Koda

Chapter 2

Gracie

I woke up to Adrian shaking me again. I had turned off my alarm in my sleep. My head was throbbing and I felt exhausted. Adrian looked me in the eyes.

"You are sick," he said as a matter of fact.

"I'm fine," I said and stood up. I wobbled and sat back down.

"No, you're not," he said and sat down to my level. He put his hand on my forehead but I shook it off, I didn't have time to be sick.

"I'm going to school and work," I said. I stood again and this time managed to go to the bathroom. I took a shower, got dressed and took two aspirin. I went back into my room and both boys were looking at me. I had no idea when Koda had entered my room.

"I'm fine," I said again and waved my hand at them.

"I'm driving you," Koda said.

"You have work," I said and looked skeptically at him.

"I will still drive you, to school and then to and from work," he said.

"You don't have to Koda," I said a bit resignedly. I wanted to spend time with Koda but it felt like he was babying me.

"Damn it Gracie, let me take care of you when you're sick and being stupid," he said frustrated. "Both me and Ian are worried about you."

Koda was using my brother's nickname. Where I was Baby-Atkins growing up my brother had been Ian after his given name. It never made sense to me.

"I'm not stupid, I just don't have time," I said and went down the stairs as the boys followed me. I grabbed a cup of tea and then a banana as I went for the door. Koda went after me and Adrian did too. Adrian went to his jeep and Koda locked the door behind me.

"Get in my car, I will not have you driving in your state," he said and made a hand gesture towards me. I gave him a look and then went to his car. I sat down as Koda did and he started to drive me to school for the second day in a row. We drove in silence for a while before he spoke.

"Are you sure you are okay?" he asked. He looked worried.

"Koda, I will tell you if I'm not," I said and pulled my fingers through my hair. He sighed and then went back to driving. I took a peek at him. He was wearing a white shirt, his leather jacket and dark jeans. His blond hair was standing on end and he looked like he hadn't slept well.

"Are you okay?" I asked him. "You look like you haven't slept."

He gave me a weak smile.

"I'm good."

He parked the car outside of school and I could see Ivy waiting for me. I got out of the car and Koda pulled the window down.

"I will be here when you finish school and drive you to work, text me if you feel worse and I will come pick you up," he said and then drove off in the same manner he had the day before.

"I see that mister mega hottie drove you again today," Ivy said and winked at me before looking dreamingly after the car.

"Stop having a crush on my brother," I said and hit her shoulder with my hand. If only that was true.

"He is not your brother," she said back. "Remember, mister double hot is your brother."

"Urk, just stop," I said as I rolled my eyes at her as we went to class and started our day.

***

At 3 PM I was done with school and my body felt heavy and more disgusting than when I woke up. I had somehow managed to get through the test after lunch but now my head felt like it was going to explode. I wanted to sleep but had to go to work. Ivy was leading me out of the building to Koda's car. I was probably leaning on her a bit too much to fool anyone that I was not sick anymore. All I wanted to do was get this day over with, but first I wanted to see Nathan. Koda looked at me with concern as I sat down in the car.

"Take care of her," Ivy said as she made eye contact with him. They looked at each other for a few seconds before Ivy shut the door.

"I always do," Koda said back before he drove off. He drove me to work as promised but forced me to down a bottle of water with two aspirins and eat a protein bar before I went in. He put a cold hand on my forehead and I shivered at the touch.

"Take it easy, okay," he said, his voice full of concern.

"If you're that worried, come in and be there all evening and then drive me home," I said, giving him a weak smile. He still looked tired but he didn't look worse than me, I was sure of it. He smiled at me a bit sad again as if he was sad to tell me he couldn't stay.

"You know I have to work, but I will come pick you up when we finish at 01 AM," he said. He kissed my forehead and I smiled and then went into the dinner. Mrs. Jackson took one look at me and told me to sit down. I was looking at the people by the counter as Nathan came up to me.

"Hey Grace," he said. He always said Grace instead of Gracie. Sometimes I wondered if he thought that was my name and Gracie was a nickname everyone used or if he wanted to be special and have his own nickname for me.

"Hey," I said back a bit too weakly.

"You don't look so hot," he said and put his hand on my forehead as Koda had done before. Nathan's hand was smaller than Kodas and his fingers were more slender. I liked his cold hand against my skin and found myself blushing a little.

"I'm fine," I said as a robot. It felt like I had said that a lot today.

"You are not fine," Mrs. Jackson said as she came around the corner from the kitchen. "I called your brother, he is coming to pick you up. I don't want to see you back here until Monday, at least."

I was about to protest but Nathan turned my head to him with the help of his cold hands. My eyes locked with his brown ones.

"You go home, it is fine," he said and I nodded. "And when you feel better we can go on a date."

"I'm sorry?" I asked. I was sure I had heard him wrong. Did he just tell me we should go on a date together? He smiled at me.

"You heard me," he said as Koda came in through the door. He looked stressed and frantic. His blond hair was standing in every direction like he had been running his hands through it a lot. He saw me and Nathan, for a second his eyes flickered to Nathan's hands still on my face. Before I could object he pulled me into his arms, away from Nathan and carried me out the door.

"Thanks Mrs. J, bye Mr. J, see you tomorrow," he said and I could hear them answer him in goodbyes and take care of her.

"Mrs. Jackson called you my brother," I said and smiled as he carried me to the car. I saw something pass on his face but I didn't know what it was and then it was gone. My eyes started to feel heavy again and I was vaguely aware of Koda taking me home and putting me to bed. As I was drifting off I was sure I heard someone whisper against my forehead but I couldn't hear what.