Wheeler

Test day! Who's the fastest in the land?

You are.

Wheeler

Right! Wait... Leah, are you being nice?

Haha, I'm not talking about running or tests 😉.

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Chapter 3 — Leah

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Leah strolled out of the change room feeling more relaxed than she had just 30-minutes earlier. She had finished her pre-test workout. It was a ritual she always followed before a big test, because the weights helped her focus. She slid her phone out of her backpack and tapped it awake to the lock screen. 9:04. Yup, her pre-test ritual was also why she was often late.

Meh. It was the final exam, but she wouldn’t have any trouble getting it done in time, and the teachers all knew her habit. Ms. Rutherford wouldn’t lock the door on her. Besides, so far all she'd probably missed was pre-test chatter. Stuff under the desk. Phones stay in bags. That kind of thing. Still, Leah picked up the pace as she rounded the corner of the hallway. The classroom door stood open and she could hear quiet voices inside, key signs the test hadn’t begun. Ms. Rutherford was probably handing out test booklets, having already covered filling in the question's entire answer bubble and reminded everyone they could have three sheets of scrap paper.

“Scrap paper.” Leah stopped before the classroom door. “Shit.” Her locker was close, she was already late, but no one had seen her yet.

Could she do it without the sheets? Maybe. She wasn’t a star student, but Leah never had trouble keeping her grades up. Not high, but enough to play the sports she loved. That’s what mattered, and failing would mess it up. Better a few minutes for a locker run than a failing grade. She turned from the door.

A loud crash and shouts came from inside the classroom. Was that Wheeler? It was always Wheeler. Leah spun towards the room, then sprinted to the threshold. Sounds of chaos and worries about Ron Wheeler were her first thought? Yup, she had it bad for… Asher? Her eyes opened wide, but her brain struggled, twisted by her last thought. No, what? No.

Asher was on the floor shouting about something burning his eyes, writhing in pain? Fear?

Beast swung from his argument with Wheeler and launched from his desk. He ripped a sheet of paper from Asher’s grasp, crumpled it, and threw it away as if it were a snake. It happened so fast. If Leah blinked, she would have missed it. Asher, hands free, rocked on his back, slapping and rubbing his face.

Leah, like the rest of the class, was stunned. It was surreal, like it was happening on a screen.

“Asher! Asher! What’s wrong? Let me help you!” O’Leary leaned over him, trying to get hold of his arms. “It’s not real, whatever you’re seeing, buddy. It’s not real.”

She should get in there. She should help. Yeah….

The girl sitting at the desk ahead of Asher jolted from her seat. The movement grabbing Leah’s attention. She was familiar. No, it… it. Holy fuck, it was her. She was already in the classroom, wringing her hands and standing by her desk. No, that wasn’t Leah. She was at the door. Right?

“No, no, no, not yet,” her duplicate said. Her eyes were wide, voice high, and breathing rapid. Her movement snapped the rest of the class from their stupor, and they rushed forward.

The wave of students caused Leah to take a half step back before she realized they weren’t fleeing for the exit, but to encircle Asher and Beast as if this were a school yard tussle.

Leah tried to ignore them. She was trying to keep track of… someone. Wait. What was she doing? “Out of my way, everyone move.” Ms. Rutherford’s charge through the students, pushing past desks and bodies to get to the boys. “Ron! Go get Nurse Davis! The rest of you, back to your seats.”

The nurse? Yeah, she could get the nurse. But she wasn’t Wheeler. Who was she? Where was she? Leah shook her head, regretting it instantly as her stomach turned and a wave of dizziness threatened to force a mental reboot.

Ron Wheeler looked from Asher to Ms. Rutherford and back again before it clicked. “Yup.” He bolted for the door. Straight at Leah.

She couldn’t make her muscles move and he wasn’t looking, eyes on his downed friends. Shit, do something. “Ron!” It was all she could get out.

“Look out!” a few students cried.

His head snapped forward and to his credit he tried to stop, but Wheeler wasn’t small and he was moving quick.

At the last second, she braced against the door frame. This would hurt.

*FLICK*

“Ron! Go get Nurse Davis!” Ms. Rutherford slid between two students and into the ring.

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What? What was going on? Leah was a little late, but…. “Hey!” she exclaimed as Wheeler charged out of the classroom at top speed, almost knocking her over as he barreled down the hallway. “Watch it!”

Wheeler did a double take as he dodged, nearly speeding into a row of lockers, but his left foot kicked out, catching him. He pushed off, shook his head clear, gave her a half-cocked smile, and motored for the nurse’s office.

“What’s going on?” Leah called after, but he was already around the corner. Such a weird boy. Fast, cute, but weird. She adjusted the straps of her backpack and crossed the threshold of the classroom. Asher was on the ground, Beast and Ms. Rutherford kneeling on opposite sides of him. A ring of students surrounded them, some near hysteria and others shouting advice, mostly drowned out by a cacophony of shouts and Asher’s wails. What — the fuck — had happened?

“Asher? It’s Ms. Rutherford. I need you to stop rubbing your eyes. You’re going to hurt yourself.”

Elbows together, Asher vigorously rubbed his palms up and down. Was that blood? Oh shit, it was blood. He’s going to rub his eyes out. Leah’s voice almost joined with the others, but she held off. It wouldn’t help. Instead, she moved to the door, splitting her attention between the classroom and hallway. Maybe she could help Nurse Davis with equipment or something.

“Asher? Stop it, man, stop it, eh?” Beast was trying to grab at Asher’s arms or protect his friend’s face, but Asher was rolling around and squirming so much Beast couldn’t get a grip on his wrists.

Ms. Rutherford cleared her throat. “Asher? Can you hear me? I know it hurts, but you need to stop.”

