Family Portrait (Fam Series #1)

152 - The Plague, Bundoora

Ashleigh -

My knees hit the ground with excruciating pain as I hover over the toilet bowl and violently throw up all the contents in my stomach again.

The lovely, pleasant sounds of me constantly being violently ill must be so comforting and soothing to my ahem, new roommate. This hasn't stopped in weeks.

I haven't moved in weeks. I haven't had energy in weeks.

Blindly reaching up, I grab the toilet paper and rip it off as I wipe the disgusting residue off my mouth and weakly stand up on shaky legs, flushing away the only coffee I managed to have today. I gingerly grab the towel holder as I walk my way back to the bathroom door that I threw closed on my way in.

Whatthehellishappening.

Leaving the bathroom, I stand on the spot and sway for a moment as I think about my long and never ending list of things to do.

Adeline's situation.
Everything regarding Devon and hiding from him.
Ed and the girls.
And now bloody Paddy's court case.

It's one bad thing after another continuously and I don't have it in me anymore. These days all I have to do is drop a pen or spill my drink and I'm a broken down, sobbing mess on the floor.

'Hey, Scarlett called. She had to go to the-'

Kyle stops himself from finishing his sentence as he looks at me with concern and then softens his expression. I sniffle loudly.

'You alright?' He asks.

'I'm fine, Kyle' I say, a little too forcibly.

'Sick again?' He asks knowingly.

'You could say that. I think I've caught a stomach flu or something. I can't bloody eat or drink anything without running to the bathroom throwing up. I feel like I'm on death's doorstep' I say angrily, as I put my hand to my hot and clammy forehead. It's just my luck that I'd manage to catch the bloody plague or something when I have a million things to do. I can't even leave the bloody house let alone Bundoora. And I don't even remember coming here. Zac must've dropped me off on his way to tell Mr and Mrs Dow the news, alongside Cam and the police.

The police.

I suddenly gasp as I quickly lean against the kitchen table before I sink to the ground again. Kyle looks on, feeling my pain.

'Should I call your mum?' He asks.

'No. This'll just end up putting her in more danger. I mean, you heard what my dad said the other day. Not only do I have to get myself out of the country, Mum, Scarlett and Imogen also have to come. Going to be mighty hard when my sister is pregnant and engaged, AND stubborn' I say, just knowing Scarlett and what she's like. Never does as anyone says and only what she wants, even if it puts her life in grave danger. I mean, she's been involved in terrorist attacks AND she witnessed one of her insane friends kill a girl with a rock. Yeah, I'm not getting her on any plane soon.

'Ashleigh, you haven't eaten in days, you can't even keep water down and you look like you're about to faint. You scream, cry and thrash around in your sleep, you gasp all the time, when you're not stuck in some terror you're dead silent and won't talk to me or leave your bedroom and you're always crying. Call me stupid but I think you do need Angila' he says.

'I'm not crazy' I say forcefully, as I loudly sniffle again and sit down on a kitchen chair, feeling intense pain in my back again.

'I never said you were, but speaking of crazy, that's another thing. You haven't insulted me or come up with a snide comment since you've been back. I'm extremely worried about you. You didn't even call me an idiot when I set the fire alarm off last night with the boiling pot of water' he says.