Dog Boy

4

I didn't tell my parents. I'd dreaded the conversation as it drew nearer and nearer, as I finished my last class and rode the bus home. When I'd walked through the front door however, my mom noticed the mask, I sprung to my excuse of feeling slightly sick, and she let me stay upstairs, bringing me my dinner.

It had been a huge relief - but ultimately it only led to me procrastinating the day of reckoning. I could've gotten away with saying that I didn't want to go to school, but the next morning I'd felt like perhaps my nose looked a bit more normal. I didn't feel like panting either - as much.

Now later in the day, in my fitness class, going to school was starting to seem like a poor idea.

"I don't think you should play basketball with a mask on man," Douglas said.

"No, I'm fine. I'm feeling better, I just don't want to cough in someone's face as I play defense."

"Okay," Douglas shrugged.

Really, I just knew that if I sat in the bleachers during class, I would be left alone. Left to think. To stew on my concerns, my anxiety. If this was caused by stress - unlikely, but all I had to go on - being alone with no distractions was the last thing I needed. Sitting in my last few periods had also been feeling uncomfortable for some reason. I'd had an odd nerve pain at the end of my spine. The sensation was not extremely painful, but it felt... pent up somehow, like I really needed to sneeze but couldn't release.

I got up and joined Douglas in one of the basketball courts, adjusting my sport shorts. The odd feeling persisted. It did not make me feel any less on edge considering everything else that was going on.

Getting into a game of basketball felt good. My mind was focused only on playing, only on being the craziest defender I possibly could. Douglas was one of the ones that could really play the game though. He was the one who could score shots from halfway across the court sometimes. We didn't let up for a second, the two of us working strategically with each other - me dashing to the ball at a crazy speed, freaking out the person with the ball. Another person would come up from behind and snatch the ball, then pass it to Douglas who'd score. 

Eventually, heart pounding after a solid victory, we were able to all line up to the drinking fountain inside the boy's locker room. I was desperately thirsty, but I needed to hang back. I wasn't risking anyone seeing my nose - or a probable bout of panting. Soon everyone was gone out the door, leaving me and Douglas.

"You go ahead dude," Douglas breathed heavily, "you earned it."

"No," I said beneath my mask, feeling my tongue yearning to slip out, "you go first."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, I'm not worried about any of your germs."

"No I'm good man you go first."

Douglas stood there silently.

"What?" I asked, feeling my muscles grow tense.

"Dude there's something up with you I know it."

"What are you talking about? I'm just feeling a little bit sick."

"Sick enough to not want to use the drinking fountain, but not sick enough to sit out on a game? You aren't sick dude, I saw you out there."

I felt the sweating beading not just on my forehead, but everywhere. Gosh I wanted to pant so bad!

"There's nothing wrong Douglas, you're the one that's acting weird if anything."

He continued to stare. I turned towards the drinking fountain, and pulled down my mask, getting that blessed drink of water at last. I also finally wet my nose too. Ahh it felt so good, I just... I needed to -