Smack!

NINE - red Gatorade (part i)

NINE

According to my quick Google search, here were some common illnesses that I could use so that I would have an excuse to not go to school tomorrow:

1. Flu

2. Sore throat

3. Sinus infection

4. Skin infection

5. Urinary Tract Infection

When I enumerated those to Chelsea on the phone through Facetime for a second opinion, she said, "Sinus infection sounds good, girl."

"Are you sure?" I asked. I was sprawled on my bed with my laptop and scrolling through a dozen of medical pages. "Cause I want it to be serious but not too serious...if you know what I mean."

"Yeah...hold on," she said and I heard her typing on her keyboard. "How about LBM?"

"What?"

"Loose Bowel Movement...? You know diarrhea?"

"Hmmm..." I thought about it for a second and said, "No, girl. Too embarrassing and messy."

She bit her lip. "Hmm yeah..."

"Oohh! How about tonsillitis? That's much better right?"

"Yeah, yeah...oh, wait hold on. I have a better one." Chelsea sat up quickly on her bed that her image on the screen became distorted for a quick second.

"What?" I asked.

"Eddieditis."

I stared at her on the screen, my forehead creasing. "Eddieditis?"

"It's an infection due to this boy called Eddie Walker."

I let out a loud gasped and I felt the heat coming up to my face. "Chelsea!" I chastised, making a face at her on the screen.

She suddenly burst out laughing, the sound was almost childlike. "Ok Emi, this is so silly," she said after finally recovering from her laughing fit. "You're being silly. You just can't miss school tomorrow because of a boy. Remember, we have a quiz tomorrow in Biology and you can't miss that."

"Ugh," I groaned, letting my face fall to my pillow. "After what happened last Friday at the party, I don't think I have the face to face Eddie tomorrow. It's going to be so awkward."

"Who told you that you have to face him? Just do whatever it takes to avoid him."

I raised my head slightly to glance at her face on the screen. "Easier said than done, Chels. We have the same classes, remember? Trying to avoid him is like avoiding breathing oxygen."

"You're so dramatic."

"That's why we're best friends."

"Touché." She paused. "But still, you can't miss school tomorrow okay? My mom's out of town again and I need a ride for school tomorrow." She grinned sweetly.

"Wow," I murmured in disbelief. "Thanks for always putting the welfare of your best friend first."

She grinned. "Anytime. See you tomorrow!" She gave me a flying kiss.

"Go ride a bus." I stuck my tongue out at her and before she could even react, I ended the call.

I was early for school the next morning so that I wouldn't have to do the awkward walk to my seat during my first class with Eddie already sitting there beside me. My game plan was to be the first one sitting there so that once he arrived; I would busy myself doodling in my notebook and spare the need to look at him.

However, my game plan was immediately ruined as I slammed my locker shut and found Eddie Walker standing beside me.

"Gah," I almost shouted, jumping a foot in surprised.

"Emi, we need to talk," he said, his voice serious. I noticed that his dark brown hair was in a complete disarray state today than usual and he was looking at me with complete intensity.

"Uhh..." My eyes were roaming wildly around the hallway where a lot of students were passing but no one seemed to notice us. "If this is about what happened last Friday then—

"Yes, it is about what happened last Friday," he cut me off and moved his position so that he was standing in front of me so close that my back was now leaning on my locker.

"We don't need to talk about it," I said, my breath started to hitch up as I tried my best to not meet the intensity of his gaze by staring at his chest instead. "I'm sure it's—

"Emi," Eddie said and the way he said my name made my heart lurched into a somersault. "Something illuminated in me after that kiss last Friday night."

"What?" My head snapped up at what he'd said that our eyes finally met. And I instantly regretted it but I couldn't take my eyes off him now. Something about his chocolate brown eyes behind his black square rimmed glasses captivated me. "What do you mean? That kiss was an accident, Eddie, it's—"

"I don't believe in accidents."

I stared at him, shocked that my jaw dropped. "Can we talk about this later? We're gonna be late for class. " I twisted on my feet to side-step around him but he put his hand against the locker with a loud smack, blocking me.

I gasped at him in surprised and turned to the other side but he proceeded to do the same with his other hand, effectively caging me in. I glanced around on the hallway, students were now rushing but no one was giving us any attention.

"Eddie, what are you doing? Let me go." I said. He was so close that I could smell his deodorant.

"Illuminating you," was all he replied, bending down and pressed his lips to mine.

My eyes widened out of shock as his lips started moving against mine.

And then someone gasped from behind us.

I pushed Eddie away and saw Timothy Burr standing still looking at us with a hard expression on his face. Beside him was Chelsea, both of her hands were covering her mouth as she stared at Eddie and I with wide eyes.

"Tim, I could explain," I started to say but he was already turning around and walking away. "Tim!"

I chased after him. Someone spilled their bottle of red Gatorade on the floor that before I even knew it, I slipped.

And was jolted awake on my bed by the sound of my alarm clock.

My first thought, what the hell was that?

AUTHOR'S NOTE

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