Chapter 8 - Chapter 8

It was a dark night, and hand in hand, we walked through the park in the rain. When we got to my house, Honda lifted his hand to my cheek, and I flinched, as he touched the bruise. At once concern came into his eyes, and he stroked my hair gently, before kissing me, and walking off. I watched him go, and waited until he had disappeared into the rain and fog before walking into the house. Marc spoke to me, but I didn't hear, and I went and fell into a hot bath.



I lay and soaked in the warm water, before climbing out and pulling on a thick dressing gown. I wandered down stairs in search of food, when Marc shouted out to me, “Ana, one of your friends called, Sakura. She said she's coming round tomorrow night.”



“Ok.”



Hmm, a night of Sakura. Sounded like fun. I needed some girly time. I sniffed, and wandered into the kitchen, flicking the kettle on for a mug of hot chocolate, so that I could rid the shiver that had struck my bones. As I did this I grabbed some bread, and shoved it in the oven to warm it up, taking a jar of Nutella out of the cupboard to spread on it.



I ate slowly, and enjoyed the food, thinking about how yummy chocolate stuff was. When I had finished eating, I went and collapsed on one of the sofas in the lounge, and flicked the TV onto some movie or other, I watched for a little while, before I returned to my room, and fell onto the bed, and then asleep.



***



The next day I went to school, feeling really ill, thank to spending most of the day in the rain. I looked so awful that even Honda didn't want to come near me, and so I spent most of the day by myself, snuffling away, and dying from a really bad cold. The day went really slowly, and that evening, Sakura and I walked home, with her all hyper and excited, and me trying really hard to breathe.



We eventually reached the house, and Sakura and I went into my room, where she nearly died, before saying excitedly, “its so pink!”



I didn't have the voice to agree with her, but instead just opened one of the wardrobe doors to reveal a television and DVD player, into which I inserted a DVD, before turning to her, and asking, “Is it ok in French?”



“Yeah, that's fine. You know I'm a linguist.”



I nodded, pressing play at the same time.



“What we watching?”



“Save The Last Dance,” I croaked. “Its American. Its great. You'll love it. Its like Dirty Dancing, but not. Its excellent.”



It came on, and we both lay down on my bed, and began to watch. By the end we were in tears, both of us. Jumping off the bed, we went downstairs to see about supper, and as I was cooking some noodles, Marc came in. He greeted me in French, and then Sakura in Japanese, and was shocked when she then began to speak to him in slightly hesitant, but still excellent French. I laughed at his facial expression, and he glared at me before disappearing. “Stupid idiot.” I muttered.



“Don't let Tea hear you say that!” Sakura said, jokingly.



“What's that supposed to mean?” I asked darkly.



“Um, nothing?!” she stuttered nervously, as I lapsed into a coughing fit. “You're sick.”



“I know.”



“So, Ana, what actually happened to your face? Was it Honda, like everyone says it was? Or did you walked into a doorframe?”



“No, of course it wasn't Honda!”



“Well, you never know.”



“WELL IT WASN'T!”



“Ok then.”



“I didn't walk into a doorframe either. It was this guy…” and I told her the whole story.



“Oh dear,” she said, supportively.



The noodles were done, and we began to seat them, enjoying the sweet juice, and the lashings of seasoning we had added. After we had eaten, we again made our way to my room, and settled down with a music channel, a few magazines, and chocolate.



It got to be about 10 o'clock, and we decided to go to bed, seeing as it was a school night. I had got under the duvet, and was settling in for sleep. Sakura climbed in the other side, and began to talk, when all of a sudden I noticed her sniffing.



“What?” I asked, “don't tell me you're getting ill as well?”



“No, but is I just me, or can you smell aftershave on this duvet as well.”



“It probably is aftershave. As I haven't washed it for a while. And Honda stayed over a week ago.”



She jumped out of bed, “WHAT?!”



“Honda stayed over about a week ago.”



“AND YOU DIDN'T WASH IT?! THAT'S GROSS!”



“It is? Well, we can always go into the loft. Actually, no, I haven't washed that one either. Or the spare room. Dammit, do you mean I have to go clean duvet searching?”



“YES!”



I heaved myself off the bed, and went into a cupboard, pulling out a large duvet. That was actually clean. I pulled mine off the bed, and climbed back onto th bed, pulling the clean one behind me. “There you go, all new.”



