Chapter 28 - Sick Days

-Nate-

 

My head pounded, my stomach flip-flopped, and my mouth still taste like vomit. My bed was full of sweat, but I was too weak to get up and change the blankets. My dad was out getting me some more soup, but I didn’t think I was going to be eating anytime soon. My room smelled my puke, considering there was a barf bucket right on the floor beside me bed.

 

I wondered faintly what Wilson was doing. He seemed to be a whole different guy when we weren’t together. Everyone tells me he’s the sweetest guy they know, the most charming boy ever. But when I’m around him, he’s a total jerk. Well, a friendly jerk. If that makes any sense at all.

 

Wilson and I have been friends since fourth grade, when he moved here from some small town north. We were always paired together since no one else ever wanted to be our partners for any group projects and whatnot. I took pride in the fact that I am so coveted now in my school compared to then. I mean, Andrea punched some Clarissa Flory because she wanted me so bad! Okay, that sounded conceited. But it was true, wasn’t it?

 

My thoughts wandered to Andrea. I pictured her yesterday in the restaurant, her face red with anger, her fist poised for violence. And then the softness of her eyes when I leaned in to kiss her, the way her lips shot shivers of electricity through me. I sighed, content that I was finally able to call her “girlfriend.” I’d been interested in her from the second her fist smashed into the side of my face. Her nerve drew me in. I’d never seen a girl hit someone in real life. Well, a real hit, not a sissy slap.

 

My phone chimed from my beside table. I warily scooped it up, praying I wasn’t going to get sick and vomit all over it. It was a text from Clarissa Flory, asking why I hadn’t been at school. I contemplated answering seriously and telling her I’m sick. Then I pondered making a joke about her being beaten by Andrea yesterday. But in the end I decided not to answer. Clarissa is like the stereotypical popular girl in the movies, and I didn’t want to get sucked into her drama. But that never exactly works in the movies, does it?

 

I texted her back, and told her I was sick. That’s all. Nothing more. She replied within seconds, with: “:( oh no! that suxx.” I hate “text talk.” It’s so pointless and stupid. But I texted her back again, and when she answered, again after that. An hour passed and we were still texting. That’s when I finally decided to end our conversation and text Andrea instead. I felt like I’d already betrayed her and her new girlfriend status.

 

I waited for a while, but she didn’t respond. I tried again, and when I got no reply, once more. After that I stopped, feeling needy and bothersome. Why wasn’t she answering? Was she ignoring me? I remembered again the feel of her lips on mine. I touched them, wishing that they were pressed up against hers right now.

 

My phone chimed again. Excited, I pulled it out and opened a text from . . . my ex girlfriend. Serena said, “hey call me. now.” Puzzled, I scrolled through my contacts and clicked on her. There was a picture of her beside all of her contact information, and it made me pause. This picture was a close up of her and her puppy, Charlie. She was hugging it so tightly it was squishing against her face, making her look kind of deformed. But I could still see the appeal. Her brown hair was long and sleek, her lips full and red, her cheeks high and rosy. Her smile was toothy, but cute. Suddenly, I missed her. Almost as much as I had when we’d first broken up.

 

I pressed the “call” button and pressed my phone to my ear.

 

She answered. “Nate! Good, you listened for a change.” She sounded happy, maybe even elated.

 

“Uh, hi. What do you want?” I didn’t mean to sound rude, but she was my ex, my first love. Was it so wrong that I didn’t like to hear her happy without me in the picture?

 

“I just wanted to congratulate you on your new girlfriend. I saw her around today, she’s really pretty.”

 

That’s odd. “Thanks, I guess. And how’d you know who she was?”

 

“Wilson, of course.”

“Oh, that makes sense.”

 

“I just wanted to tell you I’m glad you finally decided to start dating again. I mean, its almost been eight months since our breakup and this is your first real girlfriend. Well, after me of course.”

 

Oh, right. That’s why we broke up. She’s self-centered and always thinks she’s the most important factor in anyone’s life that knows her. I was tired of being pushed away by her rudeness, so I broke up with her. Who knew she would be the one to get back on her feet, six months before I did?

 

“Well that’s nice of you, Serena, but I have to go now.”

 

“To be with your new girlfriend? Oh, its so cute!” Another reason: she treated me like I was two and she was oh-so-mature.

 

“Uh, no, actually. I have a toilet bowl to attend to.”

 

“What?” She’s never understood my humour.

 

“I’m sick, and I need to puke now. Bye.”

 

I hung up before she had a chance to reply, and I chucked my phone back on my bedside table. Then I leaned over and threw up into the bowl. I wiped my mouth, spat a few times, then lied back down on my bed, letting my head get absorbed into the pillow.

 

I wanted to talk to Andrea. She would make me feel better, instead of making me feel sick. I checked my phone, but she still hadn’t texted back. I sighed and decided to take a nap, hoping that would make me feel better if I couldn’t have company.

 

 

The sun was dipping below the horizon when I woke up, I could see through my window. My dad must’ve cleaned out my barf bucket because it no longer stunk in my room. I checked my phone again, but no messages from anyone. I decided to call my mom, who was away on a business trip.

 

She answered on the fourth ring. “Hello?”

 

“Hi, mom,” I said.

 

“Nate! Honey, how are you feeling? Better or worse?”

 

“About the same.”

 

“Oh, well get better, darling.” I heard something in the background.

 

“What are you doing, mom?” I asked.

 

“I’m on my way to a meeting.”

 

“You’re driving?”

 

“I’m being careful,” she said quietly.

 

“I’ll let you go, then. I’d rather you not die. Bye, mom. Love you.”

 

“Love you too, Nate. Take care!”

 

I hung up and sighed, feeling just as crappy as I had before I’d called.

Author's Note

first chapter in Nate's POV. i think it turned out okay. not much happened, as you can already see...anyways...read & review & enjoy.

Reviews

[selkietales]

Poor guy~ throwing up sucks. Unless you're bulimic? good chapter, I liked it :)

[Sarah E. Pearson]

I like it c: sorry for not reviewing lately I haven't been on.....catching up now, clicking "next chapter"!!

[KT]

Ooohh awesome chapter! It was nice to read it from Nate's point of view. :) Great job!!

[Ness of Love]

I'm wondering if Nate texting Clarissa and talking to his ex will end up biting him in the neck later on.

[13ReasonsWhy]

*gasps* oh I love love loved it . Explained a lot.... And really loved it

[Eversea]

Relieved after what Andrea was told about Nate being a jerk. *whew*

[SwagMaster]

Oh, no, will Clarissa tell Andrea they were texting? Loved it! Can't wait for more!!

[No name]

I liked it, especially because it was in Nates pov but it was still a good write. Can't wait for the next chapter.

[BloodyMary]

I really liked how you did it from Nates point of view, it explained so many different things!