Fish Out of Water

Chapter 23~ Reunited

            No amount of physical conditioning for judo prepared me for the deep ache pressing into every muscle in my body as I peeled my eyes open to find mom leaning down in front of me.

"Hmm..." I groaned. Even the muscles in my jaw were sore.

"I can't imagine you'll want to go anywhere but if you and your friends do head out you should be back by three. I have a few errands to run and then I'll be home. I'd like it if you could please be home." She raised a brow. I tried to nod but my neck muscles would barely move.

"Mkay." I managed. She pecked a kiss to my head and left me to sleep. I wanted to sleep for days. I never wanted to get up again.

            A cool hand rested on my shoulder and I peeled my eyes open again. That time it was Bay.

"You must be tired huh?" he chuckled.

"The understatement of the century." I tried to laugh but my abdominals wouldn't even work for that." 

"You know the ocean would revive you much faster." He offered. I groaned and he shook his head, "rest up. I'm gonna head home."

"See ya." I stifled a pathetic yawn and watched him walk away. Sean sat up and glanced around as if he wasn't sure where he was.

"Guess I should—"

"Stay," I told him. "go back to sleep."

He looked at me, the bags under his eyes shaded purple. Was that from me? Was that from him worrying about me for days? For almost a week?

"I reall—"

"Stay," I said again. I wanted him to sleep here so that when he woke up it would be to a loving family not to his dad. Not alone.

He nodded and laid back down, sporadic snores breaking his even breaths every so often.

            "Dakota..." Emory's voice plays in my head. "Psst Dakota." At least her voice didn't sound so distressed.

"Dakota!" her voice shattered my peaceful sleep. I bolted upright and right in front of me. Emory smiled. "You sleep like the dead. You know that?"

I stared openmouthed at her for a moment waiting to wake up or for the hallucination to disappear but she stayed.

"Emory." I grabbed her and squeezed her. She laughed and I burrowed my face into her hair, the faint scent of lavender and peonies, her favorite perfume. "You're here."

"Dakota." She tapped my back. "I think you're even stronger than before."

I loosened my grip but I couldn't bring myself to let her go. "You're actually here."

"Yeah." She sat back on her heels, and I stared barely able to process that she was right there in front of me. She was really there, within sight, within reach.

"Gonna introduce me to your friend?" Emory asked pointing behind me. I glanced back and Sean sat on the couch with a bowl of left-over spaghetti in his hand.

He raised his hand. "I'm Sean."

'"Sean!" Emory's eyes lit up with recognition "you were the boy that was on the phone before,"

Sean laughed "that was me."

"So, you're the one keeping Dakota out of trouble."

"Trying to anyway." Sean rolled his eyes. "But they don't listen very well. They're so stubborn."

"Aren't they." Emory stood and pulled me up with her. I winced and tried to ignore the ache in my muscles. "Even when they know you're right they just have to do it their way."

"Finally." Sean throws an exasperated hand up. "Someone gets it."

Mom snorted from the front door. "Try raising them. I swear they were born with that hard head."

I flopped back into the couch beside Sean. "So it's just complain about Dakota, day, huh?"

Emory sat beside me, her shoulder resting against mine. "You make it so easy."

"You do know you're supposed to be my best friend, right? You're supposed to side with me."

"I am your bet friend." Emory confirmed and I didn't know until that moment that I needed those words out loud. "But it's not my job to tell you you're right when you're not." She looked me over as if she were confirming I was really there too. "You look like death."

"You look like jet lag." I searched her face for the desperation I had seen on the phone, but she just gave me a smile and stared. I hooked my arm around hers and held her arm to my chest as a reminder that it was real. She was there.

            Emory promptly fell to sleep and Sean did have to go home before his dad got home. My body throbbed feeling a lot like one giant bruise. My brain thick with exhaustion but Emory was there. I wasn't alone and Emory was there. I wanted to go to sleep but every time I tried my eyes snapped back open and searched for Emory. If it was a dream, I wasn't ready to wake up yet. I didn't know how much I needed Emory until I had her again. Maybe if I hadn't been so selfish and stupid before and made more of an effort to talk to her everyday things wouldn't have felt so hopeless before. I rested my head against hers and forced my eyes to stay shut this time.