*~*
I woke up gasping for air, shooting up from my bed too quickly, and feeling all the blood rush to my head. My vision went dark and it felt like a chainsaw was cutting my skull in half.
"Crap, Doug, what the hell did you give me?" I groaned, placing my head back on my pillow and closing my eyes. It took about fifteen seconds for me to snap my eyes back open. "Wait a minute, how did I get into-”
I jumped out of bed, ignoring the throbbing of my aching muscles and grabbed my phone that was still by the doorway.
“I’m calling the cops!” I shouted in my, clearly empty, apartment. It was small enough for me to see every corner of it, yet last night’s events made me think there could be an invisible murderer around. “Don’t even think about trying to-“
I looked down at my phone and a different fear bubbled inside me. The clock read 9:53 and I had seven minutes to get to class. I quickly changed out of the clothes I had worn the night before and caught a glance of my reflection in the bathroom mirror while brushing my teeth. My brown shaggy hair was a mess and my emerald eyes were almost as green as my face. I sighed and hoped that a nice hot shower would make me look a little more human.
*~*
I ran into statistics in half-tucked button-down shirt, soaked hair, and an enormous headache. There were only a couple of people who stared as I walked toward my seat. I just smiled sheepishly and tried hard not to make a bigger commotion. I slumped into my chair as the teacher droned on with his lecture. Soon, his voice was muted out by the throbbing of my headache. I closed my eyes and did my best to listen to the lecture.
My body jerked awake as I felt someone nudge me. I hadn’t meant to fall asleep, but it seemed the events of last night were still affecting me. I did hope, however, that I wouldn’t keep having a minor panic attack every time someone touched me.
"Hey man, class is over," A familiar voice said as the person it belonged to nudged me again.
"Shit, really?” I yawned looking up at my classmate, Bill. “Thanks anyway."
"Any time," He said smiling.
I've known Bill since high school except, we never spoke until this year. He was more of a jock and I was just average. He had all the girls falling for his rugged good looks, dark brown hair, golden eyes, and one hell of a body. I, on the other hand, had remained single for all of my high school career and did my best to go unnoticed.
The only time Bill did talk to me, was to ask about homework. Which I thought was weird because he could’ve just asked one of the many girls who liked following him around, like a lost puppy. The only difference between him then and now, was the five o’clock shadow he let grow on his face.
Dee says I couldn't rock a stubble beard even if I tried. She thinks that I had too much of a babyface. Truth is, whenever I’ve tried growing out a beard, I’d only get a few hairs, and to avoid looking like I had just gone through puberty, I keep my face clean-shaven.
I swayed a little as I stood from my seat and tried to walk down the lecture hall staircase. Instead, I tripped into Bill. In one swift motion, he helped steady me. Most people would see my face and think I was blushing, but I can safely assure you it wasn't that.
"Hey, you okay?” Bill asked. His hands felt like ice cubes against my arms. “You don't look so good."
"Yeah, I'm fine,” I said trying to shrug him off. “I’m just a little under the weather today."
"Do you think you might have a fever?" He placed his cool palms on my forehead and furrowed his brows. The sudden contact made me shiver. "Dude, you're burning up we've got to take you to the nurse."
"Bill, I'm fine, really.” I pushed his hand away from my face. “Even if it is a fever, it should break soon anyways."
"I never would have guessed you were the stubborn type. Regardless, we have got to get you to the infirmary." He grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the empty room. His hand felt cool against my wrist as he dragged me across several hallways, but all the weird stares were making me uncomfortable and I had to stop walking. Bill let out a sigh as he tried to tug me to keep going, but I wouldn’t budge.
"Come on, Maddy! Quit acting like a kid!"
"I’m not acting like a kid! I told you I was fine so let... Go..." I tried free my hand, but his grip was too tight and I was too weak to resist him. "Bill, you’re not my mother, just let go of me. I'll go to the nurse later I just have another class to get to."
Bill sighed and loosened his grip. I pulled my hand out and started rubbing it unconsciously. He looked down at me and frowned. "You promise you'll go?"
"I promise," I lied. I never liked doctors or anyone in the medical field. They were always overly impressed with how, on most days, healthy my body was. He nodded and I walked the other way toward my next class.
I turned my head back to see if he was still watching me. He was. He looked concerned, but also as if, there was something on my face. Was there something on my face?
Ignoring Bill’s expressions, I continued walking to my next class, only to bump heads with someone- well, more like head to chest. The sudden collision caused me to get dizzy and fall backward. Normally I wouldn’t be so ditzy, but because today I was feeling extra crappy, everything around me seemed to spin.
"Oh! Sorry about that." Strong hands pulled me up and my eyes followed the lean arms all the way up to his face. He had short blond hair and grey eyes. For a moment, his eyes reminded me of the dead man’s, back at the café, and it sent a chill up my spine- but, this stranger’s eyes were different. They were calming and enticing all at once and it made me want to keep staring. He wore a pair of black slacks, that fit snugly around his hips, and a maroon colored V-neck sweater over a collared shirt. He was almost half a foot taller than me and honestly, if he said he worked at Abercrombie, I would believe it.
