"Alright then little dude, here we are."
Papa grinned as he pulled onto the curb with a harsh jolt. He drove with a carelessness that was kind of scary sometimes, he'd had more tickets than anyone else I knew. Really, he was lucky to still have his license.
I pulled a face when I realised what he'd said.
"Papa I'm not a little dude, I'm fifteen, and almost taller than you," I said, raising an eyebrow and chuckling a little at the unimpressed look on his face when I brought up his little height issue.
Honestly, he wasn't that short, not really, just in comparison to Dad. It was a good way to wind him up though.
My stomach stirred uneasily as it had been on and off all morning. It was a bit achy so I figured maybe I'd slept on my front all night, or not eaten enough. It wasn't that bad and I didn't think too much of it.
Anyway, as I'd said, I was fifteen and I could definitely deal with a little stomachache on my own.
"Well, that was hurtful." Papa frowned playfully, "don't expect me to feed you tonight."
I rolled my eyes and opened the door as I grabbed my bag off the floor. I didn't have a locker so it was full of my books and as heavy as hell.
My gut protested quietly as I got out of the car and it must've shown on my face because Papa stopped me before I could get any further.
"You okay, Jakey? Have you hurt yourself?"
He cocked his head slightly, worry-filled eyes trained straight on me.
I waved it off as casually as I could, "I'm fine Papa, nothing major."
The bell was due in five minutes and it was my turn to copy the homework so I was in a bit of a rush.
"You sure?" He asked doubtfully, not looking overly convinced.
"Absolutely." I nodded as I slung my bag onto my shoulders. "I've gotta go Papa, have a good day at the studio, I'll catch you later."
I smiled widely and waved before setting off at a quick pace. I had Maths first and Mr Moore wasn't exactly what you would call lenient when it came to handing in homework.
My best mates Benji and Rhys were outside the classroom already, chatting animatedly and looking far too excited to be at school.
"Hey! It's the main man, Jake!" Rhys yelled when he saw me getting close. His booming voice drew all the attention as always.
"Homework," I said, panting a little. It had been a brisk walk and I found that I was sweating a bit and feeling warm. I really needed to work on my fitness.
Benji held it out for me to take, "yep, it's all here."
The two of us took turns doing the homework to save time and patience, it would be even better if Rhys could be part of it too but he was in the year above and not in any of mine or Benji's classes.
I hurriedly took my book out of my bag and copied down all the answers, scribbling the numbers all over the place. I'd probably feel bad about it and rewrite it out again later but there wasn't enough time for tidiness now.
The bell rung moments after I finished and I sighed in relief as I handed Benji's book back.
Rhys grinned and disappeared into the swarm of students rushing through the hallway. "Well, I'll catch you guys later," he called.
A couple pushed past us and into the classroom. I followed Benji in after them and we sat down in our usual seats at the back of the class. It wasn't about being 'naughty kids' or not wanting to be seen messing around, it was because there was a weirdly large amount of kids in our class with glasses or just shitty eyesight so they sat in the front so they could see the board.
The teacher who came in five minutes later was not Mr Moore. Not even close. It was an elderly lady, maybe sixty or so, with charismatic blue glasses and crocs on her feet.
"Hello children, Mr Moore is away today so I will be relieving for your lesson."
She stood completely still at the front of the room and spoke with her head high in a voice that was almost loud enough to pull the building down, "my name is Mrs Gallivant, and I'm sorry to ask, but what subject is this?"
"Maths," some kid up the front muttered, I think her name was Hollie, or something starting with an H. I've always sucked with names.
"Maths? Oh god I am absolutely terrible at maths!" she shrieked, making me wince. Her voice was already giving me a headache and she'd hardly said fifty words.
"Will any of you say anything if I just put a movie on? I can't teach you guys maths!"
The class erupted into cheers at the word movie and she was everyone's favourite substitute just like that.
I guess the whole rushing to copy the homework thing was completely unnecessary.
Mrs Gallivant walked straight up to me, stopping right by my desk. I must've looked approachable.
"Any suggestions?" she asked me, her high pitched voice echoing through my head.
My stomach rolled again and I wasn't sure if it was because of the intensity of her perfume or something else.
"Fast and furious!" Benji whisper yelled from next to me, his voice leaking excitement. He had an obsession with the franchise at the moment and I was 80 percent sure he was in love with Vin Diesel.
"Fast and furious," I replied to Mrs Gallivant, knowing that Benji would probably behead me if I said anything different.
"Okay, sounds good, I'll put it on right away."
She nodded and strutted away. Maybe strutted wasn't the right word, crocs and strutting didn't really fit together.
