Realising that I too needed to hurry if I didn't want to find myself late I quickly made my way to maths class, thankful that it was nearby. As I entered the classroom and went towards my seat near the back, still thinking about what had just occurred, I almost didn't spot Sam already present in the seat beside mine. Who, upon making eye contact, let out a long, deep sigh.
"Hey mate, what's up?" I asked casually as I gingerly sat down.
"What's up? What's up!" Sam suddenly shouted, drawing the entire class's attention towards us. "Is that all you can say? When you passed out yesterday I thought you were dying! You looked awful!"
"So did you. But unfortunately for you, that's an everyday occurrence." I joked, the snarkiness overflowing from my tone as I tried to draw Sam's attention away from any questions regarding my health. Unfortunately for me, Sam was a lot of things, persistent being one of them.
"Well, I see you're in good enough health to still be an annoying prat." He smirked before narrowing his eyes " So what happened at the hospital?"
"Nothing much, turns out not eating anything while having the flu is not the best thing for your body. I mean, who could have guessed." I shrugged as nonchalantly as possible, having had some more time since speaking to Helen to come up with a more believable lie.
Sam just looked at me with his piercing, almost black eyes that seemed as if they were looking directly into my soul. As the staredown continued and I did my best to not fidget in my seat, a sense of guilt built up within me for lying to my closest friend, someone who was my brother in all but blood, especially with news this important. However, I continued to stay strong, not saying a word as he continued to silently stare.
"Hmm, I see." He hummed, turning back to the front of the class with not another glance, doing so just as our teacher Mr. Howard entered the classroom.
"Morning everyone! I hope you are all having a great Wednesday morning!" he exclaimed jovially. As he did so every Wednesday morning.
"Now before we begin, as seniors and with your exams not too far in the distance, you really need to start to think about what you want to do after school. Whether that be further education, going straight into a job or something else. The world is your oyster!" He valiantly proclaimed, earning a couple of chuckles from some of the students in the class at his over-the-top performance, not me though.
What he said struck me like a bolt of lightning to my very core. Despite knowing I was going to die soon I hadn't truly considered what that meant. What I was going to miss out on and be unable to do. I would never get a job or ever go to college. I would never be able to travel the globe and explore all the world had to offer or ever fall in love and get married. I would never have children to call my own or go back home to a loving family. I wouldn't even be able to see any upcoming movies I was looking forward to that were releasing next year. There was so much I was going to miss and never be able to do.
As these thoughts kept rampaging in my mind, growing with each passing second, I tried to keep calm, keep my breathing steady and only focus on what Mr. Howard was saying. Yet such a thing was impossible. My breathing quickly went from steady breaths to frantic gasps, my vision began to blur along the edges and the whole room felt as if it was caving in and only a second away from crumbling upon me.
I felt as if I was on fire, my skin burning up. I knew I had to get away. To where? I wasn't sure, just somewhere far, far away. I all but threw myself up out of my seat, the table unleashing a mighty slam as my legs collided with it in the process, interrupting whatever Mr. Howard was currently saying. All eyes were upon me yet I hardly even noticed. Mr. Howard said something from beside me but I paid no attention. Instead, I headed straight for the door with unbridled focus. Not even spending time to grab my bag that was now knocked over next to my chair.
I stormed out the door and into the hallway, ignoring the now incessant chatter originating from the classroom that got quieter and quieter with each step I took. My surroundings all but disappeared as I purely focused on trying to stabilise my breathing. Something I did with little effect, even after a couple of minutes had passed and I rounded yet another hallway and finally, in the distance, saw the exit doors for the school. Unfortunately, in my delirium, I failed to notice Steven lumbering towards me, his feet stomping with each step like an obese troll.
Steven was one of Matthew's friends, though lackey seemed the more precise term in my eyes. He along with Matthew and a few others from the rugby team revelled in making life as miserable as possible for me. Unlike me, he easily noticed my frantic form storming down the hallway, causing his mouth to form into a poor attempt of a grin, looking more like a crooked grimace. As the distance between us closed Steven threw his arm out to the side, smashing against the wall and creating a kind of barricade, blocking me from passing through on that side.
"Oi oi, if it isn't little baby Adam. I'm surprised to see ya here. Heard Matthew beat ya so bad ya had to be sent to the hospital. Although that's not really much of a surprise now is it?"
Even as he spoke and only a couple of metres separated us I barely heard him, the words going in one ear and out the other. My expression remained completely blank as I focused only on getting outside and away from the walls closing in around me. A reaction that seemed to both annoy Steven as well as spur him on.
"What the fuck is wrong with you? Did Matthew's punch make you fucking brain-damaged or something?" He laughed, a deep rumbling laugh that seemed almost inhuman.
Yet once more I didn't react, instead continuing to move forward, his voice sounding so far away, so distant, regardless of the fact he was talking now less than a metre away. At least that was the case until I suddenly noticed the arm placed in front, blocking my path. Finally, his actions gained a reaction as my face twitched into a scowl and my teeth clenched in annoyance.
Stevens' face which had quickly turned red in anger, looking like a volcano one step away from erupting, cheered up in derision, seeing that he was getting a rise out of me. Of course, when I didn't stop moving, bulldozing past his arm and towards the exit it swiftly changed to one of complete bewilderment as he stood paralysed in place. Something that I was truly lucky for. After all, if he hadn't then I doubted he would have just let me leave, at least not without a few bruises to take along with me.
The moment I stepped through the school doors I was reminded of the day before. Of exiting the hospital and feeling that immense relief of freedom, of not feeling so suffocated you could barely function. Yet still as I breathed the chilly outside air deeply I felt a burning ball of energy in my stomach that permeated throughout my entire body. And so, not wanting to think for even a second, I started to run. I ran and I ran and I ran, sprinting away from the school with no direction in mind, only wanting to run as fast and as far away as I could.