Sweet Rush

Eight

"Thanks for the soup, babe." Blair manages to get out, despite the fact that she's buried to deep under a pile of blankets in an attempt to sweat out whatever she's sick with.

I had made it my mission to visit her apartment and make sure she's fine, due to the fact that I wouldn't be seeing her for some time. Although, I had assumed the worst, it turns out she just has a really bad cold. Nothing she can't handle.

"Anything for you." I kiss her damp temple, risking my life just to show her how much I care. Blair didn't really talk much about her family and all I know is that she's from Minnesota and grew up Catholic. I tuck her in once more and open her blinds just a peep to illuminate her tiny apartment with the morning light. "You know apparently there's an interrogation at the bar today for whoever stole that money."

I had filled Blair in on all the bullshit that went down at the bar as well as last night and had only now just given her the part about the cops coming. I'll be in at four so maybe I'll be the only one there left to question.

"I still can't believe that Mr. Hottie Pants thinks you stole money, you don't even look that desperate." she struggles from under her weighted blankets.

"That desperate?" I catch on to her words slightly taking offence.

I don't look desperate, do I?

"I'm kidding Malia. How can someone so gorgeous like yourself look desperate?"

I chuckle with her after she has restored my confidence because if she had busted out that "to be honest, Malia" I would have ran down to the deepest part of the New York drains to drown myself in piss water and sorrow. A buzz arises from my back pocket and if it's not Avana, it's one out of two of my parents or maybe both. I pull my phone from my dark washed jeans, and just like I thought it's my mom.

I mouth to Blair that my mom is on, letting her know not to say anything that can sell me out to my parents. It's crazy how a small town girl like me is out in a massive city, as a college dropout. My parents would say failure, I say badass.

"Hey mama." I smile as I see her twinkling eyes and I wonder how that sparkle hasn't diminished given her job. I don't know if I could've handled working with ill kids. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing at all. Just taking a little rest for the next two days, I've been told I'm not that well." she says, smiling at me as if she hasn't just told me something devastating. I would probe further but there's no point in asking because she won't tell me.

My parents never tell me things that 'hurt' me and I don't think they grasp that it hurts being in the dark about things that should be discussed as a family. How horrific is it, to find out that your dad had fought cancer for five years at the age of sixteen?

It had went away by the time they told me anything. I questioned why they hadn't told me before and they explained that I was still a child. It's a sorry excuse because I understood a lot when I was young, even mom's profession.

"Well I hope everything is okay. Do you know why you're not well?" I probe trying to get an answer some way, some how.

"How's school hun?" she changes the subject and I know better than to press her on the topic. Not that she'll get mad but I wouldn't get the answers I desire, she's a bit stubborn.

"It's school. A lot of work. I'm just over at my friend's dorm." I angle the camera to show Blair and she peeks her arm out to give a wave. "She's a little sick." I explain before she asks about the condition Blair is in (buried under tons of blankets)

I'm very certain she doesn't even need to be wrapped up like that but we're hoping that she sweats out the cold so she can hit the road with me again soon.