire.

"The prerequisite is knowing what the prerequisite is, and meeting it." She answers, still being cryptic.

Alright, fuck this. "So, do you get off on confusing people or something?" I snarl. Who does she think she is? "I'm not good enough? I have to meet some bullshit criteria? Loads of other girls would kill for a night with me, and it's not enough for you?"

Andi sighs at my outburst. "I realise you're in pain, literally, so I'm going to let that one go. To be clear, you don't like me, you like how I look, and you like the idea of conquering me, the prestige. I'm not interested in being a trophy, and you're a guy who always wins, so now your ribs aren't the only thing that's bruised, but your ego too. Sorry, not my problem." She states plainly.

Well...

But...

I...

I don't have words. Marie enters the room to deathly silence, looking between the two of us as Andi leaves the room. "What the fuck did you do?" Marie asks angrily.

I fucked up.

I fucked up badly.