Cadaverous Love

Chapter Thirty-Two

The school day is over, yet I didn't attend many classes and neither did Dallas. My stomach ended up pushing its way out and I threw up in the hallway. Then, Dal practically picked me up and rushed me to the girl's bathroom. Thankfully, no one was there. Dallas stayed in the bathroom until I finished spilling out my breakfast. When I looked up at him, I could see the sickness on his face.

After that, he didn't take me to the nurse, but walked straight out of the school and brought me back to the Curtis's house-brought me back home.

I curled up in a ball on the couch and Dallas sat a small trash can next to me on the floor.

I'm still in the same position now, and I've only thrown up once.

"Ya need anything else, Em?" Dal asks. I try to shake my head no, but my head throbs with every movement. "Do you want me to go get Soda or try an' get in touch with Darrel?"

"No, that's okay. They're at work."

"Sorry," he says, sitting down next to me on the couch, leaning against my thigh, "I'm not very good at this kind of stuff."

"I think you're doing just fine." My stomach churns and I lean over the bucket, but nothing comes out.

"You sure I shouldn't call Darry?"

Returning to my position, I reply, "I'm sure."

I hear the front door burst open and Two yells "Howdy-hey, partner!"

"Shut up!" Dallas yells.

"Why?" Then Two-Bit's voice drops to a quieter level "oh, sorry."

"Where did you guys go?" I hear Pony's voice. I sit up and lean against the cushion of the couch.

"Emily got sick so I brought her home."

"I saw ya both in the dean's office. What was that about?" Two questions.

"The really ugly, skinny teacher-"

"-Mr. Evel,"

"Yeah, that guy, he uh... said we we're trying to do something in his class, which we weren't because one, you're in a fucking class room, and two, Emily wouldn't come on to me even if we were alone."

"Yeah, Mr. Evel will get you in trouble for things you didn't even do." Two-Bit says, flopping down on Darry's arm chair, "that sucker got me in trouble for stealing a pen from him, but God knows I haven't even set foot in his classroom." Two pulls off his shoes and throws them by the door, "that guy has a weird thing about his pens. If you touch one-you're screwed."

Note to self: Don't touch Satan's pens.

"Hey, Johnnycake," Dal says as Johnny steps in the doorway behind Pony.

"Hey, Dally," he says softly, like he's hushing a baby, "Emily, are you okay?"

I shake my head no, it's pretty obvious that I'm not.

"Are you going to feel good enough to go back to school tomorrow? It is Friday after all." Two adds on, dangling his feet over the arm of the chair.

"I hope not."

--

Hope. Such a funny thing that you hold onto even when things aren't going your way.

I'm still not feeling well, but Darry decided I was well enough to go to school. So, I dragged my feet the whole way there, the whole way into school, and the whole way to my locker. Which now leans over me at this very moment.

"What class do we have?" Dallas asks.

"Well, if you're actually going to go to class-we have P.E., but I heard today we go to the health room."