"How is she, Doctor?" the student asked rather frantically. He was impatient as the doctor checked her condition.
"It's okay. The pain will go away by itself. The nurse will give him some painkillers. The effect may be that she will sleep longer than usual," explained the school doctor.
"Is it true that nothing serious happened to her, Doc?" The student was a bit naggy. He wanted to know the impact. "Like a concussion or temporary amnesia for example."
The doctor smiled at the student's question who was worried about Afika. Of course it wasn't that severe. Afika would recover after being given medicine, he said. It was a relief if that was the case.
***
It was late afternoon, but Afika had not woken up from her sleep. She had not regained consciousness and her condition was even more troubling to her friends. A few minutes later, she moved one of her hands to the part of her head that had been bumped.
"This really hurts!" she moaned in pain. "Why is it so dark? Am I dead?" She immediately had a panic attack.
Afika was startled, waking up from her sleep and looking around. The room was completely dark with no light. Suddenly a black shadowy figure appeared sitting beside her, looking at her intently. Then, she switched on the light on her mobile phone.
Oh my!
Afika was terrified to see the black shadow. It really surprised her this time.
"Mercy! I don't want to die yet. Help me Grim Reaper! I don't have a boyfriend, I'm not married yet, I'm still young and want to succeed first. Please don't take my life! I beg you," whined Afika with tears in her eyes. She pleaded for mercy to the figure accompanying her.
"What's wrong with you? That's too much," said Diaz.
"Wh-what? Too much?" Afika raised her head. She saw the harried senior in front of her. Why was he there? Wasn't it Alan who helped Afika earlier? Her delusion.
"How come you're the one ...."
"Who else would help you besides me?"
"If I'm not mistaken, Alan ...." Afika's sentence stuttered.
Ah, Afika didn't even remember what happened that afternoon. She also didn't know who the God of help was. It could be that Diaz was confessing and wanted revenge on her. Well, right! She became prejudiced against Diaz.
"That's why don't keep on glamouring! You keep your attention on that bloke without knowing the dangers lurking around you," Diaz advised her. Afika screwed up her face. She was disappointed with everything Diaz had said to her.
"You've realised. So, I'm going home now!" Diaz said goodbye. Afika hurriedly stopped him.
"Wait! I'm coming! Don't leave me alone! I'm scared," Afika grabbed Diaz's hand.
Diaz let go of Afika's hand. People might misunderstand their closeness.
"Hurry up!" Diaz urged.
Patience, what's wrong? Afika was getting ready first. Besides, her head still feels dizzy. She couldn't leave the medical room quickly. Especially in a blackout like that. Inevitably, Diaz carried Afika out of the medical room. Because the girl had been holding her hand. As if she didn't want to be separated from Diaz. Ah, something like this is very troublesome, according to Diaz.
Diaz waited for an online taxi in front of the school gate. After the online taxi arrived, Diaz immediately told Afika to get in and go home.
"Go home!" Diaz ordered.
"So, what about you?" Afika worried Diaz back.
"It's easy. The important thing is that you make it home safely."
Afika nodded. She didn't want to leave until Diaz explained something to her. There was a question she wanted to ask Diaz.
"What else?" Diaz was impatient.
"Was it you or Alan who helped me and took me to the school health room?" Afika asked rather shyly. She had to make sure before going home.
"So what, did you expect him to help you?" Diaz replied rather curtly.
Afika bent her face again, frowning. There was no point in asking Diaz again. His answer didn't match Afika's expectations.
"Just go, Sir! If she asks too many questions, just drop her off at the side of the road," Diaz said as he closed the door of his online taxi. He was going home too.
"Damn it!" grumbled Afika. However, she looked back at the car to see Diaz still standing where he was.
Diaz travelled home on foot. It wasn't because he couldn't afford to take the city bus or an online motorbike taxi. He just wanted to slow down his time getting home. If possible, he wanted to stay in a boarding house. Actually, he was already lazy to go home.
It was like hell. Every day Diaz had to see his mum cry. Her father was often angry when he came home from work. He even hit his mother. There was just a reason for his parents to fight. And it made him very sick.
Before going home, Diaz took the time to go to the shop first. He wanted to buy cigarettes. There, there were some street buskers. He glanced at them. It didn't mean anything. He didn't challenge them either. He was just jealous of the street buskers. They had friends while he didn't. That's what he regretted all this time.
'Hah, it's useless to have friends if they're just being used,' Diaz thought. It's better to live alone like this, he thought again.
"Madam, buy a packet of cigarettes," Diaz said. "How much?" he asked again.
"Here you go, Dek! Thirty thousand," said the shop lady.
Then, Diaz took out a fifty thousand note from his wallet. He gave him the bill and left. He said, just take the change. Count on giving alms to the stall owner. May her business be blessed, he prayed silently. He walked away, taking a sip of his cigarette.
"Hey!" called one of the street buskers. Diaz knew the call was directed at him. Then, he looked back.
"Share a cigarette!" one of them asked and somewhat forced him. There were two people who approached Diaz. One looked like a badass. The other one joined in. Cemen!
"Hah, how dare you gang up," Diaz grumbled.
"You don't want to give me anything! Don't talk too much."
What a street thug! He had no manners. Diaz was furious.
"Do you want cigarettes? Why don't you sing at the red light?" Diaz said, pointing to the red light.
"Wow, are you challenging me?" The busker was furious. He thought Diaz was stubborn and didn't want to give him the cigarettes he bought at the stall.
Diaz smiled sarcastically at them. So, they wanted to blackmail Diaz and then gang up on him. Is that so? Face it one on one if you dare. Don't play gangsters! Diaz challenged him.
"You bastard! What a high school boy."
BUUUKKKK!
To be continue …