"I'm sorry? I work where?" His grey eyes squinted in confusion.
"Wait... Did I just say that out loud?"
He nodded and I blushed for real this time.
"Sorry, you can just ignore me. I'm just a little sick and when I'm sick, I tend to say stupid shit. Like this one time, I was chatting with my best friend Dee- she's awesome by the way, if you get a chance to meet her, you'd know what I'm talking about. Anyways, once when I was with her getting frozen yogurt-“
I paused midsentence realizing I was rambling. If I really did have a fever, I’d need to find Dee right away. I shook my head vigorously, forcing myself to regain control.
"I don't usually ramble. I swear. I’m normally really not very talkative. Really the only times-" I caught myself again.
The Abercrombie model was looking at me, as if I grew a second head, probably because I must have looked like a total idiot. Luckily, I was saved from making an even bigger fool of myself thanks to Dee.
"Maddy!" Dee called out walking toward me, only to almost break into a run when she saw who was behind me.
I knew that look on her face. This guy was her next "kill." Dee spent years perfecting her looks and outward persona to make sure every guy she walked past, would fall to their knees. She had the long blond hair, beautiful blue eyes, and a perfect body. Most of her relationships never really lasted, but that was because they were based solely on lust. I'd like to think of her as the female version of Barney Stinson.
Our friendship is different however, she's like a mother bear and I'm her baby cub. If anyone ever tried to mess with me, they would immediately regret it. Dee and I met in second grade. We became inseparable since the day she traded her Scooby-Doo gummies for my knock-off Dunka-roos.
I turned my head back to the model. He was definitely checking her out. She was wearing a short black mini skirt and a plum turtleneck. A silver-chained belt wrapped around her waist and she wore long black boots that reached past her knees.
"Hey, Dee," I said before accidentally sneezing in her face. Normally she would’ve freaked out, but today, she was obviously trying to impress the stranger behind me, so she just shrugged it off.
"Who’s your new friend?" She said eyeing him up and down as a lion would to a baby gazelle.
"Oh him?" I said pointing to his chest. "Yeah, we’re not really friends. We just met actually. Well, I kind of bumped into him because I wasn’t looking where I was going. I don't even know his name."
"Damn, what did you do to him?” Dee narrowed her gaze at the model. Her motherly instincts were peeking through her persona. “Maddy is never this talkative unless he's drunk, or really sick."
"I didn't do anything to him.” The model jokingly put both hands up in defense. “Maybe he bumped his head when he fell? I'm Greyson by the way."
"Greyson..." Dee and I said in unison. I liked how the name fits perfectly with his eyes. Dee looked at me confused. I looked back at her tilting my head in curiosity.
"Well, I'm Dee, and this is Maddy." Dee looked up at Greyson with her infamous smile.
"Oh, Maddy was telling me about you." Greyson mirrored her expression.
"Really?" She asked looking at me skeptically.
"Yeah, I was.” I shrugged, “I forgot to mention she can dress kind of slutty sometimes, but she's still really awesome."
"Maddy! What the hell!?" Dee snapped. I started backing away, afraid she might attack me. Sometimes, Dee wasn’t like a mother bear and more like an older sibling looking for any excuse to fight.
"Wait, Dee!” I said seeing her sweet disposition turn dark. “No, I'm sick! Please, not today. I'm sorry!"
I tried to run for it but forgot that Greyson was behind me and I bumped into him once more. This time he let out an oomph, as air escaped his lungs.
I jumped away from him and apologized profusely, as Dee tried to recompose herself. "Uh, sorry about my friend.” Dee grabbed my wrist. “He is usually more normal, but it was nice talking to you and I really hope to see you again.”
"Likewise." He said showing off a smile that could outshine Dee’s any day. We started walking away when he spoke up again, "Oh and Maddy, I hope you feel better."
"Thanks," I replied, turning my head back one last time. He grinned at me and I quickly looked away. What a jerk. He was definitely making fun of me. I only took a couple more steps, before getting really dizzy.
"Ugh! Maddy!” Dee began scolding me when we were far enough away. “What the hell was that? Why are you so weird? He was cute to…" Dee was still talking, but her voice sounded muffled and I was more concerned with my fading vision.
"Dee..." I whispered, but she didn't hear me. I grabbed her sleeve, to stop her from walking so fast. "Dee..."
This time she stopped babbling.
"Maddy?" She furrowed her brows at me.
"Dee, I don't feel so good." I mumbled before falling face down on the floor. I closed my eyes as my body quickly shut down.
"What the hell? Maddy!" Dee shouted as she bent down to shake me. I was too tired to do anything but moan in protest.
Somehow, I think she was expecting me to stand up and say, “It's cool people just tripped over this invisible rock.” I smiled at the thought and let sleep overtake me.
The next thing I remembered, was a strong pair of arms lifting me up. Normally, I'd be really embarrassed about this, any guy would be, but his broad chest just felt so warm and comforting. He also smelt quite nice. So, with the last bit of strength I had, I snuggled into the warmth and drifted off in a dreamless sleep.
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