Two Of A Kind || Lee Heeseung

48 ¦ It's Going To Be Okay

Even the following days I didn't really feel better and I still woke up constantly at night. In the last three days I had eaten only two slices of bread and my limbs hurt so much that I could hardly move.

On Monday our family doctor had come and diagnosed a severe flu. For the whole week and two more days after that I had been put on sick leave. In addition, I was to sleep and drink as much as possible, although I was already doing the former anyway.

It was already Wednesday and, because I felt better in the morning, I had decided to do something for school. My mom didn't think it was a good idea, but I wanted to catch up on the school material I had missed in time.

However, I quickly realized that e had not been such a good idea after all, because after only half an hour, the rest of my concentration wore off and I only felt worse than before. So I went back to bed and when my mom came home she made me some soup, which I ate completely.

I hadn't heard from Jay in a long time, but that night I had severe fever dreams in which he yelled at me and called me names, as a slut and a whore. I eventually woke up with a scream of terror that would have awakened Mom and Lewis as well, but they had both gone to the theater that evening and I assumed it would be late at their house.

I turned to the side and wiped the tears from my cheeks, but immediately after they were replaced by new ones. My head hurt so badly that I winced and felt nauseous. I struggled to get out of bed.

Dizzy, I groped for the switch for my bedside lamp and flicked it on. My skull throbbed as the light reached my eyes. Carefully, I sat down at the edge of the bed and then stumbled to the window. I was hot and my clothes were soaked through with sweat.I had never felt so bad in my life.

Without thinking about it, I stood against the fresh wind, having to brace myself against the window frame because I felt like my legs weren't carrying me properly. Nausea rose in me again. I felt my way along the wall, to the door that led to my bathroom.

With the last of my strength, I managed to bend over the toilet bowl. I squatted on the floor in front of it and coughed, retching. Tears welled up again and I began to sob.

Suddenly, I heard a thump coming from my room and startled, I sat up. I grabbed some toilet paper and wiped my mouth, then scrambled to my feet, using the bathtub wall behind me for support.

Waiting, I looked toward the door, would have liked to take a step in that direction, but the bathtub behind me, was the only thing preventing me from falling over. Suddenly I heard a voice, but I didn't recognize what it said, and then the bathroom door swung open.

"Clara?" I heard the voice and a moment later Heeseung appeared in the doorway. I made a startled sound, but then slowly relaxed again. However, with the tension, the adrenaline also gave way from my body. I felt my legs give way and I sank to the floor.

Within a second, Heeseung was with me and put his arm around me. "Oh, God, what's wrong with you?" He looked at me worriedly, but my gaze blurred so I couldn't return it.

Heeseung bent over me a little and put a hand to my cheek to turn my head towards him. The hand felt warm, and exhausted, I let my head sink onto it. "You're burning." He groped at my forehead, which was damp with sweat. My clothes were sticking to my body and I should have been uncomfortable with him seeing me like this, but at that moment, I was just glad I wasn't alone.

I felt my head tilt to the side and I slowly slipped away, into the realm of dreams. "Clara." He slapped his hand lightly against my cheek "Clara, you need to stay awake. Clara. Where's your mom?" I struggled to keep my eyes open and shook my head "Not.... At home..." I groaned exhaustedly. "Okay." He looked around and his eyes fell on the shower.