Maya sat at her usual spot in the large lecture hall, her notebook open in front of her as the professor droned on about the intricacies of cell division. "When it comes to the concepts of Biology, you have to look at all four of the Big IDEA: IDEA 1. being that the process of evolution drives the diversity and unity of life."
Normally, she'd be scribbling notes, but today; her mind felt sluggish, her focus scattered. She reached for her water bottle, taking a long sip to quench the persistent dryness in her mouth. Instead of relief, a wave of nausea rolled through her, making her stomach churn.
She swallowed hard, willing herself to keep the water down. The last thing she wanted was to bolt from the room in front of everyone. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took a deep breath, telling herself it was nothing—probably just a reaction to the cafeteria food from earlier or maybe dehydration from all the running she'd been doing.
Maya opened her eyes and tried to refocus on the lecture. She could hear the professor's voice in the background, but the words seemed to blur together, slipping away from her grasp. She glanced around at the other students, all engrossed in their notes or the slides on the screen, a flicker of frustration overtook Maya. This wasn't like her. She was always sharp, always attentive.
Pushing the nausea aside, Maya forced herself to pick up her pen and jot down a few lines, hoping the act of writing would ground her. But even as she wrote, she had to fight the urge to take another sip of water, knowing it might bring the nausea back.
It's just stress, she told herself firmly. A long day, too little sleep. Everyone has off days. It's nothing serious.
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Later that afternoon, Maya found herself on the track. The familiar rhythm of their footsteps and the sound of their breaths in unison usually engaged her, but today, it felt like a weight pressing down on her chest. As they started their warm-up laps, Maya tried to push through the fatigue that clung to her like a wet blanket.
Kaeo, jogged up beside her. "You good?" she asked, her tone casual, but laced with concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Maya replied, forcing a smile. "Just tired, I guess. ... I didn't sleep well last night."
Kaeo nodded, but her eyes lingered on Maya a moment before she sped up, joining the front of the pack. Maya watched her go, feeling a pang of envy. As they transitioned from warm-ups to interval sprints, Maya's body protested more with each lap. Her legs felt heavy, her breaths shallow, and by the time they were halfway through, she could feel herself lagging behind.
Her heart pounded painfully in her chest, and the usual exhilaration of pushing her limits was replaced by a growing sense of dread.
When the coach blew the whistle for a break, Maya bent over, hands on her knees, struggling to catch her breath. Kaeo was at her side in an instant.
"Maya, you don't look good," Kaeo said, her voice tinged with worry. "Maybe you should sit out the rest of practice?"
Maya shook her head, trying to stand up straight despite the dizziness that threatened to tip her over. "I'm fine," she insisted. "Just... need a minute."
But even as she said it, she knew she wasn't fine. The fatigue was unlike anything she'd ever felt before, and it scared her. Still, the idea of sitting out, of admitting she couldn't keep up, felt like defeat.
"I'll push through," she added, but Kaeo didn't look convinced.
"Don't overdo it, I'm gonna let the coach know you've u got whatever bug is going around." Kaeo warned, before heading back to the group.
Maya watched her go, feeling a mix of gratitude and frustration. She didn't want to admit something was wrong, but as she jogged slowly to rejoin the others, the thought nagged at her. Maybe it's more than just being tired. But she quickly pushed it aside. She just needed to rest, that's all. Back in the dorm, Maya flopped down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. The exhaustion that had been dogging her all day hadn't let up, and her body ached in ways that didn't feel right.
"You sure you're okay?" Kaeo's voice broke through her thoughts. Maya opened her eyes to find her roommate watching with concern.
"Yea, I just need some rest. That's all." she said with a meek smile. Kaeo left and returned about five minutes later with a cup.
"Careful, this is hot, but maybe this tea will help. Should you need anything, let me know, okay?"
Looking into the green ceramic cup, it was hard to tell what the contents were. She felt deep down that Kaeo would never do anything to hurt her, the last few weeks have shown her that at least. She drank half the contents Chamomile, Orange citrus, Ginger and vanilla. It was weak, but it was perfect for Maya's stomach.
"The ginger should help a lot with the fatigue, rest up, okay?" After taking a sip, Maya made her way under the covers, the tea already soothing her stomach. Kaeo approached, tucking her in bed and moving the trash can closer to Maya's
"Thank you"
"Don't mention it, I'll hit the light on my way out"
YOU ARE READING
Race of Love
Short StoryMaya has recently graduated from high school and is packing up to leave for college far from home. During her first month of college, she goes to a party with other members of the track team and finds herself in a less than stellar situation. While...
