The Student

I seem to be doing a lot of newspaper work at the moment. Here's an exciting sneak peak of a short story that's appearing in the Student next week. I'm probably not supposed to post this. Oh well

She paced in the waiting room in short sharp strides; her hands flitting in and out of her pockets, alternating between clasping together and hanging limp. The only other occupant of the room sat in one of the chairs which ran along the wall; he was flicking through an old movie magazine, his eyes sliding over articles about the latest releases. Without stopping or looking at him the girl addressed her companion.
“How can you act so calm?”
“Why do you think I’m acting?”
“You mean you’re not worried?”
“Why would I be worried?”
“Stop answering my questions with questions.”
“Ok.”
She stopped and turned to look at him.
“How can you not be worried about this? You don’t know what he is going to do, what if it hurts?”
“If it hurts it hurts.”
“You’re not taking this seriously.”
He looked up from the magazine and met her gaze.
“It’s the dentist, it’s a check-up, he will poke about in my mouth for a minute, decide everything is fine and charge me for the pleasure of forty-five minutes waiting for an appointment that lasts all of thirty seconds.”
“But what if he doesn’t?”
“Then he doesn’t. Then I have to come back in a few weeks and pay even more money to get my teeth fixed. But that won’t happen, my teeth are fine.”
“Then why are you here?”
“I don’t know, you made me book an appointment just before yours, why am I here?”
“Moral support.” She began pacing again.