When I wake up, I'm freezing. I'm close to shivering as I wrap the comforter tighter around me. Why the hell is it so cold in here?
I look over and see Peter still sleeping, but I glare at him when I see his new electric blanket over him. He got it a couple days ago, but kept complaining that it was too hot to use it. He better not have done what I think he did.
The door opens, and I look to see Orion coming in with an armful of blankets. "Oh, you're up."
"It's kind of hard to sleep when you're freezing your butt off. Why is it so cold in here anyway?"
Orion places the blankets on top of me and wraps me up tight. "A certain someone blasted the AC last night after everyone went to bed. I've been bringing extra blankets to everyone."
I roll my eyes. "Wow. I can't possibly think of who." Now that I'm warmer, I can feel how tired I am.
"It is only seven in the morning. Get some more sleep, and hopefully, it'll get warmer by the time breakfast rolls around." Orion kisses me on the forehead before leaving the room.
I roll over and go to sleep, but when I wake up again, my throat burns. I cough, trying to clear it, and get out of bed. It's only ten thirty, and I yawn, wishing I can go back to sleep, but also knowing I can't. I trudge downstairs, knowing I can make it through the day without any problem.
I stop when I see the decorations in the kitchen.
Okay. Slight problem.
I totally forgot about the party tonight.
Orion told me that the three neighborhoods close by all join together at a lake half an hour away to make one gigantic Fourth of July party, and this year it's this neighborhood in charge of decorations, food, and the huge firework show at the end.
Ever since I was younger, I've always loved fireworks. I don't know why, but I love the colours, the sparks, the loud bangs. There's just something about them.
My throat still burns, so I get a glass of cold water to hopefully help with the pain. Hopefully, if I ignore this problem, it will go away.
I see Lincoln walking down the hallway to the front door carrying a box. "Can I help?" I ask.
He nods to the hall closet. "There's decorations in there. Bring them to the car."
I nod, grab a box from the closet, and follow Lincoln outside to the car.
Along with help from Orion, Sam, and Dev, we get all the decorations in the car.
"Everybody in," Orion says. "We have to unload and decorate when we get there."
Everyone hops in, but I stay put. "Hold on. Let me go get a jacket."
"But it's like a hundred degrees out here!" Sam calls, but I'm already inside. I run up the stairs, into our room, and grab my hoodie. I put it on and then take a shaky breath. I'm freezing cold, and Sam is right. It's sweating hot outside. This isn't good.
By the time I get in the car and we're down the road, my head starts hurting. I rest it against the window in the back seat and close my eyes. I can feel my throat burning every time I swallow, and I'm sweating in my jacket.
"Are you alright, Blythe?" Lincoln asks, looking at me from across the aisle.
I open my eyes and smile at him. "I'm fine. Just tired."
"Did you get enough sleep last night?" Orion asks, glancing back at me from the driver's seat.
"Sorta." I shrug. "Sleeping when it's cold is the best, but there is a limit."
"I'm with Blythe," Dev says. "I couldn't sleep at all because Peter turned the AC up. It was freezing last night. It was so cold I swear that frost covered my blanket this morning."
"It wasn't that cold, Dev. Stop being so dramatic," Sam says and then sighs. "But I agree too. Orion, you have to tell Peter to stop doing that. Tell him to at least wait until winter."
"I'll tell him tonight after the party."
"Where even is Peter?" I ask, realizing that he's not here. "And Jax?"
"They're back at home cooking," Orion says as he slows and turns down into another neighborhood. "They're making food for the party to be dropped off later." He pulls to a stop beside a medium sized lake in the middle of the neighborhood.
I can already see people going around, hanging streamers and lights on the trees, putting together tables for the food, and getting the canons ready to fire the fireworks.
We all pile out, grab the boxes from the back, and join in the people decorating. Lincoln and I put the streamers on the trees because we're two of the tallest here. Sam and Dev get stuck with setting up the tables while Orion goes over to a house close to the lake to talk with the other so-called "leaders" of the party.
The sun is high in the sky, and I'm sweating like crazy, but I also can't help but shiver. I'm freezing still, and everything hurts. Lincoln has asked me three times if I'm okay, and I keep telling him that I'm fine, but I don't think he believes me. He goes off to go find Orion as I finish up the last of the streamers, but as I reach up to tuck it around a branch, my head swims, and I have to close my eyes, so I don't fall over.