A few minutes and technical difficulties later the curtains were closed and the movie finally started. It was a crappy cam copy Mrs Gallivant had found on some dodgy looking website but no one seemed to mind all that much, anything was better than doing maths.
I slouched in my seat as Benji dug a bag of chips out of his bag. Mrs Gallivant glanced over when he opened them but just smiled, not telling him off or anything.
Half way through the period I found my hands inching towards my stomach as it groaned and clenched painfully, much more forcefully than it had been earlier.
I stuck my hands in the pocket of my hoodie so that I could hold it less suspiciously.
Maybe I was sick, and maybe it hadn't been the brightest idea keeping it to myself this morning. I really hoped it wasn't some type of stomach flu, there wasn't anything worse for a person's confidence than throwing up in class.
It definitely hurt bad, sharp and long cramps that made me want to curl up in a ball and go to sleep until it stopped. The movie on the projector made my head pulse and by the time the period ended and the lights were turned back on I was hosting a rough headache and stomachache and judging by the harsh shivers that kept rattling through me, a fever.
Benji turned to offer me a chip and frowned in confusion.
"What happened?"
"What?" I asked groggily. I felt droopy and heavy, sleepy.
"You look like shit Jake, you didn't look like that when you got here," he explained, leaning closer to observe further.
I rubbed at my stomach uncomfortably, "I think I'm sick. . ."
"I think you're right. You look like we should be planning your funeral."
Benji darted forward and touched my forehead awkwardly before I could move out of the way. His hand was freezing on my skin but it felt amazing, I was a little disappointed when he pulled away a second later.
"How the hell did you manage to get sick in the hour we've been here?" he exclaimed.
"Felt off this morning, it wasn't anywhere near this though. . .Oh god, I think I might throw up."
I pitched forward over my knees as a sudden wave of nausea flickered through me. My head throbbed as the blood rushed to it.
Benji scrunched his face up, "ew, yeah try not to do that right here if you can, I'm trying to eat."
"Are you two okay back there? Shouldn't you be getting to your next class?" Mrs Gallivant called from behind her desk at the front of the class.
I swallowed and put a shaky hand on the desk to straighten back up. The nausea seemed to have backed off a little for now.
I took a shuddery breath as my stomach continued to whirl around, tossing my breakfast around as if I'd set it to spin cycle, "sorry, just a minute."
"Are you not feeling too good kid?" Her voice softened and quietened and sympathetic look took over her wrinkled features as she took in my newly accustomed appearance.
I must've really looked terrible if she could see it from all the way over there.
I wasn't sure how to respond at first. Tell her I she was right and go home, or say that I was fine and possibly blow chunks in my next class.
Once I thought about it for a moment the decision wasn't a hard one.
I shook my head with another deep breath, swallowing again as my mouth started watering.
Benji twirled his finger through one of the curls on the top of me head as he usually did when he was nervous, it had been a habit of his ever since we were kids. Back then my hair had been a literal afro, tiny little brown curls shooting out in every direction. It had tamed down a bit now though.
Mrs Gallivant got out of her seat and crouched down next to me, obviously not too keen about being in the vomit zone right in front of me.
"Did you know, I was a nurse before I was a teacher? I might not know maths but I know this stuff." she said as she placed a bin in front of me. Her tone was light and casual and I found that it helped me calm down a little, slow my panicked heart rate down a bit.
I was just really glad that there didn't seem to be a class in here period two.
"Have you been feeling unwell all morning?" she asked as she checked for a temperature. It was even more awkward than when Benji had done it a few minutes before.
"Not, uh, not l-like this," I answered.
"These stomach bugs strike quickly, I know it sucks, sweetie," she murmured gently, "do you think you're okay to make it to the nurse now? I'm sure the hallways will be empty by now and I'll come with you, and your friend."
"It's Benji," he said, his fingers still tangled in my hair.
"Right, Benji and I will come with you."
I kept my gaze on the bin so that if I needed it I knew exactly where it was, "I just know I'm gonna vomit if I move."
"I think it's worth a shot man, there are beds and um, there are sick bowls in there too. That don't have rotting banana peels in them."
Benji peered into the bin, lips turned up in disgust. I didn't blame him, there were some funky looking things in there.
I moaned with my eyes squeezed shut, doubling over slightly as my stomach convulsed, "okay, I want to g-go."
I nodded, getting ready to stand.
Thankfully I managed to make it to the nurse's office without puking all over the floor. Once inside Mrs Gallivant did all the explaining and the two nurses discussed things for a couple of minutes.
Benji had brought my bag and he dumped it down next to as I sat down shakily on the edge of one of the beds. I didn't want to lay down, the white sheets made me anxious.
