j a k e
Graham plops down on the couch beside me, looking me over once and generously saying, "You look dead."
I weakly lift my head up from the arm of the couch, fixing a glare at his figure at my feet, "Screw off, Graham."
"This is my house," he smugly points out. I try not to let that one get to me as I turn my gaze away from him and back to the TV. I wait, pray, for him to just get up and leave me alone, but he makes no movement to do so.
I sigh, rubbing my temples, "Graham, I'm tired. Could you please just leave me alone?"
I can feel Graham's eyes bore into me, but I refuse to look at him. I'm still bitter towards what he said last night and the lack of sleep- more like no sleep- I've gotten these past few days leave me no energy to even think about arguing with him about it.
Instead of leaving, Graham pushes on, "I'm not even doing anything. Is it my presence bothering you?"
I bury my head into the couch pillow. I'm laid out on the couch, but I curl up to get my legs away from Graham. I don't even want to be close to him. Usually, at this point I'd be angry and trying to control myself. Now, though, I'm just so tired.
Graham leans back against the couch cushions, getting comfortable. I sit up a little, my hand rushing to my head as I get dizzy. I wait for the light headed feeling to wear off before reaching behind the couch for a warm blanket. When I grab it, I fall back into the cushions, making me gasp from the pain that reverberates in my skull from the quick movement.
Graham frowns, looking at me with wide eyes, "What's with you?"
I shake my head, wincing. I let my head fall to the side, squeezing my eyes shut. I feel like the world is spinning around me. I bring the covers to my chin, closing my eyes to try and get some sleep, but as usual, there's no point. The only sleep I've gotten in two days was the small nap in the library.
I push myself off the couch, taking the blanket with me since I really like the softness of it. I've been refraining from using sleeping pills ever since the nightmares because I don't want to get addicted, but at this point, I'm desperate. I groan, waving off Graham's concerned look (as if he actually cares) as I force myself off of the couch.
Bad idea.
Black spots flash in front of my eyes with such intensity I almost go blind. Then I do go blind for a second, my vision going on and off as my dizziness becomes worse than ever. Graham is yelling my name, but his voice sounds like its underwater. My knees buckle, and I collide with the floor, the world going black.
It feels like I've only blinked, but when I open my eyes again, George, Kate and Graham are leaning over me. When I open my eyes, George's still blurry figure leans back and sighs in relief. My senses slowly come back to me and I realize Kate is rubbing my shoulder while Graham is talking quietly to himself in hushed and panicked voices.
The world is hazy and blurry. I feel like I'm on a cloud; as if the ground underneath me isn't stable. The world is still slightly dizzy, but it's slowly coming to a halt as I force myself to focus on George, who is still leaning over me.
"Jake?" he demands. He sounds like he's trying to stay calm and in control, but his voice is laced with obvious panic.
I groan, my hand going to my head. I try to get up but as soon as I try to move, Kate is telling me to stay still. I want to get up from the ground badly though; now that it doesn't feel like a cloud, its hard surface is unforgivable.
"What happened?" I slur out.
"You fainted," George says. Graham is now coming back into the room with a wet cloth- I never even noticed he left- and hands it to George. George places it on my forehead, making me relax.
