Page 10 of Loyalty, Lust, Love

“I think so.”

“I can go to the store for you if you can tell me what you need.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, but you have to promise to talk to your dad, Bunny. From what I remember, this happens every month. Can you find pictures of what you need?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, then I got you.”

“Thank you, Lynx. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

If Lynx promised to do something, he always came through. Fateema was confident she could count on him for anything, and she was right. Lynx saved part of his lunch money every week and made sure she had everything she needed until she worked up the courage to tell her father… three months later.

“You don’t look sogood, Lynx. You’re sweating up a storm,” Fateema said when she noticed him leaning against his locker.

It wasn’t a passing period, and she’d gotten a pass from her teacher to use the bathroom. The hallways were empty, so it was easy to spot Lynx.

“My side hurts. I don’t know what I did.”

He was holding his right side as he bent over with beads of sweat on his forehead.

“I’m going to get the nurse.”

“No, I’ll be fine!” he shouted.

“You can’t even stand up.”

“I’m fi—ahh.” He groaned as he pressed his back against the lockers and slid to the floor.

“I don’t care what you say. I’m getting the nurse.”

Fateema ran down the hallway and around the corner. Less than two minutes later, she returned with the nurse, who was pushing a wheelchair. Lynx was rolling on the floor, moaning in pain.

“Lynx, it’s Mrs. Turner, the nurse. Are you able to stand up and get in the wheelchair?”

It was hard and took a few minutes, but with Fateema’s help, Mrs. Turner was able to get Lynx into the wheelchair.

“Thank you, Fateema. You need to head back to class,” Mrs. Turner told her.

“No, I need to stay with him.”

“Honey, I can’t give you permission to miss class.”

“But—”

“I’ll be okay, Bunny. Go to class.”

Fateema begrudgingly listened to her best friend and returned to class, but she was worried about him for the rest of the day. As soon as the last bell rang, she pulled out her phone and called him but got no answer. She then called his father.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Mr. Keno. Are you with Lynx?”

“Yes, Fateema. We’re in the ER, and they’re running some tests.”

“Oh my God! Is he okay?”