The nurse, she introduced herself as Tilly, gave me a massive steel bowl which I put in my lap. She told me that she'd called my parents and that they were on their way and checked my temperature, which was a fair bit higher than it was supposed to be unsurprisingly enough, I felt like crap so it only made sense.
Tilly insisted Benji went back to class so he left and then Mrs Gallivant left too, telling me that I was in capable hands and wishing me better soon. I had to say, she had left a better impression on me than I thought she was going to in the beginning.
When Papa and Dad stumbled into the room I still hadn't been sick, despite the war going on inside me. Tilly had made me lay down and had a cool cloth on my forehead. The horizontal position definitely didn't make me feel any better.
"Aw Jakey. . ." Dad murmured sympathetically.
"What happened, little dude?" Papa asked, sticking with the nickname he'd used earlier despite my dislike to it.
I shrugged with a grunt as I sat up, arms wrapped around my stomach.
"I just wanna go home and puke my guts out in comfort."
I whimpered as I stood up, swaying lethargically.
Papa picked my bag up off the floor with a guilty look and Dad sighed as he steadied me, "I'm really sorry, bud but works not letting either of us off, you've gotta come into the studio with us."
My stomach fell even further.
"No bed?"
"Sorry Jakey, you can have the big couch though," Papa promised after he thanked Tilly for looking after me.
We left the building and then the gates until we were free, the car parked a couple of metres further down the road.
Dad smiled as he opened the door for me, "just lay down across the seats if you like Jake, I'm driving so you don't have to worry for your life."
"Hang on. . ."
I breathed heavily over the grass for a few moments to make sure I wasn't going to be sick. Nothing happened but I could still feel it, the nausea was a constant thing, hovering over me like a poison in the air.
I got into the car and sat, it felt better to be upright.
Papa gave me a plastic bag that he found in the glove compartment just in case and I tried not to look at it, scared it would trigger me. I could tell Dad was trying to drive as smoothly as he could, not wanting to upset my stomach any more than it already was and I was glad, it made things a lot easier.
"Maybe you've just got food poisoning of some kind, since you haven't been sick at all," Papa said hopefully, glancing back at me from the passenger seat.
I didn't have the heart to tell him that my willpower was pretty much the only thing stopping me from vomiting all over his car. The longer it stayed down the worse I was beginning to feel. The heat felt like it was suffocating me and my hands were trembling like crazy. If I tried to stand up right then I'd probably collapse.
I recognised the building when we pulled in, I'd been a few times before. It was a massive thing, glass everywhere and was kind of intimidating at first glance but I'd gotten used to it over the years.
Dad turned the engine off and glanced back at me worriedly. "We're really really sorry you've gotta be here, bud," he apologised again.
I gulped, "it's not your fault"
"Let's just get you inside" Papa said, smiling as he got out of the car. I opened the door as he came around to my side and Dad got out.
"I feel really sick. . ." I whined. I really didn't know if I was gonna make it to the entrance to be honest. Call me over dramatic if you want but I felt like if I took a single step I'd just buckle.
Papa sighed as he reached his arms under mine to help me out of the car, "I know, little dude."
"Not a little dude," I complained once I was on my feet and swaying awfully. It wasn't good for the nausea at all.
Surprisingly enough I made it over halfway to the door before something happened. It was going as well as it could be right up until that point. Being on my feet just made the nausea harder to keep a grip on and it hadn't taken long for me to lose control.
I stopped suddenly and before either Dad or Papa could say anything I doubled over with a forceful wet cough that almost scared the shit out of me. After a slight pause I finally threw up all over the ground, barely stopping myself from falling into it face first.
It hurt a lot more than I would've liked and I sobbed as I gagged over and over outside on the concrete, heaving up what felt like enough to feed a small Kingdom.
"It's okay Jakey, you're doing just fine. . ."
Papa rubbed up and down my back as I coughed up another small amount of stomach acid onto the gravel.
"I d-don't feel l-like it," I spluttered.
"We know kiddo." Dad adjusted his grip slightly on my waist," are you done do you think for now? Should we go inside? Liam and Niall are in there waiting for you."
I wiped my mouth on my sleeve. I was shaking like mad and my stomach still hurt a lot but I felt marginally better than I had before expelling the contents of my gut out in the car park so I nodded once and let myself be led through the doors.
Liam and Niall were waiting in the main room and just as Papa had promised the big couch was free. I staggered towards it desperately, just wanting to go to sleep.
I fell before I got there though, my knees simply decided that they couldn't be fucked holding me up any more.
Thankfully Liam snatched me up before I could hit the ground.
