Five minutes later, the parents broke from the meeting, with Mr. Grant leading their way out of the room. They found the three girls by themselves on different spots of the bridge. They were so silent, dead like stones. Layla walked towards her daughter as the rest of the parents ran to theirs. Ingrid looked up at her. She was shaking from the cold.
"I hope you remembered to carry your medicines Ingrid." Layla told her, as she brushed her daughter's dark brown hair. "The cold can be so unpleasant these sides during this time of the year."
"I did. Could we just go grab my things please?" Ingrid told her.
"Wait, where's your phone?" Layla asked. Ingrid dug into the pocket of her shirt inside the sweater and took her phone. She handed it over. Layla took the phone, called Mr. Grant over, and gave him. Students in the school weren't allowed to be in possession of mobile phones during the week, but they would be given back on Saturday morning to use for the weekend, and return them back on Sunday when the sun had set. Meanwhile, there were multiple phone booths around the school which they could access as they pleased during the week.
"Ingrid, I'm proud of you." Layla told her as she kissed her forehead. "Don't run into more trouble as you promised and I promise I'll take you to see Ethan when your probation is over."
"Mom, you couldn't really talk them into allowing me to go and see him tomorrow? Mom, it's his birthday! I cannot miss that."
"I'm sorry little Miss." Mr. Grant drawled. "Either you go and see him and serve two more weeks at home or stay here, finish your probation and you'll be allowed to go see him afterward."
Ingrid's heart shuttered. She loved her brother so much, she couldn't imagine not being able to see him, during a special day like that. The birthday parties at home were great over the years, especially when everything was cool between them and the Stenfields. They would go to Elena's birthdays as well as they would come to her brother's, with Elena's parents coming along of course. Even Lance attended his birthday parties. It used to be fun and lively and wild, and this year, she couldn't believe she was going to miss it.
"Don't worry Ingrid," Layla spoke up again, "we will video call when we get there tomorrow. And I swear you will also visit him after the probation is over. I just need you to do your part. Will you do that for me?
Ingrid nodded, a lot of hurt in her heart. She knew that education was a serious thing in the family, more so to her. Ethan had set the standards and she hoped to reach or even surpass them. "Mom, don't fail to do so! I miss him so much!" She blurted out. Layla nodded and kissed her once more.
"Now, let's go and take your things..."
"Oh, yeah." Mr. Grant added. "You will first walk down to the sickbay and get a medical report from the doctor, a fresh one as you are now a boarder. Your health is a top priority inside these walls." Ingrid froze suddenly and bit her lip in fear, internally. "After that, you can now head to the other departments for your registrations. Why am I even talking? I believe you are familiar with the procedure Ingrid." She nodded in acknowledgment and followed her mother to the car, leaving behind the rest of the families. She took her suitcase from the rear of the car and her bag. Layla kissed her one more time and hugged her closely. Mother and daughter felt at home in each other's hands. Ingrid waved goodbye and turned around. She walked away dragging her suitcase behind. She heard the sound of the familiar engine starting and the vehicle went away.
She walked to the sickbay, which was a minute walk from the classes, surrounded by green grass and trees all around. She left the suitcase by the main door and got in with her bag on her back, climbed the stairs to the upper floor, then trekked to the designated room. She found a female doctor attending to another student covered by a partition of a curtain on her left. She then searched for and sat on one of the beds in the long room, which had been partitioned with curtains. The curtain on her right was swiveled and she instantly turned around and saw who it was. Freya Clare resting her back on the bed. She knitted her eyes again, wondering what she was doing in there.
"What are you doing here?" Ingrid asked her. "You are a boarder!"
"I kissed you," She said without much hesitation. "...so they thought that I might have done something with someone." Her eyebrows flickered. "So here I am, as they look for STDs in me." She guffawed. The doctor immediately entered Ingrid's partition holding a small transparent plastic cup in her hand.
"Ingrid," she began "I need you to go collect your urine sample here and give it to me. Be quick about it." Ingrid froze up again after hearing the doctor's words. Things were getting out of hand in the very first ten minutes of her staying in school. "Hey, Miss... I don't have all day to wait, come on... up now! And go put your sample here." Dr. Margaret told her. Ingrid got off the bed and took the urine sample container. The doctor smiled and walked away reminding Ingrid to be quick again. Ingrid waited till she was out of her eyesight and quickly raced over to Freya who had been watching all along, the plastic cup still in hand.
"Freya! You have to help me!" She cried out, breathing so heavily. Her heart knocked against her bust, threatening to run away.
"Why?" Freya asked as she rose up from her sleeping position.
"It's a long story. I need your help!" Ingrid cried out as strokes of sweat started showing on her forehead. Her breathing became intense.
"I thought you didn't want me... I thought you didn't need me!"
"Freya please! I know what I said, and I meant all of them, until now." Ingrid cried out again, grabbing onto Freya's arm with her free hand. "If you don't help me then I'm screwed!"
Freya chuckled. "Why would I help you now? After what you did to me! After what you told me!" She burst at her sarcastically.
"Freya please, if you won't help me I'll be expelled."
"I don't care... now."
"Freya please! If you don't they're going to discover that I'm pregnant!" She bolted the words at her. Freya froze like stone. Didn't even mumble a word. She looked at Ingrid as if she was a stranger who had appeared out of nowhere and was asking for help. "Freya, please!" Ingrid cried out, as the tears finally managed to spill over.