Freeing Katie

Ch. 13 Down With the Sickness

KATIE POV

“Achoo!”

Ugh… 

I hate sneezing.  Especially when it’s the type where you have a bad out of body experience.  I’m not running a fever, but I’m pretty sure that outdoor concert messed up my sinuses badly…

“ACHOO!” 

Oh, who am I kidding?  I’m sure I have a f*****g cold.

“Go home already,” Taylor says, being extra dramatic by holding her sleeve over her mouth and nose, fanning my ‘sneeze air’ away from her.

“Hey! I had the decency to sneeze into my elbow.  Nothing sprayed!”  Unfortunately, my voice decides to break from a sore throat.

“And you wonder how pandemics happen,” Brenna says dryly.  I just give her a glare. 

Taylor found a way to sneak in time with us between classes a few days ago.  She says she doesn’t mind being late to her third class, since it was study hall anyways.

I honestly wasn’t feeling that bad when I woke up- just some body aches and lack of energy.  But I had to push through.  We had a math test this morning and I refused to spend another day freaking out about it.  But between the time I parked my car on school grounds and now, I feel like utter s**t.

“Seriously though. You look like poop.  I can’t believe you came to school in the first place.  Go to the nurse and go home.”

“Gee I feel sooo loved,” I drawl out, waving them bye as I head the other direction to the nurse’s office.

“That’s because you are!” they yell in sync.  I smile, even if it pains me to do so.

When I got to the office, I officially had a low-grade fever and was sent home.  I texted mom and she told me everything I needed to do and take before she comes home to baby me, which I have no problems with.  Thankfully we had my favorite broth stashed in the pantry.

I changed into my baggiest pj’s and created a pallet in the living room with my comforter and pillows.  I stocked the table with water and Gatorade, medication, Kleenex, phone charger, a thermos of broth and some quick grab snacks that won’t make me feel worse.  Once I was satisfied that I wouldn’t have to get up unless it was to pee, I laid down and turned on Netflix.

After awhile, my nose began to run and I was forced to shove Kleenex twists up my nostrils and began heavy breathing through my mouth.  It’s not my finest moment in life, but hopefully my meds will kick in soon.

Just as I was about to succumb to a nap, my phone vibrates.  When I see it’s Chase, I realized that I didn’t even tell him I wouldn’t be in class.

CHASE: Where you at?

KATIE: At home sick.  Tried to make it through the day, but just couldn’t.  Take notes for me!

CHASE:  You know I don’t take notes…

I smile and shake my head.  He really hates that class.

CHASE:  You owe me.  Ms. H just partnered me with Susan…. SUSAN!  You know she’s going to make me do my assignments…..

I laugh and refuse to respond, putting my phone to the side. 

I also refuse to think about how Chase made me feel this past weekend... 

The whole time I was getting ready, I kept thinking ‘what if this date was with Chase?’, and I wanted to match the compliments he’s always given me about my looks.  I wanted to feel pretty.   So, to say shock was a complete understatement when he came barreling into my room just as Evan came to get me.  The atmosphere was weird and felt off.  I tried to play it off cool, because I know he was about to go out with Georgia.

My date was a total bust because I just wasn’t into Evan.  He was a gentleman, but all of our conversations felt forced, so when I got home and Chase asked to come over, I didn’t hesitate to say yes because I wanted that awkward feeling gone.  Being held on the couch messed with my mind even more.  I just wanted to stay in his arms, and part of me wanted to kiss him again, but my heart didn’t want to get rejected.  Being with Chase felt different… and good.  And now, I’m even more confused.

A knock on the door jars me awake.  I look over to the wads of Kleenex all over the table and grab my phone, seeing that it’s early afternoon. 

“Katie, open up!”

I groan hearing Chase’s voice.  I know I look like s**t.

I fight with my blanket to stand up.  I still feel like crap as my skin tingles from my clothes in an annoying way.  I stand right by the door, and put my head on it, wishing I could take my nap again.  “Go away,” I groan.

I can actually hear him huff out a laugh.  “Open the door, Katie.  Plllleeeeaaasssee.”  I know he won’t give up.  So, before he can start knocking again, I open the door with a glare.  He has that stupid sexy cocky smile on his stupid sexy face and I just want to slam to door on him.  “Hey beautiful,” he says, letting himself in and kissing me on the cheek as he does.

I can’t even process that at the moment.  “Chase, go home.  I’m sick.”  I close the door and head to the table to clean my mess, and he surprises me further by helping me.  He even swiped up my snotty tissues.  “Chase!  Stop touching everything!”  My mortified face makes him laugh and I snatched my gross items away from him.  “Can’t you see my germs everywhere?  You’ll get sick!”

“Nah, haven’t been sick in years.  I’m healthy growing boy.”  He even emphasizes by patting his toned stomach.  We walk into the kitchen and I discard the trash.  When I turn around, he envelopes me in one of his signature hugs and I almost swoon.  Almost.  Especially when he kisses the side of my head.  “Need me to get you anything?”