"Oh Jesus Jake, and here I was thinking you'd caught yourself a little cold or something!"
He helped me sit down on the big couch and Dad put the bin from the corner of the room in front of me.
Probably a good idea.
I moaned, trying to muffle it into the cushions. Usually I wasn't much of a moaner but whatever this thing was it hurt like nothing else and I couldn't help it.
"He just threw up a hell of a lot outside in the car park," Papa explained.
"Aw, poor lad."
My eyes were closed but I recognised Niall's accent as the couch dipped by my feet.
"Are you feeling sick still, Jake?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah. . ." I mumbled, squeezing my eyes shut. By the feels of it, I was going to be somehow throwing up even more within the next few minutes.
My stomach lurched and forced me back upright.
Apparently it was happening now.
Before I could register what was happening I was vomiting into the bin, stomach acid raking my throat and dripping from my nose.
This was not the day I had planned when I woke up this morning. So much for just having a small, manageable stomachache.
I coughed a couple of times before quietening down. There were three hands on my back at this point and Dad was holding me up like he had outside.
"Better?" Liam asked.
I coughed again in response and he twitched, but it was dry, I had nothing left.
"A little bit I think," I gasped slightly, still getting my breath back.
"I'll grab you a drink," Papa volunteered.
"I'll find something warm."
"Do you want something to take? I'm sure I have some panadol somewhere..."
"I'll cuddle with ya, scooch over kiddo."
Not bad service around here.
***
I must've fallen asleep because next thing I know in waking up to an empty room. It was dead silent and not a single thing was moving. I almost didn't want to break it, it was so perfectly quiet.
My phone made the decision for me when it dinged loudly from inside my pocket a few seconds later. I lazily pulled it out and opened the message from Rhys.
Hey Sicko, heard you almost barfed all over the old sub! Golden Mate, golden!
I huffed. Benji must've told him the entire story.
I typed out a response as the screen started to blur.
I'm dying Rhys, shut up.
I seriously doubted I had tapped all the right letters, the text probably made no sense.
Such a drama queen Jake, I'm sure you're not dying.
So I sent the idiot a picture, not wanting to have to try type out another reply.
Never mind, death is jealous of how you look. I'm gonna send it to Britt, she'll definitely want you after seeing you at the peak of attractiveness that you've hit in this photo ;)
I groaned in frustration. I just had to send the picture. I should've just ignored him. Britt Acacia was in my art class when I first started high school and we sat next to each other. She's absolutely gorgeous and I've had a liking for her since then.
Let's just say I'm not still taking art because I think it's going to get me somewhere in life.
Britt Acacia did not by any means need to see the photo that I had just stupidly sent Rhys.
You wouldn't.
Why not? You're not here to stop me, Pukey.
I'm going to purposefully get you sick when I come back to school, and I'm not even going to be sorry about it. You suck, Rhys.
And you swallow.
Fuck you.
My phone started vibrating violently in my hand and I almost dropped the stupid thing. I answered the call.
"Aren't you in class? Why are you calling me?" I croaked, my voice raw. It sounded foreign to me, as if it was someone else's voice.
"Not going to be doing any serenading sounding like that Jake," Rhys teased from the other side of the line, "and the teachers gone to grab some printing, I'm free for ten minutes and bored, which is why I texted you in the first place."
"I was asleep Rhys. . ." I complained. So I hadn't been asleep, but I could've gone back to sleep if he hadn't woken me up with his dumb text.
"And I was bored, that's what friends are for!"
Rhys laughed loudly and I had to move the phone away a little. "I'm not going to send that picture to Britt by the way, I was just messing with ya," he said and I sighed in relief.
I realised that the nausea was back and I was starting to feel sick again, like I had back in the classroom. Rhys' loud voice in my ear wasn't helping.
"So are you feeling any better?"
I shook my head before realising that he couldn't see me. "No. . ." I whimpered as my stomach twirled sickeningly.
"What's up? You sound real pukey."
Meanwhile, I could literally feel my face paling by the second.
"I know, it hurts," I muttered.
"Are you by yourself? Where are the rents?"
"I'm at work with them, but they must be recording at the moment or something because-"
I paused momentarily, feeling like I was about to be sick.
"Because?"
Rhys' voice snapped me out of it and I swallowed nervously, "the room's e-empty."
"Maybe you should go find them, yeah? You really don't sound good, mate. . ."
For the first time in my entire life I felt like Rhys was the older one, the smart one. Usually he was anything but.
"I can't w-walk that far," I moaned, knowing that the booth was all the way at the other end of the hall. I was waiting for another piece of helpful advice from Rhys when I gagged hard, saliva fulling my mouth.
