365 Days

248

248

I spent almost all of yesterday in bed with the exception of seeking Mum out to talk her into letting me go to school today. Dr. Patrick had told us that I could but it would be smarter if I stayed home until Friday, but I've been bored out of my mind. And I'm dying anyway, what difference does it make?

Long story short, I'm going to school. And like every school morning for the past three months I awake to the brown-eyed boy I call my friend. I feel like I should be self-conscious about the school's player watching me sleep, or being present while I'm unconscious, but I'm not. I don't care what he thinks of me.

I have one eye open and the other squeezed shut as I look at Alex. He's lying on his back with his eyes fluttering open and closed. His hand ruffles his dark hair in an action that I find very attractive, before he rolls on his side and grins. "Caught you."

My cheeks flush and I roll so that my face is to the ceiling. I don't dare to look at him. "Caught me? Doing what?"

"Checking me out," he says with confidence. I was checking him out but there is no way I'm about to feed that ego of his.

"I was actually just checking to see if the creepy eighteen year old was here."

"Is that why your cheeks are as red as a firetruck?"

I look at him and glare. His faces changes to one of fear as he gasps. "Oh my God. Not the death stare. Can't. Breathe," he makes a grab for his throat dramatically and flails about.

I try to keep my glare instead of replacing it with a laugh. That wouldn't go well for my stomach or Alex's ego. "Good."

His face grows mischievous and I know exactly what is running through his mind, so I run away. Well, figuratively. I get out of bed as fast as I can without upsetting my stomach (it's always more sensitive in the morning), but his arm wraps around my waist and pulls me back down gently.

"Let go," I groan, trying to get of his grip. He simply wraps both of his arms around my waist and puts one of his legs on top of mine so that I can't escape. I feel him rest his head on top of mine and for a moment I think hmm, this is comfortable before I snap out of it.

"Aleeeeex," I try again, but this time there is a knock on the door.

"Wakey wak - woah. Guys, really? This early?" Olive opens the door with the biggest grin on her face, mixed with a tinge of surprise.

"Shut up. He won't let me go."

"She's all over me, I can't get rid of her."

Olive laughs at our comments before rolling her eyes. "Yeah right, Alex. Let her go. I don't care what you two do in your own time but right now it's my time you're wasting and the only one not ready here is Dakota."

Then she turns to me. "Hurry, will you? We're going to be late."

Alex sighs before reluctantly rolling off me. I shove him hard so that he falls off the bed, before snatching my clothes up and moving to the bathroom. I follow the usual school morning routine and we are at school in no time.

The first half of the day goes by in a flash until it gets to lunch and Beckett and Lacey are waiting at my locker. They are deep in conversation with their heads inclined towards each other. Beckett is looking down at her with eyes so filled with love, while Lacey looks positively infatuated. I smile at them as I open my locker.

They both become quiet after greeting me, hesitating. I pinch my light hoodie from my bag and shut my locker, shrugging on the jumper.

"What is it?" I ask, my voice cautious. The hall has cleared already so we walk down the middle, three abreast.