I roll my eyes.  “Mom’s a nurse, remember?  We basically have a full pharmacy.”  He keeps me in his embrace for a few moments longer, then pulls back to look at my face.  Chase is maybe a half a head taller than me, so it’s nice that I don’t have to crane my head too high.  Why does he have such deep blue eyes?  “You should go before I get you sick,” I say softly.

Instead of answering me, he leans down for a kiss.  On instinct, I return it just as easily.  It’s a sweet, short kiss that means so much more to me than it should.  He pulls back with a smile on, and leans in for another short peck.  “Get better.  Let me know if you need anything.”

And then he turns around to leave.

*

**two days later**

*

“Ohmygod, I’m dying…..” the big man baby moans.

“You’re not dying,” I drawl out, for probably the fourth time in a twenty-minute span.  Absolutely pathetic.  I noticed Chase showing signs of getting sick last night while we were doing our homework, so I came by early before school to check on him.  What I found made me roll my eyes.  Apparently, macho man here does get sick.

“Jason can have my game system when I pass on…. It’s the least I can do.  Tell… Tell J.R. to hold a party in my honor… and you HAVE to go…”

“Oh for goodness sake, Chase!”  I throw a pillow at him.  “Tell J.R. yourself.  You have a damn phone.  I got to go to school.”

“B-but… but…”  I send him a glare after I pick up my bag, and he finally snaps out of it.  “Ugh, fine.  Go.  Abandon me…..” he whines, waving me off.  I roll my eyes yet again, and it’s his turn to glare.  “You did this, you know!”

“You did this to yourself,” I say walking over to him with my arms crossed.  “No one told you to kiss me or touch my snotty tissues.  It sure didn’t help that you crawled into my bed that night ‘to help me sleep better’.” 

“But you enjoyed it, right?” he says with a stupid smile.

I laugh and bend down to kiss his cheek.  “Good bye, Chase,” I smile out, shaking my head as I leave. He really wanted me to skip school to take care of him, but it’s career day, something I was really looking forward to.

For the first half of the day, the gym is going to be set up with colleges, trade schools, and other ideas to help the seniors figure out a path once we graduate.  The future isn’t something that I’ve allowed myself to think about in the past, but now that things are looking up in my life, I need to figure out what I want to do next.

“I’ll check on you later.”

“You better!”

*

I’m feeling overwhelmed standing in the middle of the gym as my peers talk excitedly going from booth to booth.  The majority of the booths here are from colleges and I’ve gotten a lot of flyers, but I’m not sold on the idea of spending so much money on a degree if it’s something I’m not 100% sure of.  I’m only 18 for pete’s sake.  That kind of decision is for people who actually know what they want to do.

I look around and spot out my friends.  Brenna has been talking with a counselor for a college that’s less than an hour away.  I saw Taylor talking to some out of state colleges, since she wants to get away as far as she can from her parent’s negativity about the divorce.  Nate was at the Army recruiting booth- which I can totally see him doing.  Josh has been sitting on the bleachers, saying that he’s going to work with his brothers in their landscaping business for a year or two to see if he likes it enough to make it a career.

It must be nice to have at least some idea of what you want to do.  Looking around again, I’m starting to get the feeling of not belonging- not knowing a next step.  Should I just choose something random then go with it? 

I wonder what Chase plans on doing after high school?  He’s never mentioned about applying to colleges or leaving town, but I have heard him say he wants to move out.  Will he just work full time at the auto shop?  I know he likes doing things with his hands and fixing things, so may-

“Excuse me, miss?”  I turn around and take my thumb out of my mouth, realizing I was chewing on my nails- a sign of anxiety that I thought I’ve gotten rid of over a year ago.  A middle aged woman is in front of me wearing a kind smile, and I return one just the same.  “Have you picked a school yet?” she asks, eyeing the 6 or so information pamphlets I have in hand.

I sigh out and look around the gym.  “No, not yet.  I’m just not sure what I would choose as a degree.”

“Have you had a job before?  Did you like it?  Maybe you can drawl something from that?”

I smile, thinking back to my summer job.  “I worked at the Y for a kids summer camp.  The kids definitely grew on me, but I’m not so sure if that qualifies for anything,” I say with a shrug.

“What are your strongest subjects in school?”  I can tell she’s being genuine, and not like some of the other recruiters.

“English and Literature, although, I really enjoyed my humanities class last semester.  I did well in that.

Her smile lights up and gestures behind her.  “Well, if you’re not so set on college just yet, there are other options.  Some that benefit not only your future, but other lives as well.”  She turns to walk to her booth and starts gathering papers.  I look up at the sign and tilt my head, seeing something I’ve never considered before, and immediately, it catches my interest.