Always

04| chapter three: bed rest and shopping spree

ALEXIS

I woke suddenly, every thought in high definition. My eyes took in every ray of light, and without a doubt, I know I've not managed to get through the night. My palms were coated in sweat, and my stomach tingled. Rushing to my bathroom, I held my stomach in pain. It took me a moment to wake fully, mainly by splashing water in my face, and then I realised the issue. Or rather, the dark stain that was on my clothes.

Cursing rapidly, I stumbled out of the bathroom, disoriented and confused. I searched through all my luggage, my first aid kit, and every nook and cranny of the room, It was clear that I didn't possess anything.

I debated waking Carina up and asking her if she had some, but I decided against it. Opting to go with my last choice, I changed my clothes and tiptoed downstairs to go look for some. I was nearing the kitchen when I bumped into someone. Genevieve.

"Going somewhere?" Her voice was smooth, her aura demanding and even in the middle of the night, she managed to look great. 

"Tampons?" I questioned. My voice was hoarse. Her eyes widened a little before she straightened up again. Rummaging through a cabinet, she pulled out some and handed them to me, after which she proceeded to offer me a glass of water and a heating pad. I refused the medicine, not wanting to take it, instead grabbing the heating pad and thanking Genevieve. 

She nodded in response as I turned on my heel and started leaving. "And Alexis? I'm glad that it was me you bumped into and not one of the others." I could hear the smile in her voice as she said that. 

She wasn't as cold as she looks to be. She, like the rest of us, has walls to protect herself.

Boredom is that invitation for the brain to play, to let the self soak into a moment and see the richness in the minute subtlety life offers.

I wandered down to the living room and settled down on the couch. Carina had gone shopping with my other siblings; Genevieve had immediately prohibited me from taking a single step outside the house and Luca chose to stay behind.   

I grabbed the tv remote and the controllers and plugged in the games Ace told me about earlier. The screen loaded as I tapped my fingers in anticipation. I chose my character, a guy with denim overalls, a red t-shirt, a funny-looking moustache, and a red cap with the letter 'M'. 

Mario. The screen read. In the game, I could jump and run without ever getting tired. I could become a superhero, the kind I always admired so much. I could speak with nobility, rescue others, try new things I never dreamed I'd attempt. It was a new land in which anything was possible, whatever was broken in you became both fixed and improved. That was what kept me playing - the chance to save others and become stronger myself. For me, that's balance.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself." I looked to where Luca stood, his hair drenched, dressed in similar attire to mine. I shrugged in response.

"It's fun," I told him.

It had admittedly been a while since I had had fun like this. It was relaxing really, to not be worried about anything in particular. Wishing it could be like this all the time, I smiled at him, inviting him to join.

He grabbed a controller of his own.

We spent the next hour playing; me defeating him and him whining like a baby. Ha. Serves him right. This was my game now, and I wasn't going to let him win. Currently, I was ahead of him – thankfully, cause I could barely handle him losing, let alone winning - and he was trying to knock me out by constantly throwing banana peels at me. I chuckled. The audacity.