Pretty Boy

Chapter 16

I woke up in the middle of the day, Adam switching out the books in his bag before heading to the door. He stopped when he saw me. "You're awake..."

I weakly sat up, a cold rag falling from my forehead and into my lap. I grabbed it and cocked my head. "My body hurts....what happened?"

"You came home from the gym and collapsed with a fever. I called Elise. She said you overworked your body. That combined with stress is what made you sick."

"What time is it?"

"I just finished my fifth class. I asked the nurse to stop by and check on you every now and then."

"Oh. Thank you."

"How are you feeling?"

"It...hurts."

"What hurts?"

"Everything."

"She said you should rest for the next few days until your fever goes away." He bent down beside my bed and pushed my hair back as I laid back down. "I put your breakfast and lunch in the fridge."

"Eating sounds gross right now."

"I thought so." He held the back of his palm to my forehead. "You're still too warm. Let me turn the fan on."

He tried to walk over to the light and fan switch but I grabbed his wrist softly. "I'm okay. Stay with me."

He smiled and sat back beside the bed. "My last few classes are ones I can miss. Just journalism and things that aren't hard to catch up on. I'll stay with you."

"Come here." I moved over, pulling him into the bed and leaning my head into his chest. "I'm freezing."

"Yes, because you have a fever. You're shivering."

"I'm sorry I've been cold. I'll try to lighten up a little."

"It's okay. I know you're going through something."

"But I don't know what I'm going through. I'm sad and it's so frustrating to not know why. Getting up takes too much energy."

"Take your time. You're being too hard on yourself."

"Because nobody else will be hard on me. Everyone's so nice that I feel like I have to punish myself since they won't. Even when I'm mean...you guys still smile at me and tease me. I don't deserve it."

"You're kind in your own way. You usually mean the opposite of what you say. Like when you tell me to leave you alone, you really want me to stay. When you tell me that I'm annoying, you think I'm cute."

It made me glad that he understood that about me. Sometimes people get the wrong impression since I struggle with being honest about my feelings. "Yeah..."

"It's what I like about you. You know you have to be honest sometimes. Even if you can't, you know I'll get what you're trying to say.

"Don't say things like that..." I muttered. "I'll lose."

He chuckled. "Can I tell you something?"

"What is it?"

"The game was kind of a sham." He gently lifted my chin. "I'd already lost by the time I started it. I wanted to see how long it would take you to like me back."

"Then can I tell you something too?"

"Anything!" He smiled brightly, probably happy I wasn't mad after hearing that.

"I lost the day I took you to the concert."

His smile dropped and his face turned red. "What...?"

"When I saw the look on your face...after I handed you the tickets. I tried to tell myself that I didn't but then you kissed Elise and I felt like I couldn't lie to myself anymore. I tried to in the car but....then you slept with me and made me breakfast and stood up for me at the park....you're even taking care of me while I'm sick. How could I not like you?"

"Why didn't you tell me when you lost? That was the deal, you had to tell me."

"Because I thought if the game was over, you'd leave. If I lost....My punishment would be losing you."

"Why would you think that?"

"You said that you wouldn't be around long. So I thought....I thought that..." I clenched my jaw, tears falling from my eyes that made me quickly shove my face back into his sweater.

I was vulnerable so I knew it was easy for me to cry when talking about my emotions. But for some reason, I felt comfortable with him.

"I'm not going anywhere." He tightened his arms around me.

Okay so it's 12:00 which means it's my birthday so happy birthday to me