Blank

Seven

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S E V E N
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Covering my face in cold water, I rubbed at my tired eyes and looked up at my reflection. The bags under my eyes grew darker by the day as nights were becoming harder to sleep through.  My puffy red cheeks made me reach for my make up bag, sighing in anything but joy. 

The only good thing about today was that it was finally Friday. I wouldn't have to worry about school first thing in the morning, and it was a relief.

My head felt heavy, and it was getting hard to focus again. I didn't have enough energy to battle my mind today, so I allowed myself to think, but not enough to let the nightmares re enter my head.

It felt weird today, something felt very off, and it made my heart palpitate. Regardless, I continued to get ready for the day and tried with as much as I could to allow my mind to focus on the task at hand. 

Emersyn came in my room while I put my books into my bag, and climbed onto my bed to watch me. She kicked her legs and moved her eyes around the room, watching the birds from the window and then down at my backpack I was currently packing. 

After I finished getting ready, Emersyn handed me a hair fastner. "Can you braid my hair?" She smiled up at me and I sighed in defeat, she was too cute to say no to. 

"Sure," Taking the band in her hand, Emersyn giggled and turned around for me. I brushed through her curls with my fingers and sectioned her hair off for the braid. "Did you sleep good?"

"Yeah," She played with her hands and didn't say much else. It was normal for her to be quite in the morning so I didn't think much of it.

There was a sharp pain in my head and I cursed and stepped back, dropping the braid I had started. Emersyn quickly looked to see what was wrong. "What happened?"

"Nothing, it's fine, here turn around," She complied and let me finish her hair.

I finished getting ready for school, goosebumps rose over my skin.

Walking into the living room, I grabbed my jacket off the couch and my mom looked towards me with a raised brow but didn't say anything. Blurred dots covered my vision and I tried to blinked them out. 

"I'll be home right after school," I told her. Emersyn sat herself at the table with a bowl of something. I couldn't register what she was eating and it made my stomach turn. "What is that?"

"It's just strawberries," She tipped her bowl to show me the inside. The sight of red smashed berries spilling over the side of her dish made me nauseous. Quickly, I raced into the bathroom and hunched over the toilet, throwing up violently.

Vertigo consumed my senses and it felt as if my head was spinning. I almost felt as if I was in a different world, my reality was feeling less real by the minute and I couldn't think enough to wonder why this was happening.

"Blake?" Mom and Emersyn stood at the doorway, watching me with concern.

"I'm fine," I wiped my mouth and just started towards the door. "I just need to get to school."

"But, you're sick," Emersyn tugged at my wrist.

"I hardly ever get sick, I'm sure I'm fine," I smiled to comfort her and glanced at mom only a second before I left.

As I walked to school, dark spots took the corners of my sight and for a moment I didn't remember what happened this morning. Looking down at my shaking hands, I just took a deep breath and pushed myself to keep going. Surely, I had to be fine.