Asher rubbed harder, palms to his eyes; he pushed and screamed.

Many students slapped hands over their ears, a few wailed with him, but it wasn’t because it was loud. No, it was the sound Asher made. Leah felt it rattle something deep inside her and for an instant she saw double. But Ms. Rutherford and Beast? They flinched but kept going. Beast grabbed at Asher’s wrists, trying to pull them away, but Asher had them locked firm. Leah couldn’t hear Ms. Rutherford anymore, but Leah watched her lips move. She was still trying to reason with him and normally that worked for Asher. She didn’t know him very well. Hockey was one of the few sports she didn’t play, but everyone knew about his panic attacks. She even sat with him through one at a track and field meet last spring. But this was worse than a normal attack. A quick look at Beast's panic-wide-eyes was all the proof anyone needed to know that.

No, this wasn’t working. “Get out of my way.” Students heard Leah’s shove more than her words as she pushed through a clump of students, right up to Beast’s ear. “It’s not enough. We have to stop him doing more damage until Nurse Davis gets here.”

Ms. Rutherford came to the same conclusion. She leaned over Asher, bringing one hand up to protect her ear from his constant screams, and said, “Seamus! we need to restrain him. Grab his wrists and pull them towards you.” She motioned Beast to move behind Asher’s head, then started pushing Asher’s elbows apart to make it easier for the large student to pull his arms free.

Leah rushed forward and held down one leg while another student, Jessie, broke from the group and grabbed the other. Where was Nurse Davis! Where was anyone? The hallways should be full of curious students by now. Fuck! Asher’s leg broke from her hold. His knee hammered into her chin. Knocked back by the blow, she felt hands steady and guide her back in. She caught his leg and slammed it to the ground before it dislodged Jessie. School yard tussle it is then. Klipper, another hockey player, broke free of the crowd and pressed down on Asher’s hip, adding his strength to the mix.

Asher squirmed and fought. She knew it was mere moments, but Leah felt like hours had passed. Her arms and back were already tired from her workout and were getting closer to exhausted, but his shouts and howls faded to snarls and growls as Beast and Ms. Rutherford broke his hold, prying his hands free. Beast gasped. The skin around Asher’s eyes was raw and torn, blood welled to the surface and trickled down his cheeks like tears. “Asher, buddy, what….” Beast choked back a sob, pinning his friend’s wrists with his knees. He gently rested his large hands on either side of Asher’s head.

“My… eyes… words… they burn… they burn.” Asher whimpered. His violent twisting and fighting was now just an occasional spasm as he tried to jerk his hands free.

Gasps from students coupled with ruffled backpacks as phones came out.

“Put them away,” Ms. Rutherford said, her stern teacher's voice directed towards the students. “You got him?” she asked softly towards Beast, who gave her a nod. She went to her desk, opened a drawer, and pulled out a small first aid kit. “If I see a phone out. It’s a fail. This is still an exam.”

“It’s going to be okay. It’s going to be okay.” Beast shifted his weight on Asher’s wrists. He leaned forward, letting his forehead rest on Asher’s. “It’s not real, buddy. Focus on something small. Use your senses.”

Wheeler and Nurse Davis jogged into the classroom as Ms. Rutherford dug through her first aid kit. Nurse Davis, carrying a larger kit and panting.

Asher shuddered and went still.

Everyone froze, holding their collective breath.

“Asher? Asher? Asher!” Beast’s head shot up, “Nurse Davis, what’s wrong with him?”

In a rush, Nurse Davis moved, students parted at his approach. He let the kit fall as he dropped to his hands and knees. He leaned over Asher, checking for signs of life. Finally, he let out a sigh. “He’s okay, just fainted, probably from the shock of it all. A blessing really.”

The rest of the class resumed their whispers and Nurse Davis, a large bald man in khaki pants and a red golf shirt, motioned for Leah, Jessie, and Klipper to back away as he gently picked Asher’s hundred and fifty-pound frame up and carried him out the door and towards his office.

Wheeler and Klipper moved to the Beast, each offering a hand up. “Captain will be okay,” said Klipper as Wheeler gave Beast a pat on his back before they moved to their seats. Leah wanted to offer him something, but what could she say?

Ms. Rutherford watched Nurse Davis leave before she moved back to the front of the classroom. “Take a seat, please. Take in a few deep breaths. He’s going to be fine. We’ll start the exam in a few minutes.”

“Really? Still?”

“Yes, Ron. Now, sit down.”

Beast righted his desk and moved to follow the nurse.

“Where do you think you’re going?” asked Ms. Rutherford.

“I’m going to make sure Asher’s okay.” Beast tilted his head and raised his left eyebrow in a dare.

“He’ll be fine. Mr. Davis is an excellent nurse. Now, please sit down.”

“I’m going to make sure he’s okay.” Shaking his head, Beast stepped into the hall in the wake of whispering students and a flustered Ms. Rutherford.

"Hot." Leah covered her mouth, realizing she'd said it out loud. She looked back at Wheeler, but he gave no sign that he'd heard.

Ms. Rutherford took in a deep breath, “Now, as I was saying, you can only have your pencil, three scrap pieces of paper, and yes…,” she glared at Wheeler, “an eraser on your desk.”

“Calculators are okay, right?” asked Wheeler, a smirk on his face.

Ms. Rutherford’s jaw tightened, but she didn’t respond.

Leah looked around. Shit. She’d forgotten about scrap paper. “Um. Ms. Rutherford? Do you have any extra sheets?”

She breathed deeply through her nose. Then moved to the printer, opened the bottom drawer — with minor slamming — and removed a stack of paper. “Did anyone else forget scrap paper?”

Ten hands shot up.

*FLICK*

Twelve hands shot up.