We Could Be Enough - Lams

XVIII.

I run face-first into the cafeteria door. "Mother trucker dude, that hurt like a buttcheek on a stick." 

Alex laughs at me as I walk in, and I make extra sure that the door is nowhere near enough to me that it could cause me any physical pain.

But the door did cause emotional pain and I will never recover from this life-altering event.

I rub my head as I sit down. Peggy's right across from me, and sure enough, there are two empty bowls of pasta on the table in front of her.

"It wasn't even a big bowl!" she starts pelting excuses my way. "I know there's still more! And if not, I know someone who works in the kitchen and I'm sure she can get you a bowl of something!"

I roll my eyes. "Whatever. I'm getting cereal for dinner." 

I get up from the table and walk over to the counter, where they always have some fruit and bread and other basic meal items. Fruit Loops or Cheerios? I remember seeing something while surfing the interwebs calling Cheerios bagel seeds.

Heh, bagel seeds.

I shake the box of Cheerios into my bowl and walk to the milk machine.

Why do we have a machine that only dispenses milk? Can't they just put out a jug or two on the table? I guess not.

I hear a commotion from the other side of the room. Oh heck, why did Peggy fall on the floor again?

I get over there to find Herc and Angelica crying, Alex hyperventilating, and Peggy, who actually fell out of her chair from laughing too hard.

"Jesus, guys. I leave for 2 minutes and you're already making a mess!" I say, exasperated. 

Alex points vehemently at Peggy. "It-it's all her fault! She did it! Not me!"

"Pegs, what did you do this time."

"I-I don't even know!" She says, struggling to stand up. "I just... said a thing and then they-" She gestures around at the others.

"C'mon, guys, get up, people are staring at us," I say, glancing around at all the other tables in the room. I can feel their eyes focusing on me. Pressure is building up between my eyes. I really don't like it when this happens.

I get them to settle down finally, but the pressure between my eyes is steadily increasing. The dull pain of the headache is making me feel my heartbeat bang against my skull. 

I rub my temples and try to shovel the soggy cereal down my throat. This would be so much more appetizing if they were honey-nut Cheerios instead of the normal ones.

"Hey, you okay?" Alex whispers to me. I can only nod my head.

"You could go get an Ibuprofen form the nurse and make it back in time for Campfire." He suggests. I nod my head again. "I think Eliza's still in there. The other nurse should be on her shift soon though, so I'd hurry if you want to avoid awkward interactions with strangers."

I ponder the thought for a bit. 

"Did you talk to her like I said you should? You never told me the outcome of that."

He scratches his neck. "Uhhh..."

"Alex," I mumble quietly. This headache is really taking its toll.

"It's fine!" He insists. "I promise I'll do it in the morning if you go get that aspirin right now, okay? I'm worried."

I wish I could run around in circles because he said he was worried about me, but I'm kind of preoccupied at the moment.