Authors: Megan McKenney
“Boyfriend?” She asked. “I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.”
“For four years now. I love him more than anything else in the world.” I tried to sound convincing, but I wasn’t sure if I was doing a very good job at it. I felt the tears sting my eyes. Was Keiffer planning on taking me to the prom before we broke up? And if that was the plan, why would he get green? It was like he was trying to pre-plan my dress.
“Well, I’m very happy for you,” she smiled. “I’m sure you’re going to look gorgeous.” No matter how angry Indigo had made me about the whole dress topic, I still couldn’t be mean to her. It was as though she didn’t even have a mean bone in her body. She liked me…yet, I didn’t understand why she liked me.
“Thanks,” I responded. I turned around to go back home, but stopped after only walking just a few feet. “Indigo,” I called. “Do you mind not telling Keiffer that I miss him? I changed my mind.” After saying that one snotty comment, I actually felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I tried not to look at her hurt expression as I turned back around and into the house.
Lounging around with Lacey was just like old times. It was like the awkward two month time lapse never even happened. We shared the same inside jokes, laughs, and never once did we bring up he-who-shall-not-be-named. It was great to have my best friend back. In a way, Keiffer took her place when he was my boyfriend. He used to be the one that I wanted to spend all my time with, but now with Lacey, it felt like nothing really changed.
By the time Monday came, I was sick to my stomach. I laid in bed Monday morning, my stomach feeling like it was on fire. I rolled myself into a ball, trying my best not to throw up last night’s dinner. Thinking back to what I had eaten that weekend didn’t really help. I only pigged out on Friday when Lacey came over. But we’ve had a million sleepovers since we became friends in middle school…there was no way that I could be getting sick now.
Dad didn’t really like the idea of me staying home from school; especially because I was so close to graduation. But with lots of whining, he finally let me stay. Not just that, but I wanted to make sure I was absolutely perfect for prom. That night was going to be like a dream come true. In addition, Brad and I had been nominated from Prom King and Queen. I wanted to make sure that I felt my absolute best that night…being sick just wouldn’t do!
I lounged around the house, feeling a bit better by the time lunch came rolling along. While making myself a ham sandwich, there was a knock at the door. Curiously, I opened it. There stood the freshman girl with the big eyes. Her hair was pulled back in two braids this time, and she was staring up at me with a weak smile.
“Um…hi?” I said while popping a potato chip into my mouth. How did this little twerp know where I lived? Oh, wait, I was Jenna Horowitz. Of course she knew where I lived.
“Hi…” she stuttered out in her high voice. “I…I just wanted to give you this…”
“Give it to Lacey,” I said quickly, almost shutting the door in her face. She caught the door with her hand, trying to keep the door open.
“I’m sorry, but it’s not for yearbook. These are your notes for Literature class,” she answered. I took the papers from her hands, skimming them quickly. I hadn’t even noticed her in my class since the day she tried to discuss business matters with me. I’d been in the same class with her for four months and she never even crossed my radar.
“Oh, thanks,” I smiled half-heartily. She stood there awkwardly as though she wanted me to invite her inside. “Do you need something else?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think so,” she responded. She just continued to stare at me as though she needed to confess her sins or something. I had that effect on people. It’s not like I meant for people to feel nervous around me, but I guess that’s what comes with the celebrity territory.
“Then leave,” I snapped at her. She jumped at my tone, turned around, and started to run down the driveway towards her house. Laughing quietly at the poor girl, I shut the front door and headed back towards the television show that I was watching in the family room.
By the time the next morning came along, I could hardly get out of bed. I held my stomach, feeling myself starting to get queasy. I’d been feeling like this for a week now. In fact, I was so sick in the morning that I was beginning to feel as though I would never make it to my morning classes ever again. Not that I minded it much. I didn’t have to see Keiffer anymore… which made it a lot better on the both of us.
“Jenna, you need to go to school,” dad said as he stepped into my room. I was still in bed, staring at my alarm clock, which was blaring on my night stand.
“I don’t know what going on,” I groaned. “Lacey was sick three months ago. And I mean she was
sick
. Do you think I caught that?”
“It’s a possibility, but I highly doubt it,” dad shrugged. “Honey, you’re missing a lot of school. I wouldn’t be a good dad if I didn’t make you go to school.” He placed his hand on my forehead. “Come’on let’s go downstairs and have some breakfast.”
I gagged at the thought of food. Closing my hand around my mouth, I jumped out of bed and ran towards the bathroom. That morning I saw the second-coming of my dinner that I had had last night. However, it definitely didn’t taste as good the second time around. Brushing my teeth quickly afterward, I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror. I was practically unrecognizable. I splashed some cold water on my face before heading downstairs to the kitchen.
The smell! The smell of the kitchen made me sick all over again. The smell of bacon and waffles filled my nose. Looking up I saw my dad sitting at the kitchen table, pouring syrup all over his waffles. I had to make a run for it. Clasping my hand over my mouth again, I knew I didn’t have time to get to the bathroom, so I opted for over the porch railing. I hoped that no one noticed me as I threw up over the side of the porch, but I also didn’t really care. I was sick of this stomach flu.
“Guess you really are sick,” dad said as he handed me a napkin. I wiped the sides of my mouth, tears burning my eyes. I hated being sick, I really did. “How about you stay home, sweetie? I’ll call the school and tell them that you won’t be in again today.”
Making my way back upstairs, I heard my dad talk to the school office on the phone. The relationship between my dad and me had recently changed. Since I got back with Brad, he started treating me the way that he always had. The way he had treated me before mom left. Maybe it was because I was back to my old self. I had thrown all of my baggy clothes and t-shirts up into the attic. Makeup and doing my hair became a regular routine for me again. Cheering and yearbook became my life. And Keiffer…well, I only talked to him if I was forced to.
