Chemistry

20: Looks Like I'm Sick Again

Avery's view

Never would I have ever thought I would be holding Ezra in my arms as she peacefully sleeps. This is like a dream come true.

I know I should probably be sleeping since I have school in a few hours, but I just can't. Every time I am about to close my eyes I get scared, I fear that when I wake up later Ezra won't be there. I'm scared this is a dream.

Ezra stirs in her sleep; she is probably having another nightmare. She's woken up a few times in a fright. I wish I could take away all her pain; she suffers far too much for someone who is too good.

I gently pull strands of her hair out of her face and put them behind her ear, she opens her sleepy eyes and looks up at me and gives me a small smile.

"You need to rest too," she whispers out.

"What if you have another nightmare? I need to be awake to comfort you," I reply smiling back at her.

Ezra sighs and moves out of my arms, "I'll feel bad if you don't get rest. I don't want to annoy you, I can leave," she says slowly.

"No!" I respond immediately.

Ezra's face softens as she speaks, "Okay, then, but you need to sleep. Please, so that I don't feel bad."

"But, you need me," I whine.

Ezra chuckles, "I do not."

"Yes, you do," I retort.

Ezra sighs again, "Okay, would admitting that I need you help you go to sleep?"

"Maybe, that and promising you won't run. That you will be here when I wake up," I reply looking away.

"I won't run, and for a matter of fact, you are the one who runs," she says teasing me.

"That's so not..." then I remember about the kiss that happened earlier. My face starts to heat up and I can't stand to look at Ezra, I already know she is smirking in triumph.

"You know what, I think I will go to sleep," I say turning.

Ezra chuckles as I pull the blanket over me. Just as I am about to close my eyes, I feel Ezra's hand reach over to grab mine. She intertwines our fingers and says, "Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight Ezra, don't let the bedbugs bite," I say with a smile on my face as I close my eyes.

When I wake up the next morning and stretch my arms, I try to feel for Ezra, but she's not there. I immediately sit up in bed and she isn't anywhere to be seen.

"I'm going to kill her," I say out loud.

"Jeez, you're so hostile. Who would have known?" Ezra jokes coming out of the bathroom, scaring me.

"I thought you left," I whine out as I lay back down in bed, "You almost gave me a heart attack."

"You worry too much," Ezra teases as she walks closer to the bed.

"Well, I'm obviously going to worry a lot about someone who I really care about," I blurt out.

"So, you really care about me that much? You running away from that kiss didn't exactly show that you know," she says laying down next to me.

"I didn't mean to run. I'm sorry, I messed up. I just didn't know how to react," I reply covering my face with a pillow to hide my embarrassment.

"You could have done this. We could have just lain down next to each other as we talk it out. You didn't need to react the way you did," she says.

I sigh, "You're right. I'm stupid."

Ezra chuckles, "You're not stupid, just weird. But I like that about you," she says grabbing the pillow from my face.

Ezra props herself up with her elbow and now she has a perfect view of my face. I can notice her intense stare at me and I can't help but start blushing. I need to tell her how I feel; I can't hold it in anymore. There is something between us, I know it, and I need her to tell me how she feels.

"Ezra, I need to tell you something important," I start.

"Okay, go for it," she says.

"Well after spending a lot of time with you these past few weeks it has become apparent to me that I..." I don't get to finish my sentence because I hear my mom yelling my name from downstairs.

"Avery, you need to get up or you will be late to class," my mom yells.

"If you don't get up in the next thirty seconds I will come upstairs and throw water on you," my mom adds.

"Oh no," I say remembering the trauma from the last time I didn't get up fast enough.

"You need to hide," I say to Ezra who is laughing at what my mom said.

"Would she really throw water on you?" she asks.

"Oh of course she would, now go into the closet!" I tell her as I start to panic.

"Aves, I just got out of the closet two years ago, now you want me to go back in? That's so unfair," she teases.

"This is no laughing matter, damn it," I reply pushing her in the closet.

"I love it when you curse," she says smirking.

"Oh shut up and be quiet while I figure out what to do," I say.

"Easy, you lie. Pretend like I'm not here," she suggests.

"Easy for you to say, I suck at lying," I say as I hear my mom's footsteps coming closer.

I close the closet door on Ezra and run over to my bedroom door as my mom enters with a pitcher of water.

"You got lucky this time," my mom says sadly. She finds it hilarious to throw water on my dad and I when we don't get up in time.

"What's wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost, Avery. Are you feeling alright?" she asks.

"Um, no I'm not feeling good. I'm feeling bad actually," I blurt out.

"Are you sick again?" my mom asks.

"Quite possibly?" I answer back.

"Okay, you are acting really weird now," she replies touching my forehead.

"You are burning up. Why is your face so red? And you're sweating a lot. Maybe it's best if you stay home. I don't want you getting worse," my mom says.

"Oh, okay," I reply shocked.

"Get back into bed. Sleep some more, you look so sleep deprived. Maybe take a bath; it might help you feel better. I will come say bye when your dad and I are about to leave for work, okay," she replies heading out of my room.

"Oh my god, what just happened?" I say out loud at this turn of events.