Ellen and her friends sat on a bench under a tree to converse, as it was a Saturday, and they were done with their various duties concerning cleaning of their assigned areas. Ellen was telling them about the editorial board and how she was assigned to interview Henry, and it ended in a disaster. Both girls wouldn't stop laughing at how her hunger was exposed, and the question she asked Henry last. "Why would you ask such a question? Didn't you go through the questions before asking?" Abby asked after controlling her laughter. "I don't even know guys. Funny thing is, I didn't see it or notice when I was asking. I just blabbered it. You should have seen his expression and how Eric laughed at me." Ellen explained with a pout. "I guess he hasn't dated anyone after Amanda." She continued. "ELLEN!" They all turned in the direction of who called, and it was Melissa, their classmate. She walked over to them and told Ellen, "You are needed at the quiz room ASAP." She said and left. Abigail and Kelly had written three tests and were yet to write their final two before they qualified for the team. "Well, guess I have to go do my project work, so see you later." Ellen bid them farewell and was about to leave when Kelly made a teasing statement, "Hopefully your partner will be there to help. Hahaha." Ellen just smiled and left. Ellen took calculated steps to the quiz room and heard music being played in there from a stone's throw. According to the rules, students are not to use phones or any other devices in school, but some still brought them and used them secretly. The music was loud because it was a Saturday and there were no teachers on campus, especially in the morning. Ellen knocked on the door and waited for a response, but none came. Instead, the volume of the music was turned low as it was automatically assumed it was a teacher who had knocked by those inside. Ellen thought it was weird and knocked again. The door was opened by Eric, who had a look of relief when he realized it was Ellen. "Come in. We've been waiting for you." He said with a smile and made way for her to enter. "Good morning, seniors." She greeted, but only Eric and Clara answered; Henry didn't. "What took so long?" he asked instead. "Uh, I was with my friends, that's why. I'm sorry." "Oh, okay. Do they know you are here with me, or are you hiding it from them?" Henry asked sarcastically. "They do, as a matter of fact, I told them myself." She replied with confidence. "Hey, Elle, we are making dance videos, care to join us?" Clara asked to prevent an awkward situation in the room. Before she could answer, "NO." came Henry's sharp reply. "Oh, come on, dude, we are all having fun here." Eric interceded on her behalf. "It's my phone, I make the rules." Henry replied. "Then why did you send for her?" Clara asked with raised eyebrows. "So that she could go get the materials from the physics lab, so we can start our project." He replied disdainfully. Ellen had to admit she was disappointed in how he continued to treat her when she had already apologized. "Come on, Henry, that thing is too heavy. Get someone to help her if you won't." Eric pleaded. "Since you are so concerned, why don't you go with her?" He replied, and Ellen sighed. "Let's go, Ellen." Eric said, taking the lead. They left, and Henry continued with the music while Clara stared at him suspiciously; "Why are you treating her this way? I thought you liked her. I gave you the opportunity to spend time with her through the interview and you are blowing it off. Why do you think I never told her who her partner was till you came? Simple answer, so she wouldn't have a choice but to talk to you and not change partners, but it seems to me you are the one playing hard to get, not her!" Clara questioned annoyingly. "Will you relax? I know you are helping us get close, but thank you, I don't need it. I'm Henry, forgotten? Let me handle this, okay." He replied. "Seriously? Henry, I don't know what you are planning, but I hope you won't hurt her; else I'll never speak to you again." Clara threatened, and he laughed. "Geez, I won't, okay. For your sake. I know what I'm doing. She is a priceless jewel. Hahaha." They were still talking when the door opened with two form two girls entering with the materials for the project. "What the hell? Why are you two carrying that? And where is Eleanora?" Henry asked, almost getting angry. The girls were a bit scared to get on the seniors' bad side. They were about to answer when the door opened for the second time, and in came Eric with Ellen. Both Henry and Clara were shocked at what they saw. Eric was supporting Ellen to walk as she was in terrible pain, and her tears kept pouring in torrents. Within the blink of an eye, Henry had rushed to her side and was already demanding an explanation. Eric asked the other girls to leave after he thanked them for their help. "What happened to you? Say something, damn it!" Henry asked impatiently. "Will you calm down? She's hurt for Christ's sake. Quickly, let's take her to the clinic. It could be a fracture." Clara took control of the situation and ordered. Seeing the kind of pain she was going through as she kept crying and could hardly stand, Henry swept her off the ground in a flash motion and took off to the sick bay without waiting for his friends. Clara locked the door and followed with Eric, who explained things to her. By the time they got to the sick bay, Ellen had already calmed down and was being forced by Henry to drink malt. "You are the only person I know on earth who drinks malt only after being forced." Henry said in disbelief. "Hey, is she alright now?" Clara asked, and Ellen sniveled her cry. "Yes and no. The nurse said we will have to get an X-ray done to see how her leg is. She hasn't even eaten. Clara, she is your