“I called the school and let them know you won’t be in today. I’ve got to go to work though,” dad said as he placed a glass of ice water on my night stand. “Would you like me to call your mom? She can keep you company.”
“Thanks, dad, but I’d rather never see her again,” I answered rudely. I had finally come to peace about the whole divorce. I had realized that it was my mom who caused the whole thing. She was cheating on dad, which forced the divorce.
Your mom loves you, you know?”
“You tell me all the time,” I answered. “Dad, I’ll be fine here alone. It’s probably just a bug. Nothing to worry about.”
“Well, if you need me to come home-“
“I won’t,” I interrupted. “And if you don’t mind, I’m going back to sleep. Hopefully I’ll feel better later.” I gave him the best smile that I could muster up. “I promise.”
“Okay,” dad said defeated. “I’ll see you when I get back from work.” I nodded my head and he left without trying to argue again. Once he left, I settled back into my bed, letting sleep rush over me.
I woke with a start a few hours later. I opened my eyes quickly at the sound of my door being opened. The thing about living in an older Victorian style house, everything inside was wood and somewhat rusty. Keiffer stood motionless in the doorway, his eyes on mine. I sat up in my bed, watching him make his entrance.
“What are you doing here?” I snapped. He placed some magazines on the nightstand and sat down next to me. Hesitantly, I allowed him to place his hand upon my forehead.
“I brought you some things,” he said nonchalantly. “Some things to make you feel better.”
“You think magazines will make me feel better?” I asked rudely.
He laughed. “No, but they will pass the time. I brought you some fruit and soup.” He placed the bag of lunch next to the magazines. “That’s what my mom used to give to me when I was sick.”
Crossing my arms across my chest, I questioned his motives. “How’d you know I was sick?”
“Well, you’ve missed class for a week –“
“I didn’t want to see you,” I interrupted.
“And I saw you throw up over the porch this morning,” he added.
I felt my cheek burn with embarrassment. “You saw that?” He brushed my bangs from my forehead and looked at me with such intensity that I felt like he could see right through my stone cold eyes. I didn’t want him to know that I lusted for his touch. I wanted him to think that I was over him. But, yet, when his lips moved as he talked, all I could think about was all the times that he has pressed them against my own.
“I think the whole neighborhood saw it,” he laughed. “You were pretty loud.”
I felt my cheeks blush, but I really wasn’t too embarrassed. Keiffer understood me. It was like he and I were one person…in a strange way. I never felt uncomfortable around him, and having known that he’d seen me get sick this morning, really wasn’t that big of a deal. Now if it was Brad…I would’ve probably killed myself right then and there.
He got up from the bed, shoving his hands in his hoodie pocket. I hated to see him leave, yet, I tried not to express it. This was the guy who broke up with me. It was going to take more than just some soup and magazines to make me feel better.
“Do you ever think about us?” Keiffer asked as he placed his hand on the doorknob. That question came so far from left field that I had to repeat the question in my head several times – just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming the words up.
Shrugging my shoulders, I tried not to look too desperate. “I guess I do sometimes,” I lied. I thought about him every second of everyday. He was the first guy I loved. He was the first guy I slept with. Truthfully, he would be on my mind forever.
“I think about you all the time,” he said alas. My heart fluttered lightly. I honestly thought he never thought about me. In a way, I thought I was the one doing all the thinking. He loved me…he had to!
“It’s kind of the same for me,” I responded nervously. His eyes met mine as soon as I responded. We shared an instant bond that no one, not even Brad, would understand.
He opened the door to leave, but he hesitated for just a moment. I knew what he was thinking. He wanted to make this right between us. He wanted to run to me and feel my warm lips against his. But instead, he shut the door behind him and left me with my thoughts. I didn’t mind though. I found out that he loved me. He really did.
I flipped through the channels on the tv later that afternoon. Nothing was on. I had a choice between talk shows and all 900 of the soap operas. I, of course, decided to go with a talk show. It wasn’t like I didn’t like those celebrity talk shows, because I totally did. It was just that I felt as though they were living in a fantasy world. Then again, if I was that rich, I would probably be living in a fantasy world also.
The doorbell went off and I groaned as I sat up. I had been lazy all week that even getting up to get the door was a huge problem. But I made it down the stairs anyway and was more than happy to see that it was Lacey. She looked radiant under the sun as she stood on my porch. I definitely had a very beautiful best friend. She handed me my notes that I had missed in class and we both went up to my room.
“Are you sure you want to be exposed?” I teased as I sat down on my bed.
“Considering I had already had this flu, I don’t think I can catch it again,” she laughed as she sat down next to me. “You’re missing out on a lot of drama at school!”
“I am?” I asked, sitting with my legs crossed.
“Okay, get this, Brenda is like bribing Principal Nelson. She’s having her dad call into school and offering money!”
“What?” I exclaimed.
“Yes! She doesn’t think you deserve to be valedictorian or whatever.” Lacey flipped her long hair over her shoulder. “And she’s jealous because you’ve been able to keep your status this whole semester without cracking.”
“Without cracking,” I repeated. “I feel like I’ve cracked.”
“No,” Lacey placed her hand on my shoulder. “You’ve just been finding yourself. And you should’ve done that years ago. I’m glad that you’re going through this now and not when you’re at Yale.”
I nodded my head. “Ugh! Yale!”
“Still nothing?” She asked.
I shook my head. “When did you get your acceptance letter? Like three weeks ago, right? It shouldn’t really take this long to get my letter. I’m going to let down my dad.”
“No you won’t,” she reassured me. “Besides, no matter what, you’re a damn good person!” She laughed. “Yale or a community college…it doesn’t really matter. You excel at everything that you put your mind to.”
“You’re just trying to make me feel better because you’re my best friend,” I said quietly.