PULSE

(twentyfour) january 25

(TWENTYFOUR) JANUARY 25

"Just stay there," Lev said flatly as I drowsily started to sit up. I hadn't noticed him in the doorway, holding a tray of food, but when he spoke, he was already entering the room and pushing the door closed with his foot.

I stopped moving, propped halfway up on my elbows. "I should get home."

"You should just chill out for a moment and not hurt yourself," Lev countered, setting the tray of food on the desk behind me.

"Lev—"

"Just shut up, will you, Aidan?" he snapped, but his voice lacked any malice; he sounded more exhausted than angry. He pushed a glass of water and collection of pills into my hands. "You looked like death last night, and frankly, you still do. So just relax for a while before you try to get up and mess yourself up again."

I frowned at the painkillers in my hand. "I feel fine."

"Well, you're not fine. Even I can see that." He sighed deeply, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jeans. I realized quickly that he was completely dressed, his hair still slightly damp from showering. "Anyway, you just rest for a while. I don't want to see you that sick again, so at least give yourself a day to relax before you go out and do whatever stupid shit you do these days."

"We have school," I said, taking a moment to swallow the pills with a long gulp of water.

"You can miss a day. I don't think it'll kill you." When I only stared at him, he sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. "You're already the top of the class. You need a break. Just take it. Don't make me lock you in here."

I blinked. "Fine. I won't."

He slowly nodded to himself. "Good. Try to get some sleep or something."

"You're not even going to let me go back to my own house?" I asked.

Lev took the glass of water from my hand and pushed my shoulder roughly, making me fall on my back. "How am I supposed to look after your stupid ass if you're not here?"

I didn't reply, but stared at him as he lifted his backpack off of the dresser and stashed his house keys in his jeans pocket, heading toward the door.

"I'll be back when school ends. Don't try to leave, and don't hurt yourself while I'm gone. If I get back here and you're gone, I'll call the police."

I nodded.

He looked at me one last time before slipping out into the hall, closing the door behind him and leaving me alone in his bedroom. Once I couldn't hear his footsteps anymore, I pushed myself out of his bed and to my feet, only waiting a moment for the dizziness to fade as I walked slowly toward the window. I sat at the desk chair and watched through the window as Lev left the house, reaching the sidewalk and heading in the direction of the school. As soon as he rounded the corner and disappeared, I stood again and pulled open the window, climbing out onto the freshly watered lawn.

I moved quietly across the grass, trailing down the sidewalk as I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket to check my messages. With my head down, eyes focused on the screen, I almost walked right out in front of Lev, who had stopped just around the corner rather than continuing on the way he should have. I stopped myself just before he would've seen me, ducking back behind the wall and listening for him to start moving. Instead, I heard a voice that I wasn't expecting.

"How is he?" she asked quietly.

"You know how he is," Lev said duly. "He wouldn't tell me if he was half-dead. But he's okay, at least for the moment. I'll make sure that he doesn't get worse."