sister, right? Tell her to eat well because school is not all about books for the love of God." Henry explained and rolled his eyes at his last statement. Clara entered the room while Henry took Eric aside. "What happened to her?" Henry asked. "She fell off the stairs. It's a relief the project didn't break along with her leg." Eric explained. "I know that already, she told me. So, I'm going to ask for the last time, what really happened?" "Your crazy ex pushed her off the tall staircase from the physics lab. Happy now?" Eric explained matter-of-factly. Henry clenched his fists but unclenched them when the nurse came back with the ambulance. Ellen started crying at the sound of the siren. She had never been sent to the hospital in an ambulance before. Clara tried to assuage her fear and called the boys in when Ellen wasn't calming down. The nurse informed them they had to leave before her injury got worse due to the delay, but one of them could join them. There was no argument when Henry volunteered to go, and Ellen was quite relieved to hear that. They left after saying farewell, and Clara told him to take care of her. "You know, I thought of you as many things, but being a crybaby was not one of them. It's not a big deal to be sent to the hospital in an ambulance, just be strong, okay. You've got this, and I've got you." Henry said with a wink, making her blush, and he smiled. The nurse noticed how calm Ellen had become and realized it wasn't such a bad idea to take Henry along. They reached the hospital, and Henry carried her all the way to the ER (Emergency Room) despite there being a wheelchair to carry her. Ellen was taken to the X-ray department after careful examination and brought back to the ward for additional tests. The nurse was on the phone with the school authorities about their student, so Henry went to speak to the doctor on her behalf; "There is a fracture of the knee, and the shin bone has been dislocated. How did she get injured?" The doctor explained and asked. "Well, she fell off a top-floor staircase." Henry explained. "Oh My God, it's a miracle then because her injuries could have been more critical and complicated. For now, she needs to use the crotch. Also, do you know if she has been eating well?" The doctor explained and asked a different question, which made Henry perplexed. At this point, the nurse was done speaking to the authorities and joined Ellen in the room. The doctor, followed by Henry, also came in and threw a question at her. "Hello, dear, how are you feeling?" the doctor asked. "I'm okay, but my leg really hurts and my stomach as well." Ellen replied with teary eyes. "Sorry about that. You have sustained some bad fractures so you will have to be put in a cast, and you will have to use crotches for now. Also, I've been informed you have not been watching your diet, and that is bad, because you are at stage one of a peptic ulcer, and that can get dangerous for your health. I'm going to prescribe some drugs for the pains in your leg and stomach, but you have to take very good care of yourself, if you don't want to be living off drugs, okay." The doctor explained to the trio and Ellen was already shedding tears. She couldn't believe all this was happening to her in a jiffy. "Don't worry, doc, I'll make sure she follows every instruction, and I'll take care of her; I promise." Henry said and the doctor as well as nurse smiled. He left after prescribing the drugs and placing the cast on her leg. Henry had to hold Ellen tight before she finally calmed down. A nurse entered with the crotches, and Henry took them from her. She also had her hospital bill, which Henry took as well, and she left. Ellen just stared at the crotches with a horrified expression, and Henry couldn't help but laugh. "Why the hell are you looking at the crotches like that? You know these are going to be your legs for now, since you are literally crippled right? Hahaha." Henry teased, and the nurse had to scold him before he stopped, as Ellen was crying again. "Hey, crybaby, will you calm down? I'm a sportsman, right? So, I've had injuries like this and worse; therefore, things like these have been my legs before. They are not that bad, and I'll teach you how to use them, okay." Henry said with a smile, and Ellen smiled too for the first time since she got injured. The nurse came back after collecting the bill and told them they had to leave and pay the bill. Ellen began freaking out because she had no idea how she was going to pay for it, since she begged them not to let her mother know about what had happened to her. "Hey, will you relax? I'm here, and you are panicking. I'll handle it since it's my fault you went up that block anyway." Henry said, and the nurse smiled. "Why are you such a showoff? The school can take care of it, you know that. She is an asset to the school after all." The nurse said, and he laughed. "I know that, but I'm responsible for her, so I'm carrying out my responsibility." Henry replied and winked at her. A male nurse brought a wheelchair so Ellen could sit, and they left the ward. Ellen had to use the crotches sooner than she thought because the wheelchair couldn't descend the staircase unless she wanted a bumpy ride. Just then, Henry decided to play hero again and swept her off her broken feet. Ellen became red with embarrassment as the two nurses smiled, and you could tell their minds were going at high speed with thoughts. "You two are such an adoring couple. Have you been together for long?" The male nurse voiced his thoughts, and Ellen buried her face in Henry's chest as they descended; therefore, none saw her blush. "Mhmhmm, we're just …partners," Henry cleared his throat and replied. "Partners, huh." They said in unison and laughed with the male nurse winking at Henry, who smiled.
