Miss Smarty's Mission

Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

Against my mums word, though I wished it wasn't, I wasn't able to sleep much. The rest of the night consisted of me staring fearfully into the dark with my cover pulled up right over my mouth with thoughts of Xander and relationships running through my mind. My sore throat seemed to be subsiding, but my brain was still in jumbles. No matter how tired I was, I just couldn't put the thoughts to rest. It was like being stuck in a dream that I couldn't escape even though my consciousness knew it was nothing but that- a dream. Well not exactly a dream nor a complete nightmare- a dream-mare, but I was fully awake.

I even tried occupying my thoughts by turning the nightshade on and attempting to read further into Deltora Quest, but alas my thoughts were overtaken by him. It was honestly making me feel stupid. All this time, I thought high school 'love' as nothing but cliche romance that only happened in movies and books. I never thought I'd be experiencing such warm feelings over one person.... but he was no longer just 'a person' and it was driving me crazy. I feared these feelings as much as I loved them.

I ended up tossing and turning until the sun arose over the mountains, allowing sunlight to seep through the windows. My eyes were squinted from the drastic difference in lighting minutes before and it was as though I could physically feel my dark circles around my reddened eyes. For a few days I didn't have to worry about school work, my job at the pub and boys (well 'boy' in particular), and I finally got to clear my head, read and recover. I felt a sense of normalism, both physically and mentally.

Jumping in fright as my phone went off, I looked down at my screen to see a message from Xander complaining about his sore throat. Guilt rushed through me. I never intended to make him sick, technically it wasn't all my fault in the first place. Xander and I had been texting quite regularly since that night, though we didn't bring much up. Just normal conversations and the occasional smart, flirty remark.

I felt a sense of warmth knowing that he was there for me. He was probably the closest thing I had to a best friend.

"Friend?" I sighed to myself as I flipped to another page.

I didn't think of him as a friend anymore. Hopefully, he thought the same, but at the same time I hoped not. I was making everything all too confusing. All I wanted was to see him again.

Heaving a tired sigh, I rose from the centre of the grassy oval and picked up my belongings. I hadn't been able to read in the middle of the oval for a while, since the weather was either too cold or wet during Winter. But luckily, Spring had finally came around the corner. Cherry blossoms were blooming, grass grew a more healthy green and leafy buds were visible on the trees. On the flip side, this also meant allergies, which, unfortunately, I was very prone too. Antihistamine was now my best friend.

I breathed in the sweet, fresh smelling scent of Spring and began my walk to the Johnson household for a quick catch up.

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 "It's so nice to see you." I beamed as Carol pulled me into a friendly hug at her front door.

"Oh I know." Carol chirped. "How are you, sweetie?"

"Good. And you?"

"Oh alright. Xander's been rather unwell lately though."

"That's a shame..." I coughed nervously.

"Yeah... It must be going around the school. Trust Xander to go get himself sick."

"Yeah."

Oh gosh... I felt so awkward. Little did she know that it was me that got him sick. Transmitted through a kiss, that may I add was amazing, but I never intended to get him sick. I smiled lopsidedly at Carol's petite body as she gestured me into the house, but the only reason why I was there was to see how she was going and to get out of my own house that I felt imprisoned in after days of being sick.