Breath of Life -- 2021 Version

Chapter Four

My throat was raw most of the weekend. It wasn't as if there was still water in my lungs, but because I coughed so much, my throat was itchy and made me cough more. By Monday, my throat finally was starting to feel better, but it still hurt. My voice was still raspy. My mother stocked me with cough drops and advised me that I should tell people I must have come into contact with someone who had a cold.

Tyler was quiet all weekend and barely looked me in the eye. Any time he did, he was quick to cast his apologetic eyes away. He felt responsible. On the way into school, he trailed behind me.

I stopped and turned around to face him. "Look at me." My hoarse voice said and Tyler took a moment before reluctantly making eye contact. "I am okay." I enunciated each word to make it clear.

"I should have-"

"No, Ty. This is on me. I was supposed to remember to take the makeup off in the car before we went inside. I chose to put the makeup on, it was my responsibility to remember to take it off." I rubbed my sore throat and grabbed a cough drop from my bag and popped it into my mouth.

I wrapped my arm around his shoulders. "This is not your fault." I whispered into his ear and walked us into the school.

Despite my words, I knew Tyler still felt a sense of responsibility. I hoped though, the feeling would go away soon. None of our situation, or what happened to me, was Tyler's fault.

As I approached my locker, Brett, Brad and Jenny approached. "Jessie!" Jenny hugged my side. I smiled and awkwardly hugged her back. "I have a favor to ask." She said as she stepped back. "Can I leave my calculus book in your locker? It's so much closer to get it from yours. Mine is on the other side of the building by the enviro-science classroom. You can stash your enviro-science book in that one?" She offered. "Brett already does." She pointed her thumb at Brett, who was unusually quiet.

I nodded, "Deal." I barely got the word out.

Her eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Are you okay?"

I nodded again, "maybe a cold?"

"Damn, that sucks." Brad interjected. "It's only September!"

"I hope you feel better, that sounds bad." Jenny added.

I nodded in agreement as Jenny put her calculus book in my locker. She grabbed my environmental science textbook. "I'll put this into my locker." She pulled out a piece of paper and wrote down her locker number and combination before handing it to me. I did the same and handed it to her. "You're the best." She gave me an award-winning smile before she waved goodbye to all of us.

"Later, Brett!" Brad and Brett exchanged a fist bump before Brad dragged me to our first class.

I cleared my throat, "Is he okay?"

"Who, Brett?" Brad responded. "I'm sure he's fine. He would tell me otherwise. He's probably just in his own head today. Nothing to worry about."

After English literature, I dropped my book off and headed for Jenny's locker. Brett was already leaning against it with two books in his arms. As I drew near, he held out one of the books to me. I took it and followed him into the classroom.

I sat down at a table and Brett sat down next to me. He was kind enough to sit next to me on the first day so I wasn't alone. There wasn't assigned seating in this particular class, but we kept sitting next to each other. It was Brett's doing, not mine. He followed me to sit next to me.

While we were pulling out notebooks, preparing ourselves for the class, Brett pulled out a thermos and handed it to me.

"It's green tea. It'll help your throat."