Early Bird | ✓

09 | seagull

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Lizzy | Mario

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           Lizzy's mother had been right—Lizzy was beginning to regret her decision to walk home from school in the rain when she woke up the next morning with chills and a fiery forehead. Lizzy's mother leaned over her sick daughter, shaking her head and pressing an icy hand on Lizzy's sweaty skin that was peppered with goosebumps. "No school for you," her mother noted, pointing out the obvious. Lizzy's eyes fluttered shut contentedly, because this meant that she wouldn't have to witness Teagan and Mateo's paroxysm if it were to occur today. Her sickness gave her a break from her two best friends' constant tug-o-war that left Lizzy hanging precariously in the middle with her arms yanked from their sockets—one by Teagan and one by Mateo.

           Lizzy groaned, flinging her turquoise blanket away from her burning body. Her mother poised a thermometer beneath Lizzy's tongue; they waited a few moments in silence before the thermometer broke it with its beeping. Lizzy's mother peered at the number. "One hundred and one. I'll bring up a water bottle for you and some medicine, okay? I'll be right back."

           Lizzy's mother arrived back shortly with a couple pills and Lizzy's yellow water bottle. She set both on the nightstand, right next to Lizzy's cell phone. "I'm heading off to work now, okay? Call me if you need anything and text me every once in a while to check in, so I can know how you're doing." Lizzy nodded wearily, her mind and body weak with fatigue. Lizzy's mother kissed her daughter's slick forehead lovingly before leaving Lizzy in peace to rest. Lizzy drank some of the water to cool her burning throat and then she flipped on her side, falling asleep straightaway.

           She awoke to the sound of her phone throwing its own party beside her, buzzing and chiming like a maniac. Lizzy rubbed her squinty eyes and removed her phone from its position on the nightstand. A picture of Teagan swayed onto the screen, her lengthy black hair pulled into a ponytail, one eye winking, her mouth quirked up into a wide grin. Lizzy answered the call, pressing her phone to her ear. "Yes?" she asked, her voice cracking a little from her illness.

           "Lizzy, where are you?!" Teagan screeched, her voice sonorous in Lizzy's ear. Lizzy flinched, her hand pulling her phone away from her ear. She waited for Teagan to calm down a little before shrinking the distance between her phone and her ear once again.

           "I'm at home," Lizzy informed her friend. A sudden headache pierced her skull like a knife and she rested her head against the pillow behind her.

           "Well duh, I can see that," Teagan responded harshly, irritation laced in her tone.

           "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Lizzy apologized. Her free hand rubbed her forehead, trying its best to alleviate the throbbing agony that magnified there.

           "You should be. You left me all alone here with the demons."

           Lizzy rolled her eyes. Teagan hadn't even bothered to ask why Lizzy was homebound in the first place. Sometimes she could be a little selfish and inconsiderate, favoring the spotlight on herself as though she solely was the star of the show of life. "Relax. I'm sure you'll be fine."

           "I'm not going to be fine! I really need you here, Liz!"

           "I need to get better first." Lizzy yearned to finish this conversation so that she could sleep. In her mind, sleep could cure anything—especially this bothersome headache.

           Teagan's end of the line remained silent for a few moments, so quiet that Lizzy swore she could hear a pin drop. "I did that thing again, didn't I?" Teagan inquired, her voice small and meek instead of its original booming, overbearing tone.