Bittersweet

Chapter 12

"Let's take you to the doctor." My mom tried convincing me.

"I swear, I'm fine." I was in bed with four blankets ontop of me and was drinking my sixth cup of ginger tea.

After vomiting, my mom took my temperature and it was a whopping  forty one degrees, which was not normal at all. Now she is trying to convince me to see my doctor. It felt like a normal cold, but my mother and her experience say otherwise.

"Anastasia, stop being stubborn and go dress yourself so we can go to the doctor. Come on." My mom pleaded.

"Mommy pleaaaseee. I'm fine." I nagged.

"You certainly don't look fine." She argued back.

"Thanks mom." I scrowled while she laughed, catching on to what she said.

"What is it gonna take?" She pleaded. I raised my brow at her.

Of course we went to the doctor, and of course I was looking like a dead zombie that came out of its graveyard. After giving in three viles of blood and explaining my symptoms to the doctor, turns out it was a flu that is going around the country.

Currently, my mom and I were in Starbucks since she bribed me with a Pumpkin Spice Latte. It was worth it. Very worth it. My mom, being the typical coffee addict she is, passed on the addiction in her genes to me. She sat across from me with her Cappuccino cup between her fingers.

October just started and the weather is getting chillier everyday. We were next to the window, looking out at the gloomy weather, when my mom spoke.

"Ana, you seem worried. Tell me what is on your mind." My mom is a psychologist, so she can detect me very easily. Taking a sip, I nodded at her.

"You seem..... withdrawn, like thinking, but not about random things like you usually do, your eyes twinkle. It's a guy." She concluded and I ferociously blushed.

"Ah ha! When was I ever wrong." She said whipping her chestnut hair off her shoulder-- another trade I acquired from her.

"Never." I said. Her eyes twinkled, mirroring mine.

"Spill the tea, now." She demanded.

Ugh.

"Ha-ha. Mom, don't you mean coffee? Get it?" I clicked my fingers and my mom gave me the biggest eyeroll ever. I think she saw her brain.

"Just tell the story before I shoot you." She said giving me a death glare.

"Okay, here we go. Okay. Okay this might be a bit awkward, okay?" I lagged.

"You said 'okay' like ten times. Go on!" My mom practically yelled.

"I think I like Caleb." I rush.

"What do you mean you think!" My mom raised her voice.

"Shh, yes I think. It's only been a couple of weeks since I started getting nervous around him. So I'm a little unsure."

"Tell me more." She urged.

I quickly spilled my whole soul out on the table, that's the great this about a mother. They never judge you because you are part of them. I don't need to keep my guard up. She is there, always.

"You are such a messed up child, Ana." She shook her head, "What is going on in that head of yours?"

"You tell me." We laughed.

"But I think this is totally normal. It was sort of known that at one point, one will fall for the other and that was you. You are special to him in a way we will never understand, but in the most twisted way possible, he cares for you. Yes he might be wild and crazy but he cares. He is an absolute idiot if he doesn't like you back." She explained.

"I would only hope." I shrugged.

We went back home and I was feeling better by a fraction. Not fully better but surely not worse. I was prescribed five different medications, and me being myself, I took them a picture and posted it on Snapchat. 

I am very ridiculous. Nobody watched it because it was not passed 3 o'clock yet, so no one was at home or had internet access. I stalked pretty much every celebrity there is until my mom left the house to get my brother from school.

I plopped down onto the couch in the living room and got extremely comfy with three blankets and two pillows, turning on the TV where MTV Live was playing 'Into you' by Ariana Grande when Maggie walked it.

"Do I make the chicken soup now?" She asked.

Hallelujah.

"Oh my god. I love you. Yes please." She nodded with a smile.

It was like I received heaven on a plate. And I am not over exaggerating about that. I fell asleep after my second plate. My brother woke me up after what felt like forever. My dad called me at around five making sure I was okay. And my whole family knew I was sick thanks to my mother and her group chat. I called coach Rick and told him I was sick as well as the dance academy.

I recived endless notifications off of my last picture and I was fed up. I had a friend request which was wierd since it was from Rabecca. I was surprised but I added her back nonetheless.

I could use more views.

That basically describes the rest of my week. Chicken soup, ginger tea, the couch, the TV, and definitely my beloved phone.

My mom occasionally brought me Starbucks in the morning from when she would come back from dropping off my brother to school.

I was finally better and went to school. The whole 'squad' was happy to see me and I was getting 'get well soons' everywhere I went. Even from Caleb. I forgot I had him on Snapchat.

Until...

In the middle of French class, he leaned across the aisle between us and whispered.

"How are you feeling?"

"Huh? Oh wait. What? How do you know?" I was puzzled.

"I have you on Snapchat, and word goes around." He shrugged.

"Oh, sorry. Ya better. Thanks for asking."

"No problem." He winked.

Hold up! Huh!? What!? Abord mission! Abord mission! This is not a drill!

Que blushing like a mad women. Am I really blushing over that? What the hell!? That was just his over cocky attitude. I sould get a grip.

Today was my first day back at the gym, and it felt amazing. I went back home and tried to study what I missed over the past week that I was absent but I couldn't. It was hard. I knew I needed help. See, let me enlighten you.

Cedar Wood High School was one of the hardest schools. My grandma and great grandma all went to this school back in the day. Our family was somehow related to the founder and co-owner of the school and the mother school was in my village back in Lebanon. So William and I attending this school was a major deal. And we were kind of pushed to get good marks. But we were both smart enough for the pressure.

After a couple of phone calls, text messages, and my brother teaching me, I finally understood. Sophia volunteered to tutor me before the test we have on Sunday. She is a true blessing.

I managed to pass all exams during that week. Moving on the following weeks. There was one week and a half left for Halloween, and Sohpia being Sophia, decided to throw a party. I knew it was gonna be lit. Caleb was obviously gonna be there since he was, in the most twisted way possible, related to her.

I was on my laptop during the whole weekend trying to figure out what costume to wear. After hours apon hours of searching, I came down to three options. It was either Kim Possible or A Biker Girl or Minne Mouse.

I have to make sure I look bomb. I had all the items needed for the costumes, all I had to do was just decide. This was such a hard decision since I, personally, look good in all of them. They all hide my excess weight well. In the end all I care about is looking good and feeling comfortable.

Lord knows what will I decide.

(March 20-30)