Never The End

Chapter 19 - Home

After my disaster of a date last night, I lay in bed at 10:00 dying inside. My head was pounding and I just wanted to be left alone but - like most mothers - mine kept checking on me, bringing me chicken soup from a can (not pleasant) and luke warm camomile tea (even less so.) I haven't told her why I'm so ill.

My head was still throbbing and my throat was red raw. Each time I swallowed my throat inflamed making my gasp. I had a bowl by my bed in case I threw up again. Jason was really sweet last night, helping me; holding my hair out of my face. He walked me home and tucked me silently into bed. The last thing I remember was him kissing my face and whispering "Sleep tight beautiful."

My phone buzzed. I reached across to my bedside table, wincing as I stretched out. Jason had text me, "Hope you're feeling better. We were both knocking it back last night so I know how you feel. Fancy meeting up on Tuesday? x"

I replied saying, "Remind me never to drink again please. Yeah sure, how about town. I can do any time from 11:00  x"

My phone rang. Brilliant, the last think I want to do right now is talk to someone. I ignored it, hoping they'd hang up. No such luck. After two minutes of incessant ringing, I picked up the phone. "Hi." My voice came out more groggily than I anticipated.

"Olivia? Is that you?"

Then I realised. "Jason?"

"No, Olivia it's Alice. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, it's me, sorry. Just feeling a bit ill. We've not spoken in ages." The phone line went a bit fuzzy before regaining clarity.

"Yeah, I heard you and Jason were drinking last night? You used to be so sensible. What happened? Jason is bad news. You know you could've damaged your liver, the amount you were drinking? I can't believe you were so stupid to be honest."

She said it so blankly; it almost made me lost for words... Almost. "Wait how do you know what I was doing last night? It's none of your business anyway, we haven't spoken in months and now you're trying to act like the worried best friend? Well, I don't need your advice thank you." I gushed furiously.

Alice's voice rang in my ears, "Mike saw you didn't he? The whole school knows. I'm just trying to help you know. I just think you need to be careful ok?"

The whole school knows. The words kept relaying in my head. The WHOLE school's been talking about it. Everyone knows I threw up on Jason - that I'm a lightweight. Alice kept speaking but I couldn't process what she was saying.

All my anger built up inside me. Knowing that everybody had been gossiping, saying how Jason was a bad influence. It got to me.

 "You know what Alice? Why is it any of your business what I get up to in my spare time? Just because you spend all your time with your head stuck in a book because no one wants you around, doesn't mean that I have to. Jason and I hardly had anything and he was really caring when I was sick so don't go saying he's a trouble maker. Just don't poke your nose in my business.”

“Look Olivia, I get that but I’m trying to look out for you. I know we’ve drifted apart lately but I do still care about you.”

“I don’t need your pity Alice. There’s a reason that we’ve drifted apart you know!”

She sighed loudly down the phone. “I just called to check you’re ok. Jason is bad news and I don’t want you getting hurt.”

“I won’t get hurt. Jason and I are getting really close now. He isn’t trouble; he’s just not like you. Not everyone has to spend all day studying rather than going out having fun. Maybe you’re the one who’s a bad influence; not him.”

Silence. I stood with the phone against my ear for a few moments before hanging up. My brain was a mess. I threw my phone against the wall. I screamed as the phone smashed against the wall. My brand new iPhone 5 lay in shards all over my bedroom floor.