she wasn't okay - JJ MAYBANK // Outer Banks

NINE

JJ and Pope worked all Sunday for Lucy's new bedroom. Kiara worked Lucy's shift at The Wreck. Lucy was in bed all day. She wasn't feeling alright. She kept falling asleep again and again. She was barely awake and if she was, she wasn't really responding to either JJ or Pope.

"I'm just tired." "I'll just sleep if off." "Don't you dare take me to a hospital." Those were the answers Lucy was giving Pope and JJ. Well, she mumbled them.

The two boys came really forward with the new bedroom. They painted the walls white first. After the white paint was dry, JJ and Pope painted half of the wall in a sort of greyish blueish colour and built some new picture frames out of old wood. JJ even hung up his very first board on her wall. It was broken in the middle, but it still looked cool. Lucy's skateboard found a place on the wall as well. Pope found an old, but still functional, rocking chair and placed it in a corner of the room. The desk was placed in front of the window. On one wall was Lucy's new closet and opposite of it were the air mattress. Once Lucy's first money from The Wreck came she would choose one. Pope prepared the bed and JJ went looking for the girl. He opened the door as quietly as he could, but Lucy slowly opened an eye.

"Hey..." JJ whispered. "How do you feel?" Instead of answering Lucy buried her face deeper into the sheets. JJ took the girls hand. Cold. Ice cold. "Luce..." But Lucy shook her head.

"Please." She sounded so tired. JJ hardly understood her. "Please, I don't want to go to a hospital. I hate hospitals. I promise, if I still feel like this tomorrow I'll go and see a doctor. Just not today." JJ didn't want to listen to her words. He knew it was wrong, but she couldn't make her. He didn't want to put her through something she didn't want to.

"Promise?" JJ asked, as he tucked another blanket around her. Lucy nodded. "Good, because John B will kill me if something happens to you." JJ chuckled. "Get some more sleep. I'll make you a soup." And without thinking about it JJ kissed the top of her head. Lucy was dehydrated. She didn't know if she dreamt of JJ kissing her temple or if it really happened. She just closed her eyes and dozed off again.

Monday. Lucy pretended to be asleep as JJ left for school. She didn't want to worry him. She did feel a little bit better, but still not great. She wanted to get up. She needed to get up. It would be her first day to learn surfing. Well, it would have been her first day to learn surfing. Lucy still needed to tell Andrew she didn't feel so good. JJ had slept on the floor again. Lucy got up, stepping over JJ's stuff and found herself in bathroom mirror. She looked exhausted. She felt awful. It was like she was sick all over again. Her eyes were red and underneath black. She looked like panda bear on weed. Her hair was a mess and greasy. Shower. Lucy needed a shower. Desperately. After the shower Lucy got dressed and made her way down to the shop which belong to Andrew's dad. Her breathing was short as Lucy reached her destination. Her leg was hurting. Her mind wasn't in the right place. She couldn't think straight. Once again Lucy had temperature. The sweat was dripping down her back. Lucy entered the shop and looked around. Andrew was standing behind the pay desk and was talking to a costumer. Two other were talking right next to Lucy.

"The Routledge boy's hearing will be on Wednesday." The man said. Lucy's head snapped around. On Wednesday? In two days? Lucy's breathing stopped for second.

"Lucy? Lucy." Andrew's voice rang through Lucy's ears. A touch on her shoulder made her jump backwards. "Hey, Lucy, are you alright?" Lucy swallowed the lump in her throat and looked at the person in front of her. Andrew. "Lucy?" Andrew said again. "You don't look so good."

"Yeah. Sorry. I'm fine. Just drifted into thoughts." Lucy mumbled. "Anyway, I'm sorry, but we have to cancel our first lesson. I'm really sorry. I really am. But -..." Lucy pointed at her leg. "I can't surf at the moment." Lucy kind of laughed it off. She felt like she was tripping over her own feet, but she wasn't even walking, nor moving. Her hand shot to her head, holding it like it would help with the upcoming headache. But as soon it touched her head her chest tightened. Lucy couldn't breathe. Her lungs weren't function.