Everything Personal

Sick Little Days

After Jack made a mess in the kitchen, he came into the front room and complained he was feeling ill.

“Is that puke I smell?” Rian asked running into the kitchen. I followed Rian as Jack retched followed by puke. I came back into the front room with a damp cloth to wipe his face.

“Okay Jack go upstairs and sleep, I’ll be up in a minute,” I said to him calmly “everyone else can you come help me in the kitchen for a second?” They all nodded and followed me into the kitchen whilst Jack went upstairs to his room. Alex, Zack and Rian helped me clean the kitchen and then once the kitchen was tidy, they all went back into the front room and I went upstairs to Jack.

“Hi sleepy,” I said waking him up “How are you feeling?”

“Ill,” he said simply “You said you’d be up in a minute.”

“Not literally! I wanted to clean up first so then the others wouldn’t throw up.” I replied putting a cold towel on his forehead “When you got the burritos did you check the sell-by date?”

“Nope, never do.” He said coughing. 

“That might have helped and is probably why you’re ill. I’ll check on you later okay?” I said putting down a bucket by his bed “if you’re going to throw up then throw up into the bucket please!” I said exiting the room. He nodded and then drifted back to sleep.

When I was coming down the stairs, Alex was standing at the bottom and lifted me up and spun me around when I was about two steps away from him.

“How’s Jack?” He asked putting me down.

“He’s probably got food poisoning. Before I went upstairs I checked the sell-by date on the burritos and they are two weeks out of date!”

“Shit! Jack’s sometimes quite stupid!” Alex replied laughing. 

“He should be better in a few days,”

“Will he be ready for our tour?” Zack asked coming out of the front room with Rian.

“He should be bro. Oh, am I coming with you guys?”

“Yeah, unless you’re going to Bam’s?” Rian said “just ‘cause you normally come with us now.”

“No, I’m not going to Bam’s, he’s in Boston with Ville’s sister and Black Veil Brides at the moment.” 

“I’m hungry,” Zack said walking into the kitchen.

“Don’t touch the burritos! I don’t want to clean up more fucking puke!” I yelled at him.

“God calm it sis! I’m not going to touch them! Why didn’t you throw them away?” He replied.

“I don’t know, can you do that for me please?” 

“Yes.”

Alex, Rian and I went back into the front room while Zack got some food.

“Why is Bam in Boston?” Rian asked sitting at his drum kit.

“Ville’s sis  and Ashley are back together I think.” 

“Ah okay,” Rian replied about to hit his drums.

“No don’t! Please! Jack’s asleep.” Rian lowered his arms.

“No he isn’t,” Zack said walking in “he just texted me asking me to ask you to get him some food. Oh, and I binned the burrito’s for you.”

“Thanks bro. Go ahead Rian,” I replied waling into the kitchen. I got Jack a 6 inch hoagie and some ice-cream. 

Walking up the stairs I heard Jack blowing his nose and coughing. However no retching or puke. As I entered his room he coughed gently and sneezed a few times.

“Bless you Jack!” I smiled “I brought you some food.”

“Thanks,” he smiled “I just hope it won’t come back up! Everything I’ve eaten so far has just come back up my throat.”

“Too much information Jack! Do you need a different bucket?” 

“Um...” Jack looked into the bucket “Yes please, it smells a bit in here.”

“Okay,” I said picking up the bucket “Be right back!” I left the room, went into the main bathroom and tipped the puke down the toilet then washed and dried the bucket. I went back into Jack’s room to find him chowing down the hoagie.

“Thanks,” he smiled at me then went back to the hoagie. 

“No problem,” I smiled back placing down the bucket and then turning to his door “Text me if you need anything else.” 

Jumping down the stairs, I heard Zack, Alex and Rian discussing something in low voices. I didn’t think anything of it and went down to the basement to practice playing my guitar. I grabbed my acoustic and started playing Sweet Child O’ Mine by Guns ‘N’ Roses.

“She’s got a smile that it seems to me. Reminds me of childhood memories. Where everything was fresh as the bright blue sky. Now and the when I see her face. She takes me away to that special place, and if I stare too long, I’d probably break down and cry,” I sang as Alex came in.

“Whoa, oh, oh, sweet child o’ mine. Whoa, oh, oh, oh sweet love of mine,” we sang together.

“She’s got eyes of the bluest skies, as if they thought of rain, I’d hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain. Her hair reminds me of a warm, safe place. Where as a child I’d hide and pray for the thunder and the rain to quietly pass me by,” Alex sang to me.

“Whoa, oh, oh, sweet child o’ mine. Whoa, oh, oh, oh sweet love of mine,” we sang to each other. I stopped playing and gave the guitar to Alex. He began Remembering Sunday. I smiled at him as he sang to me the sweet lyrics.

“There’s a neighbor said that she moved away. Funny how it rained all day. I didn’t think much of it then but it’s starting to all make sense.

Oh, I can see now. That all of these clouds are following me in my desperate endeavor to fid my whoever. Wherever she may be,” he sang

“I’m not coming back. I’ve done something so terrible, I’m terrified to speak but you’d expect that from me. I’m mixed up, I’ll be blunt now the rain is just washing you out of my hair.

And out of my mind keeping an eye on the world. So many thousands of feet off the ground. I’m over you now I’m at home in the clouds, towering over your head,” I sang.

“Well I guess I'll go home now. I guess I'll go home now. I guess I'll go home now. I guess I'll go home,” Alex finished. We got up and Alex put the guitar back and pulled my waist towards his and then kissed me. Then Zack and Rian came in.

“Oh God! Alex! Alice! Get a fucking room!” Zack complained.

“Aww. I think it’s cute,” Rian said smiling. 

“Sorry bro.” I said. 

“ALICE!” Jack yelled followed by a long coughing fit. 

“I’LL BE UP IN A SECOND!” I yelled back to him “Sorry. Got to attend the patient,” I said exiting the basement. 

I reached Jack’s room where he was in the middle of eating the ice cream I had taken up to him. 

“Are we still going to be able to go on tour?”

“Yes, we are.”

“Okay.”

“That it?” I asked him.

“Yep.” I exited the room whilst Jack was still eating when I heard a large thump.

“What he fuck is that?” I asked myself running down to the basement.