The Rose and The White Lotus

Chapter 4: Immature

Immature

4.

When I wake up, I'm back in bed. I smile weakly because it must have

been a dream. Then I remember I don't take naps and Le leans over and

puts a wet cloth on my forehead.

"Alex? Are you ok?" He asks worried.

"Uh . . ." Is all I hear myself say.

"You fainted, Ally," I hear Jake say. He sounds so far away but he's

leaned over me.

"Thank you Captain Obvious. I think we all know she fainted," scowls Le.

"Well last time I checked you're the one who caused the problem," he

says with displeasure.

"What? How is this my fault again?" asks Le.

"Well first of all she has been through a lot today then I was going to

take her out to dinner. That's when you come along and put more stress

on her by asking her out to dinner."

"What? Well how was I sapposed to know she was going out with you,"

yells Le.

"I'm . . . not going out . . . Out with Jake," I hear myself mumble.

They both look at me with worried eyes.

"See? Your just plain bad luck, Le," complains Jake.

Le stands up and grabs Jake by the collar. He dangles Jake a good 6

inches off the ground.

"I should have let that kid beat your geeky ass up on the bus."

Jake struggles but Le has a good grasp. Since he's Japanese, he must

know Kung Fu or something.

"I'm not . . . A geek," he argues.

Le slams him against the wall to the left of me and holds his fist up to

knock the living daylight out of Jake. I struggle out of bed and almost trip

on the covers that are now wrapped around my leg.

"Le . . ., "I say and rest my hand on his fist. He lowers it and places

Jake on the ground lightly.

"Sorry," he whispers and looks into my eyes. I look at Jake and he's

staitening his collar.

"You're so . . .," begins Jake. I hold up my hand in reproach.

I look out my window and see the streetlights coming on.

"It's late. We should get some rest for school tomorrow," I say solemnly.

"Sounds good to me," says Jake with a sigh.

"Okay," Le says calmly.

* * *

The next day I shuffle down the stairs in my robe. My throat hurts, I

feel crummy, and I think I started today because I feel a sudden urge to

have Coco Puffs. I plop down on the counter chairs and poor a full bowl of

Coco Puffs. I don't bother pooring milk and eat it raw.

My mom shuffles down the stairs with dark rings under her eyes. That's

another thing I like about my mom. When I feel crummy, so does she. We