I silently groan. I can make it, I tell myself over and over. I can't ruin this party for the others.
"You okay, Blythe?"
"Fine," I immediately say and see Sam standing there.
"You don't look so good."
"Nope. I'm fine. Don't worry about me!" I try to sound more upbeat, but I don't think it's working.
"Okay," Sam says, but he still looks at me weirdly. "Orion says we can head back now." He nods towards the car, and I see it running with Lincoln climbing in. I follow Sam over to the car and climb in behind him.
On the way back to the house, I see each of them giving me looks, but I keep my eyes trained on the world outside the window and try to keep my mind off of my aching body. My throat hurts, my body aches, and I'm pretty sure I have a fever, but I can't ruin this for them.
It's silent on the car ride back, and that's making me get tired. I keep yawning until the car pulls into the driveway. I get out with the others and follow them into the kitchen.
The moment I step in, though, I smell delicious food.
"Welcome back, guys!" Peter says and puts another plate of red, white, and blue cookies down on the table. The kitchen table is covered in cookies, brownies, cupcakes, and cake. All red, white, and blue themed of course. The kitchen island is covered in hot dogs, hamburgers, coleslaw, baked beans, and potato salad. It reminds me of a full blown cookout.
"You guys made all of this?" I ask, and Peter bounces over to the oven to put something in.
"Yep. I love to bake, and Jax loves to cook, so we make a pretty epic team. The rest of the food should be ready in a couple more hours."
"There's going to be more?"
"Of course. Hundreds of people come to this party. You would have to be dead to miss this thing. It's a sight to behold," Peter says. "And it'll be your first! Which is amazing in itself. Oh, I can't wait to show you the cookies this one grandmother makes. They're snickerdoodles, right, but they're the best snickerdoodle cookies I've ever had, ever."
Dev laughs. "Yeah. Remember two years ago when you ate so many that you got sick?" He wipes a tear from his eye. "Good times."
Peter sticks his tongue out at Dev. "And then the fireworks! They make a great show every year. I am so excited to see them this year."
"Move peoples," Jax shouts and opens the oven. He sticks a toothpick into the cake and pulls it out. "Peter, your cake is done."
"Oh yay." He bounces over to get it out while Jax tries getting to the fridge.
"Okay, everyone out!" he says. "I cannot work with you guys crowding up the kitchen. We'll be done in a couple hours. Go watch a movie or something until then."
We all leave, and it occurs to me then that I probably shouldn't have been near the food. I shrug it off though and go into the den with the others. Someone turns the tv on, and I get settled in my spot on the couch. I lay my head to the side when I start getting tired, and eventually, I fall asleep.
I jerk awake, the faint remembrance of my name being called haunts my mind. The only reason I know it's not from a dream is because my heart is racing a thousand miles a minute, and I'm shaking. Adrenaline courses through my system, making my eyes water.
"Are you okay, Blythe?"
I look around and only now realize that the sun is setting and everything hurts. I lay back down and close my eyes, ignoring Sam's questions and trying not to let my tears spill.
I don't succeed.
Silent tears run down my cheeks as I put my arm over my eyes to stop anyone from seeing.
I fail at that too. "Blythe?" Sam asks quietly and comes over to kneel on the floor next to the couch. He touches my arm. "You're shaking."
My arms feel like jelly.
"Did you have a nightmare? You've been sleeping since this afternoon."
I don't want to open my mouth because then I might start sobbing, but I don't know. I remember dreaming. But someone called my name. I think. Was it mom? Or was it someone else?
Sam doesn't take my silence well and places his hand on my arm. "Blythe? Are you feeling well?"
That I shake my head to. My entire body hurts, and I can't keep up this ruse.
"Can you move your arm from your head? I need to check your temperature."
I see no problem in that, so I gently move my arm from my eyes to my stomach and finally look at Sam.
He places his hand on my forehead, and then my cheeks, before drawing back. "You're burning up. What hurts?"
"Everything," I mumble, exhausted.
"You definitely have a fever. Are you hungry at all?"
I shake my head.
"Then I recommend some sleep. I'll help you up to your room."
