Skin and Bones

My eyes rip open and I gasp for air. I inhale a drop of water, and I immediately start coughing.

“Are you okay, Frank?” Mikey asks. I’m being helped to sit up. I cough one last, hard time.

“I’m okay,” I croak out. At least I think I’m okay. What happened?
“What happe-“ is all I get out, before the drop in my air pipe bothers me again. I start coughing.
I think I hear sirens.

“You passed out, kid,” the teacher with the annoying whistle says. His voice is still rough – as if he blames me for passing out. Passing out… How embarrassing.
The sirens are definitely getting closer. Shit.
“We should get you checked out by some doctors. You don’t look too good.” I glare up at the teacher. You think?!
The sirens stop. So has my coughing.
“Will! Run up and guide the paramedics down here.” I look up and see Beckett’s back as he runs away. Oh, he’s gonna pick on me for sure, now. Lovely. Just lovely.

My breathing is wheezy when the paramedics arrive, and they insist on putting an oxygen mask on me. The only reason I’m wheezing is because some brilliant mastermind – probably the teacher – decided to pour water in my face. Fucking asshole.

The paramedics have me crawl up on a gurney. They start carrying me towards the parking lot.

“You go with him, Mr. Way.” I look back to see the teacher push Mikey towards me. I glare at the teacher one last time, before I turn around to face a paramedic’s back.
Mikey’s soon next to me.

“Can I go with him?” he asks the paramedics, who agree. I smile at him, and he smiles back – his half-ass smile actually cheering me up this time.