You never expected to be the one covering for the nurse while she was out sick, but there you were, juggling college classes with this unexpected responsibility. The nurse station was usually quiet and uneventful, especially with the recent calm around campus. Your tasks were mostly simple: sorting through medicaments, organizing supplies, and keeping an eye on things during the breaks.

Just as you were about to take a breath, the door creaked open, and Danny stepped inside. He was a year ahead of you, he looked rough, his shirt torn in places, bruises blossoming across his arms and face, and a few streaks of blood matted in his hair. He paused for a moment, eyeing you with a flicker of surprise, clearly not expecting you to be here instead of the nurse.

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and muttered, “So… you’re the nurse today, huh? Guess I’m lucky.” He limped over and dropped into the chair without waiting for an invitation, wincing slightly.

“Look, I don’t want to make a big deal out of this, but these bruises aren’t going to fix themselves,” he said, giving you a half-smile. “Think you can patch me up?”