Teardrops

Chapter 11: Choking on Chlorine

Chapter 11

(Lexi)

I dashed back up the stairs back to Shelly. I proudly showed her the new jeans and she turned pale.

"My favorite pair-?" She choked out, and immediately I held one pair in each hand.

"New pair." I declared firmly.

"Favorites." I threw the jeans at her.

"Cut-offs." I threw the other pair of jeans at her and slumped into my chair.

She seemed happy enough.

For someone who's dying. I couldn't help but think.

She looked at me uncomfortably and I turned away while she got dressed.

"Lexi." she said, and I saw her for the first time how she would normally portray herself to the world.

She had brushed her hair, where'd she get the brush?, and her faded, baggy T-shirt was obviously from the boys section. Her deep blue hoodie made her eyes shine bright like headlights that seemed to search your soul for the answers why. Her jeans hugged her curves and accentuated her long legs.

It all seemed to say, 'I know I'm pretty without trying. What are you gonna do about it?'

But I knew that the baggy shirt was her insecurities leaking out and the jeans were her way of consoling herself that there was something pretty about her after all.

Plus, blue was her favorite color.

"Can you help me?" she asked, quietly bringing me out of my own thoughts with a small tug on my aching heart.

I saw where she was pointing and wheeled over the chair.

"I hate this." She muttered, collapsing awkwardly into the chair.

My heart throbbing, I whispered, "I know, Shelly." as I pushed the chair out of the room.

Down the long, sterile, hallways where people stared pointedly. I couldn't decide if they were shocked by the tears on my face or the calm composure on Shelly's.

Damn. She's stronger than she thinks.

Language! Lyssa chirped at me.

What the heck?

Shelly...

Of course.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the irony. Lyssa telling me not to cuss.

Who would've thunk it?

Not me, certainly.

Sometimes I wonder if I make you up so I don't feel so lonely.

Huh. Would your imagination do this? I had the sudden feeling that someone was blowing a raspberry into my left ear.

If I was imagining you and this conversation, yes. Plus I would expect some old dudes pants to fall down.

Huh. Perv. But ok...

Lyssa, NO!!!

Too late. I heard a yelp behind me and involuntarily turned to see thin, wrinkly white hairy legs and black Star Wars boxers before tan khakis were hastily pulled up.

Happy birthday princess.

I-

I think I'm scarred for life.

Huh. And I thought you'd seem worse.

If you say one word about Jeremy.

Jeremy? Who's talking about Jeremy? I was talking about Rob-

I blocked her out. But I couldn't stop the memories, and I staggered mid-step.

"Lexi?" Shelly's small concerned voice wrapped around behind the chair and vaguely penetrates my consciousness. But I was somewhere else... Somewhere hot and steamy and-

*

The smell of chlorine almost seemed to choke me. The steam rising up seemed to be tainted with something evil. I gagged, and Lyssa turned to me with concern on her face.

"Are you okay?" her intelligent brown eyes searched my face for any sign of sickness.

"Was it the shrimp?" She prompted, having opted out on the whole raw seafood idea of tonight's dinner.

"It's the chlorine!! It's like smothering me!!" I gasped out, but Lyssa laughed.

"C'mon, we'll go to the pool then!"

She jumped up out of the hot tub, and I saw the guys' eyes immediately float upward as she speed-walked to the pool and jumped clumsily in.

"Perverts." I told them, as they seemed to wait eagerly for me to get up.

"Are you going?" Robbie asked.

I shook my head no, stubbornly, at their stares, until one of the other guys leaned back and I felt something on my chest.

His feet.

I shrieked at him and flew into a frenzy, sliding sideways and slamming an arm into his legs, right above the knee. Hindered by the water, I couldn't kick him very effectively, so I slapped him as hard as I could in the face, repeatedly, until I felt strong arms wrap around me and carry me, kicking and screaming, away.

SPLASH.

The cold water shocked me to the core and I went rigid, sinking, until the warm arms were around me again, pulling me up.

I don't know what I was thinking.

In fact, I don't remember thinking.

I was just kissing him, kissing whoever it was with everything I had, everything I had heard about. That was before my body took over.

When I finally stopped for a little bit of air I found my legs wrapped around a muscular torso, the taste of chlorine and root beer in my mouth as I felt lips caressing my neck, moving down, down, farther down...

What the heck just happened??

I pulled away, realizing I didn't even know who it was.

"No." The panic built in my voice. "What did you do to me??"

But then he-

*

"Lexi?" her voice was soft and scared.

I seemed to come out of a trance. I realized I was standing in the middle of a hallway, my knuckles white as I clutched the wheelchair for dear life. Lexi was peering at me, twisting in what had to be an uncomfortable fashion as she tried to gauge if I was okay.

"Lexi?" She asked again, shifting to the other side.

I couldn't answer her, and I still felt those kisses. I shuddered, blushing and glancing down.

Lyssa...

There was no reply.

Lyssa???

Silence.

Lyssa?!?!?!

The silence started to choke me.

LYSSA MORGAN JAMESON!!!!

I. Can't. Breathe.

Help me.

"Lexi?" her voice, so sweet, so innocent, she doesn't know...

I swear, I could still smell the chlorine...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, that was certainly steamy for a bit there. (Hehe get it?? Get it?? No? why are you here?)

Vote, comment, don't kill me:)