Chapter 9

The class was in an uproar when Annabelle fainted. Mrs. Ryan and Brooke stopped their argument and paid attention to her. The girl holding her motioned to two boys to help carry her to the school's clinic.

"Does she have any allergies that you know of?" the nurse asked when they got there and put Anna in a bed.

"We don't know of any allergies ma'am," one of the boys answered, "we just met her two days ago.

"Oh, okay", the nurse said and went to where Anna lay and checked her.

"She'll be fine," she said when she was done, "she was traumatized. Don't worry though, I'll look after her." She gave them a small smile as they hesitantly left.

The girl who helped her was the last to leave. She really hoped that Anna would be fine. Seeing her in that state pained her a lot.

As she made her way bacl to her class, Colton stopped her.

"Senior Colton?" she asked in disbelief.

Colton rarely associated with juniors though he was nice to them when he had to.

"Hey", get paid with a small smile, one that looked shy. Colton was never shy so she wondered why his smile seemed like that.

"Do you need something?" she asked.

"Yeah, sorry of. I heard what happened to Annabelle", he said.

That explained why he was talking to her. The news of Anna's state had gone round the school like headlines in the Vogue magazine.

"Go on", she said when he stopped talking.

"I wanted to ask you where she is since you guys are classmates", he said.

"She's at the clinic. The nurse who attended to her said that she will be fine."

Colton sighed in relief. "Okay, that's good. Thanks. What's your name?"

"My name is Vanessa", she replied.

"Okay", then he said and turned to leave.

"Senior Colton?" Vanessa called him back.

"Yeah?"

"I was thinking, what if you and I go to see Annabelle before school ends?" she said.

Colton thought about it for a while and felt it was a good idea.

"Okay then," he agreed, "what do you have last period?"

"Homeroom", she replied.

"What homeroom is that?" he asked.

"32B", came the answered.

"Okay. I'll come pick you from your homeroom then", he said and turned to leave.

"Okay, see you then", she said and left for her next class.

Colton went to class 32B during the last period of school. He didn't have any class because all seniors didn't. That period was for them to study which, of course they didn't. They normally ditched school during last period like they did today. Colton wanted to join them but he needed to make sure Anna was okay.

He stood at the window of the class so that Vanessa could easily see him. Once she saw him, she took her stuff and hurried out of the class. Mr. Edwards wasn't present again so leaving wasn't a problem.

On a normal day, that would have been nearly impossible because students weren't allowed to leave homeroom before dismissal time but today wasn't a normal day.

"Hey", Colton said when she came out.

"Hi senior Colton", she replied with a smile.

"Lets go", he said before walking in front of her.

The clinic was a building behind the school itself. It was built in the model of a small hospital.

The founders of Register High did not want their clinic to be a single room like most schools had. They wanted it to have the best medical equipment and to meet their students at their various health needs.

Also, since the school was particularly meant for students from high class families, they needed their school to be the best in all aspects.

Colton and Vanessa entered the clinic to meet the familiar white walls and smell of medicine. Colton hated hospitals. He felt they reeked of death.

"Good afternoon ma'am", the two of them greeted the nurse who attended to Anna after passing the receptionist.

"Hey there," she replied, "are you here to see Annabelle?"

They nodded in response.

"Okay. Follow me then."

She took them to Anna's ward and stopped at the door.

"She's beeb awake for a while. You're free to talk with her but mind what you say," she warned, "if she gets uncomfortable with any topic, please change it."

They nodded and Colton opened the door when the nurse left. The first thing that hit them was the aroma of food. Well, it was rather bland food.

"Hey", Colton to Anna, who was eating.

At first, she didn't hear him because she was thinking again. Her head jerked up when her brain registered that she was no longer alone.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice them.

"Oh, hi. Colton?" she asked in bkth surprise and confusion.

First of all, she didn't expect anyone to visit her, not even Colton. True, her classmates must have brought her here but then they were bound by duty to do that. 

Secondly, she didn't have any friends here so she sure as hell didn't expect any visitors. 

Well, Colton's presence was...understandable since they seemed to know each other but who the girl with him? 

"How are you?" the girl asked. 

That voice sounded familiar but she couldn't place a finger on where she heard it. Then it clicked. That was the voice she heard before passing out! 

"I'm fine, thank you," she answered, "please what's your name?" 

"I'm Vanessa."

"Nice to meet you Vanessa, and thank you for helping me", Anna said with gratitude in her eyes. 

Colton sat on the side of the hospital bed. "What happened to you Annabelle?" he asked. 

"Uhmm..." she started nervously. Vanessa noticed this and gave Colton a stern look, telling him with her eyes to change the topic. 

"You don't have to say anything if you don't want to", he assured Anna and she sighed in relief. 

