As I laid in bed, wishing to fall back to sleep in the early morning, my stomach lurched. Without wasting a moment, I ran to the bathroom and lost what was left in my stomach. I had already spent most of the night in here so I couldn't image there was anything else to purge from my stomach.
"Nojo, are you ready in there?" dad asked as he knocked on the bathroom door as I flushed the toilet.
I wiped my mouth before I dry heaved. There was no way I could go to the match in Toledo when I could barely leave the bathroom without running back in. "Can you just go without me, I don't think I can go."
"Are you ok?"
I shook my head, I wasn't ok. But I knew food poisoning when I saw it. This was nothing but a case of a bad meal from yesterday. I would feel better in no time. I just needed 24 hours for this to run its course. "No, I think I ate something terrible. I won't be much help out there."
"Ok, your mom is out for the day but if you need anything, shoot us a text. Toledo isn't too far, and I'll be back by Sunday."
I flushed the toilet. "Sounds good."
"Please keep me posted on how you're feeling throughout the day."
"I will," I said as I stood up from the floor and opened the door to see dad dressed and ready to go. If I was actually feeling good, I would look like him, ready to drive up to Toledo for the game. I felt more disappointed than I thought I would.
"Are you sure you'll be ok."
I nodded with a smile, trying to ease his mind. It's not like he could stay here with me anyhow. I was adult anyhow, I could watch out for myself. Sometimes my parents forgot that since I still lived with them.
"I'll be fine. Don't worry." I forced a smile at him even though my stomach wouldn't stop withering in pain. "Just tell all the guy's good luck for me."
He nodded. "They will miss you."
And I would actually miss them. After I made my mind about going, this match was all I thought about. I reviewed the plays and this time I would be ready for the game and hopefully be better aware of what to expect. "Now, go, I'll be ok," I said to him as my stomach lurched again.
"Call if you need anything."
I nodded as I ran to the toilet to gag, shutting door behind me.
"Ok, well Nora," dad paused. "I'm heading out. I'll let your mom know you're not coming with me."
"Thanks! Bye! Love you!" I said, then spit out foul smelling liquid from my mouth.
I heard dad walked down the stairs and a minute later the garage door opened and closed, telling me he left. As I sat on the ground, I couldn't help but feel disappointed. Just when I decided to go to the game, this happens. I hadn't felt this sick in years, but something told me I would feel like this all day long. Tad should know from me before he found out from dad. I at least owed it to him to let him know why I wouldn't be joining them this weekend. I picked up my phone and quickly sent him a message, hoping he wouldn't freak out. "Please don't hate me."
"What did you do?" -Tad
He responded almost instantly, making wonder if he was on the bus already. I gagged over the toilet even though there wasn't anything left in my stomach to purge. "I got food poisoning. Been sick all night long so I can't go to the game this weekend."
"NooOoOo, I was really looking forward to sitting with you on the bus. Now I don't know what to do." - Tad
"You'll survive. I'll be at the next game though, promise," I texted him back.
"You better be there. But I'll keep you updated over the weekend just in case you miss anything special." - Tad
We both knew what he meant by special, and it wasn't related to the plays. "You're the best."
"I know I am. But please feel better soon! I'll miss you." - Tad
A smile crossed my face as I reread the message. He missed me. That meant we were real friends. "I'll miss you too." With that, I got up from the floor and slowly shuffled my feet back to my room, hoping I wouldn't have to run to the toilet soon.
I snuggled into my bed and pulled the blankets around my body as I shivered. Since I barely slept at all during the night, it took me only a second to fall back to sleep.
By the time I opened my eyes again, I had at least five messages from Tad. It was only midafternoon, but he wasted no time giving me all the tea. I rubbed my eyes to clear my fuzzy vision and read the messages.
<>
"Wishing you were here." - Tad
The photo attached was a group photo in front of the bus.
The next item sent was a video which I played, watching Tad go around the bus full of guys talking about me.
"So, tell the camera what you just said Shelly," Tad's voice rang out as the camera pointed towards Shelly who sat on the bus.
He smiled at the camera. "I wish Nora was here. It's not the same without her."
"I can second that," Ethan said as he popped his head over a seat behind Shelly's.
"I would echo that as well. Nora, you are amazing. Feel better soon," Rick said with a smile as he took the camera away from Tad.
Tad quickly took the camera back and flipped it over to Everett. "Everett, have anything to say?" Tad asked.
Everett looked at the camera and frowned, furrowing his eyebrows in silence. His eyes were dark, unreadable, and the evidence of his scuffle with Charles was quickly fading. By next week, it probably would be completely healed.
Tad waited a second before flipping the camera back to himself. "Everett misses you too. He's just a man of few words, you know how it is. Anyhow, we miss you and hope to see you soon."
With that, the video ended.
"Everett misses you. He might not say it but I can see it." - Tad
But the thing was, Tad was confusing hate for missing. Everett probably hated me after I said nothing. Now it was his turn to say nothing to me, and to be honest, that upset me more than I wanted to admit. My insides curled in pain, but this time it wasn't because of the food poisoning. I knew as soon as he drove away that night, I made a mistake and now I wasn't sure if there was a way to make it better.
"Looks like a fun drive. Thanks for the photos. I'm bummed I'm not here," I texted Tad as I felt my stomach lurch.
I jumped out of bed and ran into the bathroom again, losing stomach acid in the toilet. My throat burnt as I sat on the floor, wishing sleep would take hold of me.
By time I found the strength to stand, chills wracked my body.
Forcing myself forward, I poured some orange juice. Almost instantly, those chills were replaced by extreme heat. I put the glass of orange juice up to my cheek to cool me off, then downed it, hoping I wouldn't throw it up.
Distracting me was a text from my phone which I looked at almost instantly.
"Heyo! Dad here. How are you?" - Dad
I responded quickly so he wouldn't worry. He had a game to focus on, his food poisoned daughter should be the least of his concerns.
My phone buzzed again with a text from mom telling me she was on her way home and asked if I wanted anything. I responded telling her there was nothing I needed.
When mom came home, she found me sitting on the couch, shivering with blankets wrapped around my shoulders.
The sun was starting to set and over the course of the day, I managed to throw up everything that went down my throat, including water. I was starting to believe this wasn't food poisoning but the flu.
Mom looked at me with worry clear on her face. Her suit coat told me that her errands involved more legal activities than what a normal errand run would be. "How are you feeling?"
Like death, but I didn't want to be dramatic. "This isn't food poisoning. I think I have the flu."
She nodded with a frown. "Have you eaten anything at all today?"
I shook my head. "Haven't been able to keep anything down."
Her frown deepened. "How about water?"
I shook my head as I thought about how it all went through me almost instantly. "Not even water."
"I'm going to take your temperature," she said as she disappeared into the house, only to return a second later with a thermometer in hand.
"So, how were your errands?"
She sighed as she placed the thermometer in my mouth. "Tiring. Your father gets stressed with the social events and outings, so I step in place for him. But I didn't expect to be gone all day." She took the thermometer out as it beeped. "102.9... Nora... that's high. Have you taken anything for this?"
I shook my head. I had barely enough energy to get to the bathroom, there was no energy in me to find medicine.
"Don't worry, I'll get some for you. But Nora, if this doesn't clear by tomorrow...."
I frowned, knowing what she was implying. "Well, let's hope it goes away by tomorrow."
She nodded as she cupped my cheek, then left to find medication.