Unsuspecting Dreamer

Chapter 26 What Are Friends For?

Lucky me, the crying and cold chill of last Saturday made me sick, so I get to stay home for a real reason. And have a prescription for heavy medication. I hurt so bad, I feel like I am dying.

I've deleted, destroyed, thrown out, and completely gotten rid of everything that reminds me of Steve. He hasn't called. I am glad. Under my drugged state I don't know how I would respond.

Being sick and alone is frightening, especially with a 102 degree Fahrenheit fever.

Libby called the day after the concert. I let her call go to voice mail. I'm too embarrassed and crushed to talk to her. I sent her a text, explaining how sick I was and how I need my rest.

Now she keeps texting me for updates. I don't respond. What's worse is that I have no strength. Not just health-wise, but I don't want to do anything. I can't even write. I don't want to.

5 days pass. I don't eat, I don't write, I don't listen to music. I just lay on the couch, sleep on the couch, think on the couch. Besides going to the bathroom, I don't leave the couch. My apartment rings with a lonely sadness.

On the fifth afternoon someone knocks on my door. I ignore it. The knocking gets louder.

"Go away," I mumble, shoving a pillow over my head.

"Ellie!" The voice is too light to be Steve's. I gather all of my strength and push myself off the couch. Lightheaded and in pain, I walk to the door.

"Hunter?" I say, peeking through the eye-hole.

I unfasten the locks and open the door. A cold gust of air from the hallway starts my teeth chattering and my body shaking uncontrollably.

"Ellie. Wow, you're sick. Libby called. She thinks you died. How come you didn't respond to her texts?"

While he's talking, he leads me inside, back to the couch, and settles me back down on it.

"I don't know; but I'm too sick to think'" I reply weakly. Laying down.

He busies himself, stacking up things around my living room.

"No, you... you don't have to do that," I mumble. "You must have more important stuff to do."

"Actually, I wrapped up all of my business up this morning. And then I hightailed it over to your place because Libby told me she thought you died." He looks directly at me. "Looks like she was almost right."

I shiver again. My brain is not working, I don't know how to answer.

"Hey, are you hungry? You look hungry."

I haven't eaten in 6 days, but I don't care. I don't want to eat. I don't answer but just stare straight ahead, my eyes still locked on Hunter's. A single tear slips down the side of my face. I slide it over my pillow to hide it. But the single tear leads to more- I can feel it. I need Hunter to leave now.

"Um... actually I am hungry.... but I don't have any food, I've been too sick to shop."

"Hey, I'll run out and grab you something." Hunter bounds across the apartment, "Be back in a bit."

I didn't expect that, he's coming back. But I can't hold the emotions back any longer. The second I hear the door latch I full-out bawl, trying to cry myself out. I cannot look weak in front of him. I am strong.

I scrub my face with my hands and blow my nose. To distract myself from thinking of Steve, I take my temperature again. 99.9. Yay, it's lower. I still feel like I'm dying.

I hear the door open. "I'm back!"

That was fast. I formulate a plan in my mind: make some small talk, tell him I am too sick to have visitors, he'll leave, I can throw away the food, and then I can cry more.