Sakura climbed hesitantly onto the bed, and got under the duvet. We slept well, and Sakura didn't talk too much, and at least she didn't snore.



I was woken up the next morning by Sakura shaking me violently. She was already dressed, “Ana, Ana, are you ok? `Cause we need to get up, school starts in half an hour. Marc said he'd drive us. Ana, wake up.”



“I feel sick.” I muttered.



“I know, but we need to go to school.”



“I think I have a temperature.”



She felt my forehead. “OH MY GOD! You're burning up! You are so NOT going to school today. You are staying RIGHT HERE! I'll tell Marc. See you later!”



And she ran out the room, shutting the door behind her. I felt so ill. I heard the sound of the car leaving the driveway, and rolled off the bed and onto the floor, landing with a thud. I pulled on my school uniform. I couldn't not go to school; I had assignments to hand in. They were due today. I stumbled down the stairs, bleary eyed, and managed to pick up the phone, and call a cab. They came soon, and I got into it, not caring about how awful I looked.



The cab got me to school just in time for morning registration, and as I ran to the classroom, I fell into the door, making everyone look up at me. And exclaim. Yuula spoke to me, “You look awful, why did you bother coming in today?”



“Because I have assignments to hand in,” I breathed.



“You are such a goody goody. AND an idiot. You should have stayed at home, you doofus!”



I sank into a chair, and rested my eyes for a moment. English was first, and if I could just get there, that would be enough.



Registration finished, and Duke and I set off for English. We walked to the classroom, and took our seats, next to each other, much to his disgust. The lesson started, and about half way through I raised my hand, the teacher raised an eyebrow, and asked, “Yes, Miss Osculaix?”



“Can I have a bathroom pass, please?”



The teacher handed me one, and I made my way to the toilet. The guys and girls were right next door to each other, and I opened the door, and walked in, nearly falling into a cubicle. I finished, and walked out, breathing deeply and trying to clear my head. I walked to the washbasin, and splashed cold water onto my face, before looking into the mirror. And screaming. Duke was standing right behind me, “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?!”



I looked at him, uncertainly, “Using the bathroom? What are you doing in here?”



“The same thing, BUT THIS IS THE MENS!”



“Ooops.” And I collapsed onto the floor, totally unconscious. Duke lifted me up, and made his way to the nurse's office, walking past the class where some of our other friends were, including Honda, who happened to be looking out of the window. He raised his hand, and asked for a hall pass, and rushed out of the classroom, to the struggling Duke.



“What happened?”



“She was using the men's toilets and collapsed, and I had to carry her out. And she's heavy.”



Honda took me out of Duke's arms, “No she isn't. Have you called an ambulance or something?”



“Um, or something?!”



“Well, are we taking her to the nurses office?”



“Yup.”



The tow guys got me to the school nurse's office, where she called an ambulance, that pulled up outside. She sent Duke back to English to explain to the teacher what had happened. Honda refused to go back to his lesson, and instead stayed with me, travelling in the ambulance with me to the hospital.



I woke up that afternoon, and smiled at Honda, who sat by my bed. And then I noticed the machines and the tubes linked to me, and I screamed, causing a nurse to come rushing, and Honda to stand up, looking terrified.



The nurse spoke to him, “it looks like we might need to give her a sedative.” And she rushed out, before returning with a massive needle.



I looked at it warily, and stopped screaming, “You stick that fracking huge needle into me, and I will scream even louder. Get these dumb tubes off of me, and let me go home.”



“But, my dear, you're ill. These tubes will make you better. Now just give me your arm.”



“I said, No. I am not having a stupid injection. I don't want hospital treatment. I wan to go home.”



“But you're ill,” I wasn't making the nurse's life very easy. “You have pneumonia.”



“I have a cold. Now take these tubes off me. I'm going home.”



The nurse hesitantly took the tubes off me, and gave me back my clothes, that Honda helped me change into, before he helped me to get home. It took a fair long time, as I still felt a bit weak, but when we finally got back to my house, I collapsed onto the sofa, whilst Honda went and made me a cup of tea. I drunk it, and gradually began to feel better, as my strength returned.



***



The next day, I did stay home from school, and felt much better for it, well enough to go to school on Thursday, where everyone knew that Honda and I were back together, and I was greeted by disgust and congratulations in equal measures. It was November, and starting to get chilly.



The year was soon coming to a close, and I was looking forward to the New Year, and the excitement it would bring (such as my birthday). There wasn't that much longer now.

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