Act of Kindness

By the time I stepped out of the classroom, he was already behind me and grabbed my arm.

"You're not going anywhere like this," Jack said angrily and turned me to face him.

"Why? Are you worried the steering wheel might get bloody?" I asked sarcastically, then I told him out of spite that even if it did get dirty, I could clean it up after myself.

This must have made him really furious since I felt his grasp on my arm tighten and his eyes looked as if they were on fire. He looked menacing.

"It has nothing to do with that. I just think that you should take care of yourself first and not put others' interests before yours," Jack said calmly and to my surprise, he suggested being selfish sometimes.

"Will you let go of my arm, if I did just that?" I asked him in a lower voice than usual. He seemed surprised but nodded anyway. His expression became concerned again and when I didn't move an inch, he finally let go of me. "So, where is that damned infirmary?" I asked and involuntarily sucked on my finger, trying to make it bleed less. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Jack frown and I thought to myself that if he is gonna say how unhygienic this is, I'll scream.

"Follow me," he said at last and led me to a part of the school I hadn't yet been to. When we finally stopped in front of a door, he knocked on it, and after a 'come in' was heard, we entered.

The doctor was a woman about my age, perhaps a few years older. She was sitting at her desk and was visibly surprised to see us. Maybe even curious as to who I might be.

"This is my assistant, who brought me my lunch because I forgot it at home. I accidentally broke my glass while drinking and he tried to help me clean it up. That's when he cut his finger," Jack said and looked at my injured hand.

"Let me see," the doctor said and reached out her hand to examine my finger. "Luckily, the cut is not too deep. It won't even need stitches. I'll just disinfect it and put some bandage on it to stop the bleeding. Please, sit down," she said and pointed at a chair near her desk. She went to get some disinfectant and other stuff she needed in order to treat my wound. When she returned, she told Jack that it was not necessary for him to stay and could go have lunch. It seemed as if Jack wasn't willing but at last, he made up his mind.

"I'm starving, so I'll go. But don't you dare go home! I only have two classes after the lunch break. Wait for me in the car! I want you to take me somewhere after school," Jack told me in a bossy manner.

"As you wish." When Jack got my reply, he left in such a hurry as if he thought that if he finished eating quicker, then time would run faster and he could go home earlier. I wish that was how things worked.

"Don't mind him," the doctor said to me. "He is just like all the others attending this school. They have too much money, some of them even fame and they act like the world is theirs. So, don't take it to heart what he just said," she told me in a manner as if she was consoling me. Or perhaps, she noticed how I gritted my teeth while she was disinfecting my wound, so she decided to keep me busy.

I wished I could say that Jack is different, nothing like the others, and there were times, when he almost convinced me that it was true but most of the time he was just like all the other rich brats his age. So, there is some truth in what she just said.

"I don't," was my short reply and it seemed that it was enough for her. 

After she treated my wound, she smiled at me.

"We're finished," she said and let go of my hand.

"Thank you," I told her earnestly and got up to leave. I half expected her to say one last warning to me but she remained silent and just smiled at me as a way of saying goodbye. I went back to the parking lot and got in the car. Knowing that I had to wait about two hours for Mr. CEO annoyed the hell out of me. I wished I had at least brought one of those books that he lent me. At least I would have something to do now.

But I didn't, so I just sat back and thought about the future that awaited me if I did something wrong or if I got stuck here forever. The chances of this happening seemed pretty high.

I tried listening to the radio in the car but the program must have been too boring as I found myself almost falling asleep. When I finally saw Jack's figure walking toward me in the distance, I felt like it had been weeks, since I had been sitting there. When he came near, I put my hand on the wheel, since I knew he didn't expect me to get out of the car and open the door for him. But to my surprise, instead of getting in, he opened the door on my side.

"Move over, I'll drive," Jack told me and stood there holding the door.

"You don't have to. Just get in." I started the engine and I raised my eyebrow a little when I realized he was still standing outside.

"You hurt your hand. You cannot drive like that," he said earnestly and looked at me with what seemed like a concern in his eyes. If I didn't know better, I might have thought he was worried about me.

"It doesn't hurt. Now get in," I told him but he must have decided on the spot to make my life a living hell since he quickly pressed my hand to the steering wheel. His movement was so sudden, I had no way of avoiding it, and the moment the wound on my finger was put pressure on, I felt intense pain crisscrossing through my hand and I couldn't help but scream loudly. The moment I screamed, Jack let go of my hand as if he burnt his hand. He seemed both shocked and sad as if he wasn't the same person who hurt me.

"See? It does hurt. You cannot possibly drive like that unless you want to suffer in silence. Are you a masochist?"

"No, I'm not. But if your father sees you giving me a ride, he'll kill me."

"Then we won't let him see it," he said casually as if it was that easy and gestured me to change seats. I knew that I had lost already but it was still difficult to admit that I lost to him of all people. 

I regained my composure and did what he asked of me. But there was still something bothering me.

"You told me you want me to take you somewhere after school. Was that also a lie?"

"Not exactly," he said as he finally got in the car and fastened his seatbelt.

"Then where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," he said somewhat mysteriously, and then we left the school grounds for good.