sunsets with jude

chapter twenty-three: pink string bikinis

Jude

Tomorrow night, Rishi is throwing an impromptu bonfire at his place. His parents are gone and his sister is buying booze on our behalf. The invite sounds enticing but I remember how sick I am. 

This morning, I threw up the Chick-Fil-A from last night and immediately went back to sleep. I figured something in my salad was rotten. My mom found me passed out on the couch and debated calling the doctor. I've never been sick in my life. Hell, I've never faked an illness to get out of something. That justified her concerns a lot.

I never threw up again. If anything, my stomach was in knots and any vigor I had was nowhere to be found. I was exhausted and ended up taking a long nap on the couch. 

Soon enough, my deep sleep is broken by my little sister. Abbey shakes my shoulders until she's able to wake me.

Which brings us to now. 

"Hey tough guy." She says, kissing my nose.

My eyes flutter open. "Hey, Abbey. What's going on?"

"Just wanted to bring you this." She drops my phone next to me and pecks my cheek this time. I'm surprised she didn't complain about catching a disease. "I want a sister in law."

I sit upright and face her. "What?"

"Emilia's blowing up your phone. No rush, but you should see what your princess wants."

"Princess-" Abbey hit the nail on the head: I forgot to reach out to my pretty girl after last night. My heart races when I view the Snapchat of herself smiling, her fat cheeks begging me to squeeze the shit out of them. 

Emilia is so perfect it isn't funny at all. Her skin always glows like an angel's and I don't remember the last time I saw her without stray curls in her face. I don't know what I did to deserve someone as stunning as she is. 

As I stare at the prettiest girl I know, Abbey gets impatient. "Give me a sister in law." 

"Working on it." I grumble. I'm not grumpy because of Emilia or even my persistent sister. Being sick is no fun at all and drains even the world's happiest person's energy. I haven't been happy since elementary school so I feel like I'm dying. 

"Are you okay, Jude?"

"I've been better."

"Poor thing." Abbey touches my forehead with the back of her hand. "Can I say something to my sister in law for you?"

Part of me wants to shut her up, but I'm far too out of it to decline her offer. "Don't be weird about it." 

Abbey asks me another question, but I tune her out and take a second, more rejuvenating nap for the rest of the day. I mentally drop kick myself for not texting Emilia. Where did my manners go? I was too busy staring at my fan in the dark, smiling because I love being around her and didn't tend to her in real life. 

The next time I wake up, my body no longer feels dead and lifeless. My phone reads that it's a quarter past six and my nap was almost four hours long. Lucy, as tired as I am, lays on the floor next to me. When my usually crazy dog is exhausted, I know I'm the problem. 

I pick up my phone and notice a few Snapchat messages from Emilia. She's one of my favorite people right now. By Abbey's standards, my actions sure as hell speak louder than my thoughts. That's why Emilia has no clue.

hey jude, her initial text reads. I scroll through the messages.

hi emi, i miss you

you too i hope your having a good day

i'm kinda under the weather rn but life is good because of u

feel better :)

 Abbey definitely did well conversing with my crush on my behalf. Nothing embarrassing.