When Holly woke up the next morning, she realized she couldn't breathe.
Or more accurately, her head was pounding, her throat was dry, and her nose was stuffed fuller than a turkey on Thanksgiving.
She groaned, feeling around her nightstand for her phone.
She couldn't go into to work in this kind of state.
That's even better, she reminded herself. She didn't want to see Oliver after the...the...kiss. Maybe one day they could talk like normal again, like friends, but right now, avoidance seemed like the best method.
It was like...what did smokers call it when it quit suddenly?
Cold turkey. That's what it was.
Holly had to go cold turkey on her Oliver addiction.
She scrolled through her contacts until she found Oliver, then sent him a quick text.
holly:
sorry, i can't make it today. i'm sick.
She stared at the words, counting them, squinting at them, scrutinizing them. Did the lower caps make it sound too casual? Did the periods sound too angry and serious? Should she add an emoji to lighten it up?
"Ugh," she groaned. Why does it matter?
Irritated, she angrily pressed send, then put the phone down, as far away from her as possible.
That was when she started regretting it. Before she knew it, she was chewing on her nails again.
Not only am I fat and ugly, I can't even text someone normally!
Before Holly could berate herself further, her phone vibrated.
oliver:
don't worry about work :) are you okay?
A.
SMILEY.
FACE.
Holly flipped around in bed, unable to express how freaked out she was. But it was freaked in a good sense.
Wait.
No.
This wasn't how she was supposed to act.
She needed to get over her little crush. Stat.
Holly took a deep breath -- which really hurt, her throat was that dry -- and waited for the minutes to go by. Finally,
holly:
yes, i'm fine. i sat in the rain last night, and i think i caught a cold.
Immediately,
oliver:
it wasn't because of me, was it?
holly:
why would it be?
Because of the kiss.
Because I like you.
Holly didn't know why she expected these answers. She knew she wasn't going to get them. But her stupid, silly, emotional teenage heart wanted to see them.
She didn't.
Oliver never replied.