Under the Hollywood Sign (editing)

Chapter 22

Shane

The next day, she was up before I was. But she certainly woke me up.

I felt her get up out of bed, but I wasn't awake. Then, I heard two footsteps, then a thud, and then a

"SHIT! SHIT!! SHIT, SHIT, SHIT!!!"

With that, I was awake. I got up out of bed, and I knelt next to her on the floor. She was holding her knee to her chest, and swearing under her breath.

"What happened?"

"I pulled my calf really badly yesterday, and right now.. SHIT!"

Her face was full of pain, and it was making me sad.

I gently picked her up off the floor, put her on the bed, and I told her to stretch.

She looked relieved, but she still had it pulled. I got her an Advil.

She took it without question, and I wrapped her ankle with a bandage.

I kissed her, and then I went downstairs, and I began cooking.

**********************

Delilah

(3 months later)

I was sitting at my desk, and I was suddenly feeling really sick.

My head was swimming, and the graphics on my computer were killing me. I put my head on the keyboard, trying to ignore the pain in my stomach.

I began to gag, and eventually, I pushed myself across my office with my wheelie chair, and I threw up in the trash can.

I hadn't eaten my lunch yet, probably because it wasn't appealing to me for the whole day.

I had two more hours, and I'd be able to go home.

When I did, I breezed by Shane's open arms, and I ran upstairs to the bathroom.

I slammed the door behind me, and I leaned over, and I threw up again.

Once I was done, I sat on the toilet, and I yanked my red converses off. I took my blazer off, and I put it on the hook.

I left them there, and I went into my room, and I put on pajamas, and I sat in bed. My head was under the pillow.

I felt him lie down next to me. His arms were loosely wrapped around my waist. His head was buried in my hair.

"Baby, are you okay?"

I moaned.

"What happened?"

"I just feel really sick. I threw up twice. Once at work, and once here."

"Why didn't you call me?!"

"I had two hours left. I wanted to finish off the day."

"You should have called, Deils."

His fingers ran through my hair.

My stomach hurt even more. I curled up.

I wasn't late, so I don't know what was wrong with me.

When I was finally better, I ate like the swimmer I used to be. He laughed.

"Don't make yourself sick."

I have him a look, then reached across the table, and I took a forkful of french fries.

In the afternoon, he decided to take me on a road trip.

It was a nice day, so we went in his Jeep. The roofless one.

We drove along the coastline as the sun was setting. It was a deep orange on the horizon. The water was glittering, and it was kind of perfect.

When we stopped, I was wondering why he took me there. It was just a street corner.

But we walked for a while, and he covered my eyes, and we walked a block.

"Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see."

When he took his hands from my eyes, and when we stopped walking, we were standing in front of a beautiful house. It overlooked the water, and it was more than I could have asked for. Ever.