What The Heart Desires

4.

(TENBY IRWIN 8:00AM, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21)

I had a really fun weekend. I stayed at Crivvy's house for a bit, and even though her annoying 9 year old little sister, Rozzie, bothered us a lot, we still had our own fun binge watching Netflix. We even got her big brother, Brexxin, who's 17, to drop Crivvy and I off at the mall to do a bit of shopping, where I bought a new sweater and really cute shoes with some of my money that I still had saved up from Christmas.

Then on Sunday, My dad was off work, and so we went bowling with Uncle Luke and went out to lunch. We like to consider Sundays as Daddy Daughter days, where we always try and do one or two things together.

Yesterday was a pretty normal day at school, the only difference was that I had to ride to school with Marnie and her little brother, Ernest. I would usually walk to school, but the weather is starting to get a bit chilly now, and my dad really didn't want me walking, so he made Marnie's dad take me to school. Which I was fine with, as we all go to the same school, but Ernest is in the year below us. Ernest has always been a very energetic 12 year old, always in our faces, and sometimes I feel like he tries to annoy us on purpose, but on Monday, he seemed down. He kept sneezing, and even let out a couple of coughs. Of course I had to sit right next to him, and I was really hoping he wouldn't get me sick. The school day seemed to go by fast, but by the time I woke up Tuesday morning, I knew Ernest's coughing had gotten to me.

I woke up to a short, loud beep. My head hurt, my stomach was bothering me, and my whole body ached every time I even breathed.

"Tenby, are you feeling alright? I was just coming to wake you up for school, but you felt really warm." Dad tells me, looking at the reading of the thermometer as he took it out of my ear.

"I'm okay dad, just let me...wake up a bit more." I say, pushing my light pink duvet off of me. I did feel hot all of a sudden.

"Well, people don't normally have low grade fevers when they wake up. I don't think you should go to school today, Ten." My dad says, allowing me to sit up in bed a bit.

"But dad, I have the presentation with Marnie in History class today!" I say, trying to convince him to let me go.

"Darling, you're sick, And you saw Marnie yesterday. Do you think she got you sick?"

"No but Ernest was coughing in carpool."

"Oh, love.. okay. I have to go to work, but i'll see if I can get ahold of Michael to keep an eye on you today."

"No Dad, really I'll be fine." I say.

'Ten.. Why was Ernest even going to school if he was sick?" Dad asked, sitting on the edge of my bed.

I just shrugged and rubbed my eyes, just wanting to lay back down.

"Think you can tell me what's wrong, baby"? Dad bugs me for symptoms.

Telling my dad what's wrong when I'm sick has always been hard for me. As much as I love Cal and Mikey, I just hate when they go all doctor on me. I don't mind when its an important appointment to do with my heart, but when I get sick, which happens quite a lot, I usually don't feel like being prodded at by my uncles. I mostly just want to lay around and watch movies all day.

I just shake my head at him and stand up from my bed, grabbing my light pink hoodie I threw on my desk chair from the other night. Suddenly I felt cold now.

"Can you tell Michael what's wrong?"

I just shrug again, really just wanting to be alone.

"Michael is off today, so I'm gonna call him to see if he can come and stay with you today." Dad says, taking his phone out of his pocket.