Teach Me ✅

23. Symptoms

The next few weeks are insane. Josh and I spend every waking moment packing up the apartment for our move. The move that was happening tomorrow. I was beyond excited to start over, get a fresh start yet I was still thinking about Derek in the back of my mind. It had been almost a month since everything had blown up and he still had yet to pull the trigger. It was becoming a toss-up between me not caring anymore and me being absolutely terrified.

It's Friday morning and Josh and I have class before we head home tonight to pack up the rest of our stuff before the move tomorrow. I'm in the kitchen brewing a pot of coffee but my stomach seems to be revolting against me getting anything accomplished.

"Maya, you okay?" Josh asks as he walks into the room, a worried look on his face as he sees me braced against the counter.

I shake my head, putting my hand over my stomach. "I don't feel too hot" I admit. He makes his way over to me and places his hand on my forehead.

"You're not warm, you just have a stomachache?"

"Mhm" I nod, suddenly feeling like I'm gonna be sick. I rush past Josh and head to the bathroom, doubling over as I lose my dinner from the night before.

"There's no way you can go to class babe" Josh says, appearing in the doorway as I stand up and move to the sink to clean myself up.

"I have to go to class or I'm gonna fail" I sigh, grabbing my toothbrush.

"Baby you're sick."

"I'll be fine" I insist, "just go."

"I'm driving you" he says seriously making me turn to face him, shaking my head.

"We'll get caught" I insist, mumbling with the toothbrush in my mouth.

"We're living on borrowed time anyway, Derek is gonna fuck everything up eventually and I'm not letting you drive. I'll be in the living room, when you're ready we'll head out" he says defiantly, walking out of the room.

I finish cleaning myself up and sigh, placing my hand over my stomach. I gnaw my bottom lip, thinking for a few minutes before my phone blares breaking me out of my thoughts.

Riley.

"Hey honey what's up" I smile brightly as I wander into the bedroom to get dressed.

"I'm here early and bored" she says, "how are you this morning?" she asks curiously.

"I feel like shit" I reply honestly, grabbing a loose fitting gray long-sleeved dress. "My stomach and I are not getting along this morning."

"Yikes, you eat something bad?"

"I guess" I sigh.

"You staying home?"

"No" I reply, putting the phone on speaker so I can get dressed, "I'll be there soon."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Riles I'll be fine" I insist, "gosh you and Josh are the same person I swear" I mutter making her giggle.

"Well peaches we are related."

"This is true" I laugh, slipping my dress over my head and letting it fall over my figure. "I'm gonna head out, I'll see you later."

"See ya" she replies as I hang up and head to the living room.

"Ready" I smile.

"Alright let's go."

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"You must be feeling better" Josh laughs as he walks up to me in the library. After class was over I slipped out to head to my sanctuary to get some work done. I was now in the middle of reading for history class while eating a BLT, a bag of chips, and drinking a sparkling ICE water.