"You won't understand", she said simply. 

"Okay", he replied. 

The three of them chatted for some time until Vanessa checked her wrist watch and saw that school was going to be over in about five minutes. 

"Oh, I'm sorry for taking a lot of your time", Anna said. She was going to miss them. 

"Don't worry, we came prepared", Colton said and Vanessa rolled her eyes. 

"I'll go get the nurse and we'll be out of here", Vanessa said, standing up. 

"I don't understand", Anna said when she left, "I thought I'm in a hospital or something. I was even expectiny parents to come."

"You're in a hospital," Colton explained, "but it's the school's clinic which is a hospital anyway."

"Oh. I still don't understand."

"You will when we leave. This building is behind the school block. You would have known about it if you had accepted my earlier offer to be your tour guide", he said, "unfortunately, your pride wouldn't let you."

"Oh please, you would have made a terrible guide", she said. 

"Suit yourself", he said with s smirk. Anna so wanted to smack that smirk off his face. 

The silence that followed was awkward. To display it, Colton decided to ask something.

"Hey Annabelle, there was something you wanted to ask me today", he said.

"When?" she asked as she furrowed her eyebrows.

"At the door to the cafeteria."

Then she remembered. "Oh, yeah, I remember now. I wanted to ask how come you believe I'm a Siromani?"

"That's nothing, it's obvious. You have an aura of authority, you have a special kind of graceful look that most girls lack and well, it didn't seem out of place that you would be the Siromani daughter."

Anna nodded and opened her mouth to say something, thinking that he had finished. 

"Then again, don't forget that you were the only transfer student we were expecting", he added. 

"Okay. Thank you, Colton", she said. 

"For what?" he asked, confused.

"Thank you for believing me."

"That's nothing to thank me for", he said with a wave of the hand.

Then the awkward silence returned. 

Where was Vanessa when you needed her? Colton thought. Just when I wanted to go in search of her, she came in with the nurse. 

"Hey Annabelle", the nurse greeted her with a smile which Anna returned. 

The nurse checked her and affirmed that she was good to go. Anna thanked her and they left. They stopped at Anna and Vanessa's homeroom to get her bag. Then they went the front of the school, where lots of students were already gathered doing their own things. Almost immediately, Dexter came to pick Anna. 

"That'sy ride. Thank you so much for everything you've done for me today", she said as she held their hands. 

"It's fine, Annabelle", Colton said while Vanessa gave her a hug. 

Anna went to the car and got in.  

"How was your day, Annabelle?" Dex asked her. 

"It was a long day Dex", she replied. 

"Okay? Do you want to share?" he asked. 

"I think I'll pass today Dex", she said with a small smile. Dex could tell that she was sad so he nodded and kept quiet. 

As soon as they got home, Anna jumped out of the car and ran up to her room. 

"What's wrong with Belle?" Katherine asked Dexter when she met him at their quarters. 

"You noticed too?" he asked her. 

"Well, she just went to her room without coming to the kitchen and that's so unlike her. Today isn't a Tuesday."

"I think it  has to do with school," Dexter said, "let's just leave her."

"Okay then", Katherine said with concern. 

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Colton went to the lake his friends were at. 

"Hey man", Martin, one of his friends, said. In fact, Martin was his best friend. 

"Hi", he replied with a weak smile. 

"What's wrong man?" Martin asked with conern as he came out of the water. 

Colton eyed him suspiciously. He wasn't sure if he should share that particular problem with him, after all, he was the one who embarrassed Annabelle yesterday. 

They sat down on the ground while the others continued splashing water on themselves. 

Martin could see that Colton was seriously in thought. 

"You know you can share anything with me bro", Martin told him. 

Colton sighed. "I know you won't believe it, but it's about Annabelle."

Martin furrowed his eyebrows. "Who's Annabelle?"

"The Siromani girl you humiliated yesterday", Colton replied without looking at him. 

"Look Col, that girl just doesn't fit thr description of Basha Siromani's daughter", Martin told him. 

"Well, she is. Looking at it, why would she be lying?" Colton asked with a calm tone. 

Martin thought of it and began to see reason. 

"I see now. I guess I'll have to apologize to her then", he said. 

"Yes, you will", Colton said in agreement. 

"Okay. But why were you thinking of her?"

"She was hurt today," Colton explained, "and I stayed at school to go and see her."

Martin looked at him in shock. This wasn't the Coltin he knew, this wasn't his best friend. Sure Colton was inincredibly nice andand caring but nothing made him talk to juniors unless he was practically forced to. Not only that, but the Colton he knew would never go to see someone who wasn't even his friend no matter how popular the person might be. He couldn't believe that Colton was already thinking of a a girl he met days ago.