Tears welled in the corners of my eyes. I didn't like vomiting by myself at all and it only got worse when I realised that the bin wasn't there any more. Someone must've cleaned it out and not brought it back.
I burped and slapped a hand over my mouth, my breath coming out in short useless pants. The phone was still on and Rhys was still there.
"Find a bathroom mate," he said and I realised he was right. I couldn't just sit here like a five year old. It was a just a little stomach bug.
I forced myself onto my feet and stumbled out into the hall.
"Shit, teachers back, feel better soon Jake!" Rhys called and then the phone beeped loudly.
I hurriedly shoved it back into my pocket and my free hand curled instinctively around my stomach. I struggled against the wall to the nearest bathroom, ducked into the men's, and then hurried into a stall. There was hardly any time to lock the door before I practically flung myself over the loo.
By the sounds of it, this room was empty too.
I gripped the seat in both hands, not even thinking about how grossly unhygienic it was. I hiccuped and opened my mouth.
Nothing happened, not for a minute or so more when I heaved up a surprisingly large amount. I thought I only had acid left.
I spluttered for a bit, eyes wide and panicked.
I threw up again after a few painful dry retches and then sagged against the cubicle wall, breathing fast. I still felt like I was going to be sick but I didn't want to stay leaned over the toilet staring at the previous rounds I figured I'd just stay there for a bit longer.
"Jake! You in here, mate?"
There were loud footsteps as the people came into the bathroom. My stomach chose that exact moment to force more vomit out of me, right before I could reply.
"Unlock the door when you can Jake, it's Niall and Liam."
I coughed and spun around on my butt, opening the door with a flick of my finger. It swung open and the two of them stood there worriedly.
"He's in here Lou," Liam said into his phone before hanging up and sitting down next to me.
He smiled carefully., "we all got a little scared when we got back and you weren't there."
Niall leaned over us and flushed the toilet.
"Haz and Lou are on their way, we were all trying to find you," he said as he passed me a bit of toilet paper to wipe my mouth.
"S-sorry," I stuttered, I was shaking was too hard to form a proper sentence.
"It's okay kid, don't worry about it." Liam touched my forehead and grimaced, "it's no wonder you're feeling so terrible, you're as hot as hell."
"Did you get sick again Jakey?" Papa cooed and I nodded, feeling my eyes beginning to droop.
"
Are feeling any better after?" Dad asked, pulling my hair out of my face.
I was majorly dizzy and disorientated but my stomach seemed to have settled for the time being so I nodded again in response.
"Should we move back to the couch then? I'm sure it's a lot more comfortable than this," Niall suggested.
I nodded again and used the toilet to help myself up. I kept my eyes closed to ease some of the dizziness but I still felt like I was on a boat on rough waters being tossed around.
My head was pounding harder too.
Between the dizziness and the thumping in my head I started getting queasy again.
Dad and Liam each hooked arm under my shoulder, I must've looked like I was going to pass out or something, and we started for the exit.
We got out the door and two steps further before I recognised the eery distant feeling flooding in. I'd only fainted once in my life, with a concussion from basketball, but I sensed the familiarity of the feeling.
"Stop," I rasped, "please stop."
"What's wrong Jakey? Are you gonna be sick again?"
"I'll go grab the bin," Niall volunteered and darted off before I could shake my head.
My vision flickered black and I slumped, grabbing into Liam and Dad tightly in panic.
"He's gonna pass out Harry, sit him down, now," Liam uttered urgently.
I was lowered down against the wall and leaned my head forward between my knees like I'd been told to at basketball. It hadn't worked then obviously but maybe it would work this time.
"Deep breaths bud, you're alright."
Papa sat down next to me and I instantly latched onto his forearm, trying to anchor myself down. Everything was still spinning like a Ferris wheel but the black spots had disappeared so I supposed that was an improvement.
"G-God, what the hell is th-this?" I muttered.
"You haven't been sick in years Jake, it's probably just all catching up at once," Dad explained sympathetically. Niall returned with the bin in hand and Papa took it from him with a grateful grin.
"Need this at the moment?"
I blinked slowly, "I'm not s-sure."
Dad knocked the wall, "this is dumb Lou, why won't they let one of us leave with him?"
"Because they're pricks, that's why," Papa replied.
I pinched the bin off him and closed my eyes, "I want to sl-sleep"
"You want to move again?" Niall questioned.
I shook my head, "I'll j-just sleep right here."
Liam frowned, "in the middle of the hallway?"
I hummed response, already half asleep.
"Well, he's definitely the two of you weirdos' son."