Double Trouble

Just a Cold

California's POV

Excited voices echoed in the hallway outside my room. I briefly considered investigating the noise, but decided against it. If it was important, I'd find out eventually.

The door swung open and slammed against the wall and Annie burst in.

"CAL!" She screamed.

I closed my eyes and sunk deeper into my bed. "What?" I groaned.

"Guess what happened!" Her loud, excited voice reverberated in my head, making my headache so much worse.

I took my pillow from under my head and without closing my eyes, threw it in the direction of her voice.

Something smashed and my eyes snapped open. Annie was looking down at something on the floor. "Why'd you break the lamp?

I sighed and sat up. "What is it?"

Her eyes lit up with excitement again. "The cast for Grease was chosen!"

Even through my throbbing headache, this piqued my interest. "And?"

"Well... You're Rizzo!"

I squealed, my headache completely forgotten. "Oh my holy gosh!"

Annie nodded enthusiastically. "And Gary Vance is Kinickie..." She whispered.

I felt a a red wave of heat creep over my cheeks. "Really?"

"Yeah! Wait, are you okay? You look a bit... Flushed."

I shook my head. Annie ran over and put her hand on my forehead. "God, Cal! You're burning! How did you even manage to audition?"

I don't even know. I'd forced myself out of bed and dragged my aching body to the auditorium early in the morning, at the very beginning of the auditions. I had sung really quickly and read a few lines, trying to do my best even though my head was pounding, my bones were weak and my nose refused to breathe.

Mr Simpson had nodded and told me to go straight back to bed, which I did gratefully. It was a miracle that I'd gotten such a major role.

"Who's... Sandy?" I gasped. The room blurred and Annie flitted in and out focus.

"Val." Annie said bluntly. "Cal, you're not okay, let me get the nurse or someone."

"Good... For her." I managed, before everything turned black and darkness overcame me.

"She was red and sweaty, she's been in bed all day."

"She managed to come audition for me this morning; she's a trooper, this one."

"I thought she was mad at me, but she was sick!" I recognised Val's voice shrieking.

Someone murmured comforting words to her, and her breathing settled. "I'm a horrible friend." She said.

I tried to move and tell her she was wrong. Someone must have noticed me, because they started speaking to me. "California? California, love, you need to wake up and eat."

Eat?

I peeled my eyes open. They were stuck together with that gloopy substance you get from sleep.

Someone flung their arms around me. "Oh God, Cal, I thought you were going to die!" Val cried.

"Valerie, don't be ridiculous." Mrs Fernwick said. She smiled down at me. "She has a bad cold, that's all. You are very dramatic. I see how you got that lead role." She laughed at her own little joke, but everyone else in the room just watched her. "Get it? Dramatic?"

Mr Simpson shook his head at her slowly. I took a look around and examined the people surrounding me on my deathbed. Val, Annie, Mrs Fernwick, Mr Simpson, Flynn, Gary and a small child.

"Who's that?" I rasped, pointing at the little girl.

"Hi, I'm Matilda!" She said, beaming.

"Mrs Fernwick's daughter," Val supplied to me in a whisper. "You met her on your first day."

Understanding dawned on me as I studied the little girl more closely. She had the same mousy brown hair as her mother, and the same happy features. She also had stunningly golden eyes that seemed familiar. I shook my head; it was probably the fever talking.

"What did you say was wrong with me?" I asked.

Mr Simpson answered. "It's just a bad cold, Cal. Or should I say... Rizzo!" He gestured towards me like he was revealing a piece of artwork.

I nodded and forced a smile. "Yeah, wow. That's really cool." I turned to Val. "And you're Sandy! That's so great! Really, that's just awesome. Really, really good."

Val stared at me cautiously, her golden eyes striking. Golden?

"Well, we'll leave you to it then. The nurse said you'll have to stay in bed for a while, so you might miss the first few rehearsals. Okay? Buh-bye!" Mrs Fernwick skipped out of the room. Her daughter imitated her, and Mr Simpson danced slowly after them.

I was left with Val, Flynn and Gary. Gary?! I patted my hair down self-consciously, hoping that I didn't look too bad, even with a cold.

"You're fine," Gary said, putting his hand on mine and pulling it away from my desperate attempt to look vaguely nice. "You look beautiful."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Riiight." I said slowly.

He kissed my forehead, and brushed a strand of hair out of my eyes to hide the action. "Me and Flynn have got to get back, but we'll see you at rehearsals. Feel better."

I smiled at him as they left the room. Flynn kissed Val's cheek lightly before the two boys turned and left.

"So, Sandy, hey? That's real good. Congrats." I said, turning my head into my pillow.

"I know! And Flynn's Danny, so we'll be together the whole time! Did you see him kiss me! Oh my God! And guess what? On our date, while you were with Gary, he told me he'd liked me since grade four!" Her voice steadily raised in volume.

I put my hands over my ears. "Val."

"What? Oh, and did I tell you that we both like the Hunger Games? And we were almost late back, and-"

"Shut. Up."

Val looked at me, hurt evident in her big eyes. "What?"

"Just- oh God, don't cry."

Big tears had started rolling down her cheeks. "I just wanted to tell you about my date! We're going on another one soon, and he kissed me, but you don't care!" She sobbed loudly.

I pulled my blankets over my head to block out her wailing. She had the lead role, and her head wasn't threatening to burst in pain, but she felt like she had the right to cry? Quality best friend material right here.

"Val, just get out." I said under the covers. She didn't hear my muffled voice, so I threw the blankets off and stood up.

The walls spun and I swayed unsteadily on my feet. "Ooh,"

"Cal!" Val screamed, finally noticing me. She tried to lift me up, but she was too small to help, so she just pushed me backwards onto the bed. "Sorry," she whispered, but my eyes were already closing.

Written by Ansel