"Ugh!" I moaned.
My body felt like lead and my head like it had been cleaved in two. I reached for my phone and cancelled the alarm. It took some effort but I swung my legs over the edge of my bed and pushed myself up. My head was pounding as I sat there with my face buried in my hands. After a moment or two the pain subsided enough to stand up and I started to make my way to the bathroom. I rummaged through the medicine cabinet hoping to find some aspirin but the bottle was empty. Angrily, I tossed it in the wastebasket and wandered back down the hallway towards my parents' bedroom.
I gently knocked on the door and waited a few seconds before calling out, "Mom?"
"What is it, Livie?"
"Do you have any aspirin?"
I heard her shuffling towards the door. She slowly opened it, "What's wrong, honey?"
"Nothing," I squinted against the shooting pain behind my eyes, "I just have a really bad headache."
"Oh, sweetie! You don't look so well," she laid her palm across my forehead.
"I'm OK, Mom, really. I just need some aspirin," I tried to shake myself away but it sent another stab of blinding pain through me. I reeled back a step or two.
"I'll get you something," my dad came to the door after hearing our conversation. "Why don't you go back to bed and lie down for a minute."
"I have to get ready for school," I protested.
"School can wait until you feel better," my father firmly stated.
My mother took my hand and led me to my room.
"Tyler's going to be here soon," I mumbled. "I really need to get ready."
"You heard your father, you're clearly not feeling well enough for school."
My mom was probably right, but I didn't want to miss seeing Tyler. There was so much I wanted to talk to him about.
"I need to let Tyler know so he won't waste a trip coming to get me."
She handed me my phone as I slumped into bed. My dad came in with a bottle of aspirin and placed a glass of water on my nightstand. He uncapped the pills, "How many?" he asked.
"Three," I reached out to take them from him after he shook them into his hand.
"That many? You should have taken something sooner and not let it get so bad."
"I would have if I had known but I don't even remember going to bed last night. I slept like a rock and it just hit me when I woke up," I moaned.
"Hmm, is there anything going around at school?" he asked.
I shook my head as I sipped the water and swallowed the pills, "No, I don't think so."
"Well, take it easy this morning. I'll call the school and let them know you won't be in today."
I sighed resignedly and nodded. My mother came over and put my phone aside after I finished my text to Tyler. "Do you want me to bring you a little something to eat?"
The thought of eating just them made my stomach turn, "No, I don't feel like I can eat right now. Maybe later."
She stroked my hair, "I'm sorry you're not well. Let me know if you need anything and try to get some rest.
"I will," I assured her.
Once they were gone I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I started to doze off but Lizzie poked her head in my room to find out why I was still in bed.
