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So today, last period, during physical education, we were practicing basketball drills.

We started off simple, shooting hoops, dribbling, and then we moved on to passing balls.

We began by having a partner assigned to us. We were to practice chest passes, and later bounce passes. Then, we started doing a drill that was intended to improve our reaction and listening skills.

It was a series made up of random bounce passes and chest passes. Both you and your partner were to pass two basketballs between the two. If you couldn't catch your partner's pass, you were to do five push-ups. No biggie, really, until it hit me.

Literally.

My partner wasn't, so to speak, bad at basketball. She was just... inexperienced. I mean, it's hard to mess up at passes.

She did a chest pass. It was fast, it was straight. The only thing it lacked was aim. It was completely unexpected. The ball flew to the side, and I tried to catch it.

I felt a sudden numbness in my hand as I realized I hadn't caught it in time. My finger bent backwards for a mere millisecond. It was sore.

I'm double jointed, so naturally, this kind of thing doesn't affect me too much. However, today, my finger was forced backwards to a painful extent.

I did my push-ups, and noticed that my right arm was stiff. The pain in my finger hurt so much that it disabled muscle power in my arm. Lopsided push-ups are kind of awkward, I have to admit.

I didn't tell the teacher. I hate having people worry about me.

So then, after these drills, we played a game with passes and steals. I had the ball in my hand at one point and I tried to dribble it. My finger, having pressure applied to it, pained immensely.

I threw the ball to a teammate, and inspected my hand. It had gotten really red since I last looked at it. Not only was it red, but it hurt.

"Woah, are you okay, Lucia?" a friend asks.
"Oh? Yeah. I just had my finger bent the wrong way." I answer.
"You should probably go to the teacher for that.."
"Oh, okay. Sure. Thanks. "

So I go up to the teacher, and she takes a quick glance at my hand. Concern spread across her face.

"Can you move your finger?" she asked me after I explained what happened.
Indeed, I could move my fingers. I just couldn't clench my fist or straighten my fingers, but I had access to all the in between.

I was told to rinse my hand under cold water for a bit, so I did.

School ended then. After getting changed, I proceeded the end-of-the-day routine with my left hand.

I then remembered I had piano lessons. At this point, only a few minutes after the dismissal bell, I got kind of depressed. How I looked forward to piano lessons. What was I to do?

So I did what I could think of. I went to the office to ask for ice.

No one was in the office though. I waited a bit, and a friend of mine passes by. We chat a bit, and he suggested I ask the principal, who was some meters away.

He was busy scolding a few kids. I didn't want to interrupt, especially for my petty injury. I was hoping he would notice my hand so I wouldn't have to ask him. I'm anti-social, if you haven't noticed.

I go up to the principal then, after mustering the courage to do so, and asked him for a bag of ice. He then questioned me. My throat knotted.

I have this thing where I can't handle another person's concern.

I tried the best to explain before I realized I wasn't talking at all. Just randomly saying a few words here and there while making a ton of hand gestures.

I was going to cry. I couldn't talk. Speech would release tears.

Thankfully, the principal understood. A few moments later, he came back to me with a bag of ice, as requested. I thanked him and was on my way to piano lessons.

When I arrived at my piano lessons house, I waited. I tried to prepare my piano lessons material with my left hand. It was too difficult but it was definitely different from what I normally did.

After my turn came, my piano teacher asked me about my finger. She was REALLY concerned, and suddenly, I felt tears escape.

I straightened my back then. I tried to look like it didn't bother me, but her concern was becoming more and more evident to me. More tears.

I wasn't crying. I don't really cry. It's just tears. I don't whimper, I don't groan, I don't do anything that I can hold back. My tears are involuntary though. It must have been a bizarre sight, seeing a perfectly normal girl with tears streaming down her face while keeping an upright, confident position.

My piano teacher went to get me pain killers.

How considerate of her! How I wish she hadn't shown her concern though. I only cry when people show they care(d).

I was fine for the rest of the day. My right hand ring finger is extremely swollen right now. Battle wounds, Lucia, battle wounds.



Thanks for reading! A good night to you if the darkness has engulfed you're area.

Today's lyrics are:
I can't make it on my own.
Wasted days, and sleepless nights;
And I can't wait to see you again

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