Caught Inside

Chapter Thirty

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." – Ephesians 4:32

Jake woke up on Monday morning, rolled onto his side, and stared blearily at the numbers on his alarm clock until they came into focus. Then he gasped.

9:30? He was over two hours late to school!

Immediately, he threw off his sheets, swung his legs over the side of his bed, and placed his feet flat on the floor. But the second his head was in the upright position, he felt woozy. His hands gripped the mattress as he slowly lowered himself back down. What was wrong with him? His head was pounding, his whole body ached, and his throat was sore to swallow.

Jake lightly pressed his palm to his forehead. With a groan, he realized he had a fever. He quietly pulled his bed sheets back over his body and closed his eyes. He drifted in and out of sleep until Mrs. Sanders opened his bedroom door twenty minutes later.

"Jake, honey?" she asked softly. When he cracked open an eye, she walked over and sat down on the side of his bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Sick," he muttered.

She pressed a hand against his forehead. "I checked on you earlier when you didn't wake up for school."

"You should have gotten me up, Mom."

She smiled wryly. "You're burning. There's no way you're going to school today."

Jake realized his mother's hand was still resting on his brow, but he didn't turn away like he usually would have done. Rather, he looked into her eyes and saw sorrow reflected in them. "Mom," he croaked out.

She placed both hands against his cheeks and smiled. "Do you want me to get you anything?"

Just stay, he thought.

Suddenly, the phone rang from the den, and Mrs. Sanders quickly stood up. "That's the doctor," she said. "He's calling about my chemo treatment."

Jake sank lower beneath his sheets and watched his mother's figure disappear out the door. A few moments later, he heard her voice talking on the phone. Oh God, please give the doctor wisdom. Please let her chemotherapy work...

The thought of losing his mother made tears spring into his eyes. He didn't care if lying in bed, crying over his mom made him look like a pathetic little boy. Jake had a fever, his mother had cancer, and he had missed an important opportunity to make amends with Maya today.

That was the main reason why he was so upset. Of all the days to come down with a fever, it had to have been today! Jake had stayed up late last night rehearsing what he wanted to say, how he wanted to say it, and when he wanted to get Maya alone for his confession. But all that had been snatched away when he woke up with a fever. He could only pray that he would get over this fever soon.

Though Alana's palms were sweating and her heart racing as she stepped out of Cole's Volkswagen, she felt a wave of peace wash over her whenever she looked at him. She knew she had made the right decision. Cole was a great guy, and after praying and receiving Dylan's approval, she knew their relationship was meant to be.

Telling the rest of the gang, however, was a different thing altogether. Koa was already against their relationship and Alana knew the news wouldn't go over well with Maya since she had neglected to open up to Maya about her feelings for Cole. As for Jake, Alana hoped he would approve, just like Blaine.