Fireside secrets

A little pill or two...

We walked to the basement and I showed the boys where the generator was.

Thomas moved the flashlight around the room, looking for extra gas.

Coach grabbed the flashlight and pointed it at a little file folder hanging on a ring above the light switch.

" Ok boys and girls, Here is the emergency plan."

He skimmed through the booklet and as he got to the end, his warm brown eyes met mine.

" You wrote this January?" he turned his head as if analyzing me.

I nodded.

" Ok... cool, then talk kid." He said.

I nervously ran my fingers in my hair, twirling it around my finger.

" That is my contribution as a member of the safety committee. I wrote it for them.

Carrying everything out is the job of the maintenance crew. So...I have no way to know where they put the stored gas."

The Jock grabbed the flashlight and looked around the room.

" Well this place isn't very big, I know my dad doesn't store gas in the garage, he keeps it in a metal shed. You know fire hazards and all."

" There are sheds outside by the gym. But...it's far and we are in a blizzard. If I go out there, I will need to be tied to a long rope or something." I offered.

" Pshhhh. You are NOT going out there, this is a professor's job. I'm in charge here." Eivan said as he pulled up his jeans.

I was glad we were in shadows, he was acting like a dad. I hid my smile.

" Ok coach, let's get out there and get that gas." The Jock said as he headed towards the door.

" Wait!" I said. "I just remembered something, this generator was slated to be replaced.

We were looking into a natural gas powered one and...I think the maintenence crew opted NOT to have any extra gas stored on the campus.

If I remember that meeting correctly....we met with the dean, she put it back into the maintenance crews hands.

But, I'd have to look at the meeting notes to be certain. I mean...do we really want to risk going out in that storm for nothing?"

I heard coach sigh as he and the jock nodded in agreement.

" We have another option here. As a new professor, I took the official tour last year.

There is a caretakers house at the end of C hall.

I believe it has a chimney and I'm sure it wouldn't take much to heat it. We should go and assess it." He said to the jock.

I guess I was to be left out of the conversation. I turned to go back upstairs, leaving them to make their plans...without me.

I am just a girl after all.

I heard them making plans to go out into the snow as I left them.

I moved in the dark, hanging onto the rail as I climbed to the upper level.

My eyes adjusting to the shadows in the main hall as I walked back up to my dorm room.

I was feeling dejected, I'll admit it. I didn't like asserting myself where I wasn't wanted.

I turned on my flashlight, next to my bed and found my anxiety pills, downing two of them this time with that stale cola.

Then, snuggling down into my bed, I dozed off.

A few hours later there was a knock on my door.

I groaned.

What now? Just do your manly things without me.

I opened my door for them and jumped back into my warm bed, covering my head.

" Where did you go Jan?" The Coach asked me as he opened my refrigerator and took out a juice, handing one to his cohort.

" Bed." I said as I snuggled in deeper.

" Aren't you part of this team? We are all in this together right kid?" he said. I disliked being called kid, I mean he was like 5 years older than me wasn't he?

I felt my bed dip down then, the the jock shone his flashlight on me and pulled back my covers.

" s**t!" I said as I covered my drooping eyes.

" What's wrong with you, you getting sick Jan?" he said intrusively.

Coach had his own light and it landed on my bottle of pills.

He grabbed them and read the label.

" Why are you taking these?" he asked, sounding concerned now.

I groaned again as my head lulled back.

" I'm broken and these help fix me, or so my shrink said." I answered softly.

" How many did you take, you seem pretty stoned to be honest here." He shook my shoulder.

" I think that's a good thing don't you, I mean where else am I going?" I laughed sarcastically.

Next thing I knew the boys were pulling off my warm blankets and getting me out of my cocoon.

" Hey!" I cried as they sat me up and made me drink some juice.

" How many did you take January, answer me now!" coach yelled.

" Um...two. It says to take one for anxiety and two for extreme anxiety. So...yes...two." I smiled.

" Jan, you didn't seem anxious down in the basement. Are you taking these to get high?" he shook me a little.

The Jock put his arm around me and hugged me.

" My sister has anxiety. She...well she was attacked a few years ago. She takes medicine for it. I get it." He was being so nice to me.

I put my palm on his cheek and held it there.

He looked down at me and stared into my eyes. I saw him then, the real him. Well... just for a moment, but I felt cared for by this cocky d**k of a boy.

Coach got me up from bed and took me with them downstairs to the café.

I was very wobbly, but I made it.

I guess two pills was a bit strong for me, especially on an empty stomach... I admitted to myself. But damn...I didn't have a care in the world.

Coach made me a coffee and the jock held my hand.

" What did you learn about the old caretakers house?" I asked, but before they could answer I did it for them.

" It is locked and the key is kept in the deans office.

Also there are two rows of chopped wood next to the house, for emergencies.

Maybe 10 gallons of water, and some dried, emergency type meals. Like military MREs...right?"

Coach frowned.

" WHY didn't you say something about a key before we trekked all the way out there and froze our butts off?" the jock yelled at me.

I looked at both of them.

" You didn't include me, you were doing the boys club thing, so I went to bed. I can't help if you won't let me."

They both looked at eachother and then looked away.

Yes, maybe I was being vindictive...a little bit like a baby too. But...I have issues speaking up and have never been the pushy type.

Coach put his arm around me and apologized.

" You are right kiddo. I am sorry."

He shoved the jock who then said, "Oh, yeah. Sorry."

" Now talk to us, how do we get into the dean's office?" Coach grinned.

I stood up and fell back down.

" More coffee first, then I will show you a secret. But...you have to promise me. I mean swear on your mothers.

A full on promise that you will never tell her how we got into her office."

They both nodded and smiled.

" Say it, swear it!" I said dramatically.

Coach crossed his heart with his index finger, then the jock did the same. " I swear."