No Guidelines

Chapter 12-2

10, Nov. 2015 Tue

Her alarm woke her up. She was safe and sound in her bed. Soft blue light barely crept through her window, illuminating some of her gray room. The only color was the red of her alarm clock, flashing 6:00 am. She couldn't believe it. When did I get here? She wondered. An entire day, just gone like that. For the life of her, she couldn't recall a single event after lunch. Not the rest of her classes. Not when she got home. Not going to bed. Nothing. Not even a dream. Unless that was her dream, but it didn't feel like one.

  She pressed her palm firmly against her head. Her brain pounded against her skull. She winced at the pain. I need water.

***

  Perhaps school held the answers she was looking for. At their usual spot was the entire group minus Danielle and Emma. This was surprising, normally it was just Sam and Looz who waited up for her. Natalie hurried to her side.

  "Audrey! I'm sorry about yesterday," She said.

  "Don't worry about it, I know you mean well, both of you."

  "You just seemed so upset with me when I went to see you yesterday."

  What? Audrey was taken aback at that statement. "Yesterday? At my house?"

  "I mean I didn't see you at school after lunch," She said. She sniffled a bit and rubbed her nose—clearing her throat, which sounded very phlegmy. "Don't tell me you forgot?"

  "No, no I remember, I'm sorry about that," Audrey said, she looked down to her right and twiddled her thumbs together. Natalie sniffled again.

  "Well, talking to Looz I realized I was wrong, maybe the talent show was too much of a task," she said. Nat and Looz actually discussed the topic? She wondered. More importantly, she received an out. An escape from an anxiety-inducing hell. Finally, for the first time in forever, things felt normal again.

  "You don't have to do it if you don't want to," she said.

  Don't, that scratchy inner voice said.

  "Yeah, I don't think I will," Audrey said. A weight was lifted off of her shoulders. Natalie seemed disappointed, she kept sniffling. "You're not upset are you?"

  Natalie looked at her, her eyes were red despite not crying. She didn't sound as if she were sad or upset either. "Yeah I'm fine, just allergies bugging me," she said.

  Jacob chimed in, "I'm disappointed! I wanted to hear you sing! Natalie's been talking you up! Saying you're an angel!" His face was a mixture of amazement yet subtle disbelief. Adrian nodded along with him.

  "You sang? I would have liked to have heard that too," he said.

  Sam danced her way to the boys, joyously waving her cell phone around. "I can show you guys! She's so cute!"

  "Sam don't you dare!" Audrey demanded, pointing at her to stop in her tracks.

  "No Sam! Dare! Dare!" Jacob howled.

  Natalie pouted, pointing at Sam as well. "Hey, officer Looz! Where's the equality?!" Her voice became hoarse midsentence, causing her to clear her throat.

  "Sam's just messin', right Sam?" she said, she cocked an eyebrow at her. Sam giggled, Putting her phone back in her pocket. "Oh, of course." Sam was always great at blurring the line between jokes and sincerity, Audrey couldn't tell if she meant it. But Sam has never betrayed Audrey so she was confident that she was just teasing the boys.