Four Years

Chapter 12

That morning, after a too relaxing weekend, I woke up feeling sickly, and I just knew that I shouldn't have consumed all those ice creams last night. Monday just became a whole lot of worse.

Aimee's boyfriend Preston was visiting so I pretty much forcefully inserted myself into their dates in the form of the most annoying third-wheel of the world (and I was pretty good at it, too). They went to watch a movie — I inserted myself between their seats so they weren't able to hold hands, they tried to feed each other chips, I ate from both of their hands, they went to kiss each other — I shoved chips onto their faces. Admittedly, I felt bad about ruining their time together so in compensation, I helped Preston sneak into Aimee's bedroom for whatever it was they wanted to do. If you know what I mean.

Then on Sunday night, Aimee, Preston, his younger brother Philip and I went to dinner before he had to leave back for college. Preston was loaded, and I mean like loaded loaded. Though, my sister absolutely hated when he spent his money on her, he never let her win him in this argument. So, thanks to his rich status, we went to a fancy restaurant and stuffed ourselves with some good food. To be precise, I was the one doing the most stuffing.

Both of the love birds left Philip and me in the ice-cream shop while they took a walk in the park because they knew I would take an eternity to decide what I wanted to eat.

"Adopt me, please, Pres," I begged Preston at the end of the night.

He laughed and ruffled my hair. "I thought I had already adopted you, Lyssie."

Aimee had made a joke about how I would eat so much he would be under debt if that were to ever happen. Last night it all seemed very cool, but not so much this morning. You know what I hated the most about getting the flu? It disrupts tastes and scents. I hated having to eat vegetables which tasted like sour plastic garbage.

"Mom," I croaked loudly.

Mom entered my room with a bowl of steaming chicken broth. My mouth watered looking at it. This was my favorite dish to consume at the time of illness.

"Don't be dramatic now and eat your soup." Mom patted the top of my head.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay, okay."

I slurped on the soup as I opened up my Tumblr blog on my laptop. There's nothing a good painting or classic book excerpts wouldn't heal. Savannah had texted me a little while ago to ask why wasn't I at school today which did make me feel better to know my best friend cared about me that much. After all friendship is like a rare species, because you can just never know which is going to survive the nature.

Somewhere around an hour and half, I fell asleep. I was subconsciously aware of my mom checking my temperature and telling my sister that my fever had returned. Aimee made me take my medication before I was left alone in my room.

After a while, Savannah called me to tell me that she and Shelley were coming to see me along with Jace and Kevin.

"Wait, hold on," I sat up in dismay, "who else is coming?"

"Jace, you know? That guy you went on a double date with?" I could practically hear the mirth in her voice.

I began sweating. "What, why, how, when?"

"To see you, in a few minutes, with us."

I hung up on her, my sickness momentarily forgotten. This was bad. This was very, very bad. I couldn't possibly let him see me like this. I mean he's always so well kept and right now I looked like I had stepped out of a trashy horror movie.

I ran into the bathroom and splashed some water on my face. Next I proceeded to comb my hair as quickly as I could which proved to be harder task considering my hair was long and reached down to my mid-back. Then I scrounged for a hoodie in my closet.

I did all that in a record time of five minutes. Someone give me an award already.

I heard the doorbell ringing downstairs and almost instantly anticipation slipped over my spine. Oh, God, oh, God. They were here. Savannah and Shelley were here with Jace and Kevin. Jace was here. Jace – here. Here.

"Alyssa! Your friends are here!" I heard my mom yell.

I panicked even more.

"Should I send them up?" What, no, Mom.

"No!" I yelled back, throwing open my door and starting to descend the stairs.

When I reached the living room, the four of them were standing there. My eyes immediately slid towards Jace who appeared slightly uncomfortable. Why was he here again?

"Hey, Lyss," Savannah waved at me.

Shelley followed suit, and so did Kevin.

"Hi, um, sorry to show up here like this." Jace rubbed the back of his neck. "I hope you're feeling better, Alyssa."

I nodded. "Thank you for asking and coming. I'm better than the morning."

"No need to apologize, dude. I'm sure Alyssa loves it that you visited her." Savannah smirked.

"What do you mean?" Shelley asked, confused.

I pulled Savannah aside and out of the hearing range of the rest of three people present in the room. "Don't make insinuations like those in front of anyone."

She rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright don't be upset now."

Aimee came down the stairs hearing the commotion, pausing subtly to raise her brows at the two boys before turning to me.

"Your friends?" she asked me.

I nodded. "Yeah, that's Kevin and Jace."

Aimee smiled at them. "Well, hello Kevin and Jace." She stepped closer to examine Jace' face. "And I must say Jace right here is a cutie."

Hearing her words, his face turned pink and his eyes widened. I was mortified. Dammit what was my sister doing right now?

"Go and call your boyfriend or something. Go, shoo shoo." I pushed her back towards the stairs.

I sighed internally turning back around to face my friends.

"Hey, guys, do you guys wanna have something to eat? Please help yourselves in the kitchen." I said.

Shelley proceeded to the fridge having known my house all too well. Savannah followed her, but paused mid-way. She came back towards Kevin and grabbed his hand before pulling him with her.

"Jace, you can come any time you want, we'll wait." She said over her shoulder.

I swear to God I was going to strangle her any day now.

I looked at Jace with an uneasy smile. "Uh, I'll show you the way." And I started in the direction my friends had disappeared in.

"Wait."

Jace' hand had closed around my wrist lightly.

"Give me your number." Oh, boy.