Imperfect Fit

Chapter 13- Purging and Confessions

Song for Chapter: Count On Me ~Bruno Mars

SAGE

Someone take me out of my misery. Please.

My stomach turns as yet another onslaught of vomit—that I'm not ready for—begins to brew, not yet recovered from the last one. At least it's not coming out of both ends anymore. Groaning, I lift myself up with shaky arms, from the bathroom floor and heave my head over the toilet seat just in time.

Eyes watering at the sensation of what drowning must feel like not being able to breathe as my stomach continues to spasm and convulse. The taste of bile covers my tongue.

I groan in reply to the knock at the door. "Dad?"

After another small surge of contents expel out of me, followed by a long moan before I'm capable of forming a response.

"I'm okay buddy, just go watch some TV." I flush the toilet for what seems like the millionth time in the last twenty four hours.

"Dad, someone's here to help."

My head rolls to the side on top of my arm, that's resting on the toilet seat. "What? What do you mean help? I told you not to bother Mei."

"Coach?"

Oh, no. No. No. No. No.

Please God, no. Joanna can't see me like this.

"Yo, Coach, you good in there?" Oli also asks and I bang my head on my arm. And then I vomit again.

There's a muffled conversation going on the other side of the door but I can't hear past the sounds of regurgitation and flushing the toilet again.

Half crawling, half dragging myself to the sink, I open a cabinet and weakly spray the room, hoping it clears the air of the foul smells that are sure to be lingering. Afterward, I claw my way up to the rim of the sink, straining to pull myself up on weak legs.

Splashing cold water on my face, a moan of complete displeasure comes from the back of my throat and I also rinse my mouth a couple of times. My stomach painfully clenches, making me anxious that I will throw up again. I take a few deep breaths before looking in the mirror.

Fuck. I look like shit and probably smell like it too.

"Coach, I'm coming in, okay?"

"No." I rasp. "Please, don't." Turning away from the mirror, I inhale deeply, resting my head on the door. My reluctance waning, I grab the door knob and open it.

Expecting disgust or repulsion on her face, Joanna looks back at me and then smiles.

"Wow...You look awful."

"She ain't lying, Coach." Oli comments from somewhere in my room, but my eyes are only on Joanna.

In the short time since meeting her, I don't think I can ever get used to how beautiful she is. Her hair is curled instead of her usual straight style and half of it is pinned up in some kind of knot. Her makeup is light, and her lips shine with gloss.

"Obie called and said you needed help," she tells me with another bright smile. I shake my head in frustration but that leads to dizziness, making everything spin.

"Whoa there, big guy!" Joanna shoots forward to hold onto me and I lean on her heavily. "Easy. Here, let's sit down for a minute." She guides me back into the bathroom, lowering the lid of the toilet with her foot and helps me sit. I lean to the side, resting my head on the counter.

"Oli, get started on the soup. I'm going to help him clean up."

"Yeah, you are." She responds with a chuckle.