I nod. My heart has finally stopped thrumming in my chest, but I'm so awake now that I don't think I could fall back asleep. Either way, I grab Sam's hand, and he helps me get up the stairs. I wrap the blanket tighter around me and get into bed. Sam tucks me in and sits down.
"I'll have Jax make you some of his soup tomorrow. Will you be okay here by yourself tonight?"
I look away. "I'm sorry."
"What are you sorry for?"
"For getting sick. I ruined your guys' night. And Peter was so excited to show me everything too."
"Blythe, you didn't ruin anyone's night. You can't help getting sick. Why don't we stay here with you tonight? We could watch How To Train Your Dragon?"
I shake my head before he even finishes. "No. You guys go. Don't worry about me. I'll just miss it tonight." I'm used to being left out anyway, but I don't say that. I don't want Sam to feel bad.
"Okay," he says and gets up. "But if you need anything, don't hesitate to call us. We'll come rushing back home."
I nod.
"Get some sleep, Blythe." He leans over and kisses me on the forehead. "I'll try to sneak you a cookie." He smiles, and then he's gone.
I hear the car start a few moments later, and then I hear them driving away. I roll over in bed, looking away from the window, and curl up tighter in the comforter. I cough and groan in pain.
Everything hurts.
I eventually go back to sleep, but it's more of a foggy sleep, and when I open my eyes again, it doesn't feel like I slept at all.
I always hated getting left behind. It's always been one of my fears—getting left behind and forgotten. Every time I think about it, it makes me sad and anxious.
And then I think back to all the times when mom, dad, Colt, Cody, and Collin would leave in the mornings to go get breakfast, leaving me at home, and they wouldn't get back until after one. Then I would have to sit around the table and listen to them share their moments and their inside jokes with a fake smile on my face.
I guess this time won't be any different.
A knock sounds at my door, and it startles me so much that I almost fall out of bed. My heart pounds against my chest. I sit up and pull the blanket up to my chin. Maybe Peter left something behind, and he came back to get it? I think to myself, trying to rationalize this. "Yeah?" I call out.
"I'm coming in," Jax says and opens the door. He smiles when he sees me.
"What are you doing here? You scared the crap out of me." I wave my hand around. "You shouldn't be here. You could get sick."
"I'm taking you downstairs." He grabs a blanket from the bottom of the bed and wraps it around my shoulders.
I gently push it off my shoulders. "I really don't feel good, Jax, and I don't want to ruin your night. You should be having fun at the party."
He puts the blanket back on my shoulders. "Oh, shut it." He puts his hand around my back and under my knees and picks me up with the ease of an arrow flying through the air. Wrapped up in two blankets, I put my arms around his neck and lay my head on his shoulder, not having enough energy to hold it up.
"You're gonna get sick," I tell him, but he doesn't answer. He just heads downstairs. I have no idea where he's taking me because everyone else is at the lake. He takes me through the kitchen and down the basement steps. Why would we be going down here?
But then I hear voices.
We round a corner, and I look up right as everyone looks my way with smiles on their faces. "What are you guys doing here?" I ask, bewildered.
"Well, since you couldn't come to the party because you're sick, we decided to bring the party to you," Sam says. Pillows and blankets are strewn all over an empty part of the basement. A black box sits in the middle of the room, and the others are sitting around it. A tiny table stands in the corner with a big pot on it.
"Yeah!" Peter jumps up and runs towards me. "We didn't want you to feel left out."
Just those words alone makes my heart burst with happiness. "I don't know what to say." I feel like a thank you wouldn't be enough.
"Don't say anything. Just get over here and relax," Dev says, and Jax walks over to him and places me on the ground beside him. I lay my head on his shoulder because I'm too tired to hold it up myself.
Jax comes back over with a cup of steaming hot soup. "It's my famous get-better-soon chicken noodle soup."
I take it from him, and it warms my hands. "Thanks."
The others sit down around the black box and start talking, but I just sit there and smile.
They came back for me. They do want me.
Maybe this place is different than what I'm used to.
Orion comes down and holds up two batteries. "Found them." He puts them in the black box and pushes a button. Projected fireworks dance across the ceiling, and I look at it in amazement.
It may not be the real thing, but it's still amazing.
"Thank you," I say as I feel something overpowering the fear buried in me.