The boy I met on a highway.

Part 13: Fever dream

I got home at 6:15 PM. I had drove around town all day looking for jobs, but I only ended up with one job application.

I walked into the door, trudging my feet. I kicked my shoes off and set my bag down on the floor. I sat down on the bench and rubbed my sore feet.
Jake was sitting on the couch, asleep. He woke up and noticed me sitting there. "Oh, hey." He said with a groan. "Hi." I said tiredly. "How did the job hunting go?" he asked "Well," I said walking towards him. "I only made it out with one job application. So if I don't get this job I don't know what I'll do." "Damn." I walked over to the couch and sat down next to him. I rubbed my face and sighed. "You look tired." He said with a worried expression on his face. "Yeah.. I just have an awful headache." "Let me see." He said. He put his hand on my forehead, and then jerked it away really quickly. "Jesus Jessica, you're burning up!!" "I am??" "YES!"
He got up quickly and searched the cabinets for the one that had medicine in it. Once he found it he grabbed a thermometer. "Say ah" "I don't even feel that bad" I said. He grabbed my jaw, gently but firm. "I said, say ah." he said in a soft, demanding voice. I couldn't help but succumb. Damn you Jake.
I opened my mouth, and he put the thermometer under my tongue. It beeped.
He squinted, then his eyes opened wide. "What is it?" I asked. "You need to get to bed. NOW." "What??!" I stood up quickly. "What's going on, I don't.. even.. fee-" My head got extremely dizzy all the sudden and I couldn't even stand. I dropped to the floor. That was the last thing I remember.

I woke up, my head pounding, sweat all over me. It takes me a couple minutes to start seeing correctly. I look around. I'm in bed, with tons of blankets on me, a warm wet rag on my forehead (which I'm assuming used to be cold) and Jake sitting next to me in a chair. "Wha..." I whimpered. "Shh.. It's ok. You just have a fever. Go back to sleep." "No.." I say under my breath. He looked at me for a couple of seconds and then, to get me to comply, he kisses me on the lips. I don't want him to let go. I want to kiss him forever. But I can't find the strength to hold on. I make a longing face. "I know.. but I'll give you more later. Right now you need to sleep." he says in an almost whisper.
Usually, that line would have made me blush, but I can't tell if I did or not because of how hot my head feelt already.
I reach my hand out and he pauses for a second before crawling in bed with me. he wraps me in his arms and traces my face with his hand, down to my neck, my collar bone, my arms, and back up again. I slowly start to fall asleep. But I try and fight it. I want to continue feeling his arms around me, his hand tracing my body, his breath on my face. But I can't help it.

I slowly start to fall asleep.

Me and Jake are running. Why are we running? There's a beach, a sunset. The waves are lapping and sending a soft breeze towards our way. The wind is blowing in my hair. It doesn't feel real. I realize, it's not. It's a dream. I'm dreaming about me and Jake. We're running along the beach, towards a house. We look older. He has a few wrinkles, and so do I. He's smiling. He looks so happy. Now we're nearing the house.. a house on the beach, how lovely.
Now there's.. there's kids?? three little girls. "Kendra!!" I call. The eldest little girl runs up to me. "Mommy!!" she calls. Oh, these are my kids. The two other little girls run up to Jake. "Daddy!!" wait.. no.. they're.. our kids.
The dream suddenly starts blurring away, all I can hear is laughing before I gain consciousness.