Four am

chapter seventeen

Someone is stabbing me with a knife.

Metaphorically speaking... of course.

I roll over to grab an Advil from my night table and swallow it down with cold tea that's been on my nightstand for the past couple of hours. My head is pounding and my cramps won't seem to stop.

I have been rolling around in my bed trying to find a position where my stomach isn't giving me excruciating pain. Nothing is working.

And I mean nothing.

Walking around, doing yoga, stretching, using a heat pack, taking a shower, taking a bath, drinking Advil and Tylenol nothing seems to be shaking my cramps.

I couldn't even stay and assist the jr. lyrical class. I got sent home early Jenna- the jr. class teacher- saw just how sick I felt and sent me home.

I started to get hungry as I skipped dinner and went straight to bed. Maddie told me Cole didn't come to dinner either, knowing him he's probably with his 'friends' getting fucked up.

I hate thinking so negatively about him, because honestly I don't know what to think anymore. I care for him so much. We go to his hangout and look at the stars and we go on our daily car rides. He makes sure I'm drinking enough water throughout the day because I always forget. That's the Cole I know. The one who always offers to help Mom make breakfast and who helps Maddie with her chemistry homework.

But it's special to see him like that, it's like he's living in his own bubble at our house. When he's not here he puts up this front that he doesn't care about anything and that he's so chilled and laid back.

I tiptoe down the stairs, gripping the handle to the stairs as the room starts spinning momentarily.

Making my way into the kitchen without fainting I opened the fridge wincing at the bright light from the fridge. Geez they should make a night mode on these.

I found the chicken parmesan and macaroni salad from today's dinner. I rounded the kitchen island and started eating, not bothering to warm it up in the microwave.

I didn't realize how hungry I was, but food helped my headache. Putting the dishes into the sink, I didn't have the energy to wash them or even to climb up the stairs. I flop down onto the couch, telling myself I'm going to take a break before I go back up to my room.

A loud deafening sound rings throughout the house. I lift my head to see the light on the main floor bathroom is on, and the sound came from there.

Ah, Colton must be home.

I slowly pushed myself up from the couch, having fallen asleep and slowly walked to the bathroom. I quickly glanced at the time on the stove on my way to the bathroom; 2:34 am.

Does this kid ever sleep if he's always coming home late.

I walked into the bathroom to see what he dropped to see him going through the medicine cabinet.

"Cole what are you doing, you're going to wake my parents and Maddie up." I scold him to the best of my abilities as my pounding headache is back. I look up at him before turning away, but then having to do a double take.

He has a nasty cut on his eyebrow, I see a purple-ish bruise forming on his cheek bone.

I gasp. "Colton what the fuck!" I exclaim. "What happened to you?" I have a million thoughts running through my head at the moment. This probably happened because of that Jaylen kid.

"Zoe, I'm fine. Just go back to bed." He dismisses me still rummaging in the medicine cabinet.

"Don't do that shit with me Cole. You're obviously not fine. Now tell me what you're looking for."