A Simple Folded Paper

5

Lauren woke up on Sunday feeling sick. She had her nose stuffed and possibly she had a fever too, her throat was sore and she had such a headache that she could barely open her eyes.

She groggily got out of bed and made her way downstairs to grab something to eat along with a tea. She grabbed some meds and went back to her room. Luckily, her parents were out for a lunch at the company and her sister was at their grandmother's house, so she would have at least a couple of more hours to rest without the loud screams.

After eating and taking some pills, she tried to fall asleep but her headache was too strong to let her. She grabbed her phone and her earphones and put on some music.

It was still not enough. So, to try and forget her headache, she did the only thing that was capable of taking her mind of all the bad things in her life: read the folded papers that were left in her locker for 2 weeks now.

She grabbed the small box that was under her bed and opened it, retrieving 3 papers from inside. Lauren had scribble 1, 2 and 3 in pencil on each paper so she would know the order, so she grabbed the first one and opened it. Walk The Moon was playing in her earphones but it seemed that the music stopped playing once she opened the paper.

It was like everything stopped. Lauren liked to block everything around her and focus solely on the words she was reading.

She read the three papers over and over again and wished she had more to read.

She didn't even remember that she was sick. Lauren felt no pain in that moment, only happiness. The stranger's words had that effect on her. And she didn't feel lonely anymore.

On Monday morning, Lauren woke up feeling worse than ever. Her fever was worse, and she had no longer pain in only her throat and nose but in her whole body too. Breathing was a problem, her chest ached every time she inhaled and exhaled.

Although she really didn't want to miss the classes she had today, Lauren opted to stay at home and recover. Maybe in the next day, she would be like new.

That didn't happen. Tuesday and Wednesday were even worse and it was only on Saturday that the sickness was almost totally gone.

Lauren didn't care about the classes she missed anymore, she just remembered the notes she was missing.

Her will was to go to her locker, even if it was in her pajamas, just to see if she had a new folded paper in there. Or maybe two, who knows.

But it was only on the next Monday that her mother had let her go back to school.

With only a stuffed nose now, Lauren made her way into the school building.

She made her way to her locker, passing through the 20 students who were there already. Lauren took a deep breath before opening the metal door.

Her mouth hung open when she did. She didn't have a letter. She had six.

Smiling like never, she grabbed the little pile of folded papers, closed the locker, and made her way to the tree where she usually had lunch.

Once she was sat on the grass and had her back resting on the tree, Lauren unfolded the paper that was on the bottom. By logic, the bottom one was the oldest.

You're just so weird sometimes.
It's great.

After reading the note a few times, she opened the next one, and another, and another.

You're the "nothing"
when people ask me
what I'm thinking about.

You make my dreams come true.
Aside from all the weird ones.
But it's best not to talk about those.
Hey, what's that?
Not my weird dreams, let's move on.

If you were a cupcake,
I'd definitely eat you.
And then I'd feel really guilty,
knowing that I ate the best cupcake in the world.
And, obviously, that I ate a person as well.

I like you
as much as a cat likes to be alone.
"Don't touch me."
(That was the cat)

I've been missing you ever since I met you
but this week was unbearable
because you were not here.
And now I miss you even more.

Lauren had now tears on the edges of her eyes, threatening to fall at any time soon. Using her sleeve to stop that from happening, she placed the last note on her lap with the others and stared at the parking lot that was now beginning to fill.

Multiple students were getting off their cars, others were getting out of the bus. In about fifteen minutes, every student would be inside the same building, and one of those people was the person who was able to make Lauren want to cry - although, the tears were from happiness this time.

She took a pencil from her backpack and scribble more numbers on the papers, so she would know which were the firsts and the lasts. She folded them again with care, not wanting to rip anything or make any unnecessary damage on them, and headed to class.

On her lunch break, the first thing she did was to go to her locker. Although she had several breaks already, her classes were on the opposite side of the school of her locker.

A big smile appeared on Lauren's face when there was a folded paper inside of the metal locker.

I'm glad you're back.
And even more beautiful than before.