The silence weighed heavily in the school hallways. After the break, the students had returned to their classrooms, leaving behind an almost unsettling calm.
Liam wandered aimlessly, his hands buried in the pockets of his pants. He moved slowly, observing every detail around him as if he were seeing the school for the first time.
The walls, a faded beige, were adorned with bulletin boards covered in yellowed papers. A few posters announced events long past, while others, half-torn, hinted at enthusiastic slogans.
The fluorescent lights overhead flickered intermittently, casting a pale glow that made the atmosphere feel almost oppressive. The floor, covered in dull gray tiles, bore the marks of years of wear: scratches, scuff marks, and a few indelible stains.
Liam shuffled his feet, his mind drifting between reflection and boredom. He cast a distracted glance out of a window and saw the courtyard, now deserted. The trees, stripped bare by autumn, swayed their thin branches in a gentle breeze. Everything seemed frozen, as if suspended in time.
As he walked past Dave's locker—his best friend—something caught his attention. The locker door was ajar, an unusual sight given Dave's meticulous nature. Liam frowned, a vague sense of unease creeping into his thoughts. Still, he continued on his way, his mind searching for logical explanations.
The stairs leading to the second floor creaked under his weight. He climbed them, his gaze sweeping his surroundings. Snippets of voices from the teachers' lounge briefly broke the silence, but he paid them no mind.
At the landing, he stopped in front of a large bay window overlooking the sports field. A flock of crows was pecking at something near the bleachers. Their presence added an odd touch to the already gloomy atmosphere.
Suddenly, an irritatingly sharp voice sounded behind him.
"Liam? What are you doing here?"
He spun around abruptly.
It was Mrs. Benson, the math teacher, who was eyeing him with a questioning look.
"Nothing… I… I was just stretching my legs," he replied awkwardly.
"Shouldn't you be in class?"
Liam shrugged, unconvincing, and Mrs.
Benson sighed before giving him an exasperated look. Contrary to what one might think, Mrs. Benson didn't care much about her students. As long as they stayed out of trouble during her classes, she left them to their own devices.
"Your friend Dave is at the infirmary, I believe. Maybe you should go see him."
Liam's heart clenched slightly.
"At the infirmary? What's wrong?"
"I don't know, he seemed to have hurt himself. Go check on him; it will probably cheer him up."
Liam nodded and made his way toward the infirmary at the end of the main hallway. He quickened his pace, his mind haunted by thoughts of Dave.
At the infirmary door, he hesitated for a second before knocking gently. A soft yet authoritative voice answered,
"Come in!"
He pushed the door open and discovered a small, orderly room bathed in soft light. The air carried a faint antiseptic smell, mixed with a subtle floral fragrance. Behind a light wood desk, the nurse—a middle-aged woman with a warm face and her hair tied up in a neat bun—looked up from her work.
"Hello, young man," she said, her voice both firm and kind. "How can I help you?"
Liam stepped forward hesitantly, his eyes scanning the room. A glass cabinet housed neatly arranged medications and bandages, while a small cot stood near the window. Dave lay on it, a bandage around his wrist and a grimace on his face.
"Uh… I came to see my friend Dave. He's here, isn't he?"
The nurse nodded slightly.
"Yes, he's here. He hurt himself falling in the courtyard, it seems. Nothing serious, but I kept him here to rest a bit. You're Liam, aren't you?"
"Yes, Liam," he replied quickly. "His best friend."
She smiled, a smile that reflected her experience dealing with teenagers and a hint of curiosity.
"Alright, Liam. You can go see him, but keep it brief. He needs rest."
As Liam was about to move past the desk, she added, her piercing gaze fixed on him,
"And don't get him too worked up. He has a bandage, but I suspect he's hiding something. Boys like him are sometimes… let's say, too proud to tell the whole truth."
This comment made Liam frown slightly. The nurse shrugged before returning to her notes, jotting something down in swift handwriting.
"If you notice anything unusual, come back and see me," she finished in a softer tone.
"Alright. Thank you," Liam said before crossing the room.
Dave lay on the cot, a bandage around his wrist and a faintly sheepish smile on his face.
"Hey," Liam said as he approached. "What are you doing here?"
Dave shrugged, his smile a little forced.
"Oh, nothing serious. I just tripped like an idiot."
Liam narrowed his eyes skeptically. He had known Dave for years and could tell when he was lying.
"Tripped? You? Seriously?"
Dave averted his gaze, his cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
"Yeah… Well, it's complicated."
Liam sat on the edge of the cot, crossing his arms.
"Tell me the truth, Dave. What really happened?"
His friend hesitated for a moment, then sighed deeply.
"I had a little scuffle, alright? Some guy pushed me, and it got out of hand."
Liam felt a wave of anger rise within him, though he found an opportunity to tease his friend.
"You got beat up, didn't you?" Liam chuckled lightly, while Dave's face flushed, this time with embarrassment.
After the atmosphere lightened, Liam asked,
"Who was it? Why didn't you tell me?"
Dave shrugged again, still avoiding his friend's gaze.
"It's not worth making a fuss over, Liam. I can handle it."
But Liam wasn't convinced. He knew Dave, and he knew that behind his relaxed demeanor often lay a pain he didn't want to show.
"Next time, come to me directly, okay? I don't want to find you in the infirmary because of this kind of crap."
Dave gave a small, genuine smile this time.
"Thanks, Liam."
They stayed there for a while, exchanging a few jokes to lighten the mood. Gradually, Liam's worry eased, though part of him remained on edge. He knew Dave hadn't told him everything, but for now, he chose to respect his silence.
As he left the infirmary, Liam glanced back a few times. The school, still as quiet as before, felt a little less oppressive, but he was now certain of one thing: he wouldn't let Dave face anything alone.