The Answer Lies in the Truth

Chapter 10

"Not again Jer, Jesus Christ! You need sleep." Michael said looking me over the next day. "You really look bad." The bus pulled out of my stop.

"You're one to talk." I grumbled. I was in a bad mood. Michael had a black eye, and some bandages. His red hoodie had been sowed up and so had his smile it seemed. I felt too guilty for what happened to be cheery.

My head was pounding so hard I couldn't focus. "Jer? Jeremy?" I heard Michael say. He put a hand to my forehead and I flinched and sucked in a breath. "Oh my God, dude! You have a giant gash on your head! Jeremy, buddy, stay with me. You might have a concussion."

"Sounds festive." I groaned as Michael freaked out. "Don't stress yourself, I can get a few minuets of sleep on the bus." I yawned.

"Nonononono, you do not do that." Michael said slapping my face lightly.

"What the fuck?" I yelled pushing him away. I felt dizzy as the bus rolled on. We where only a couple of minuets away from school. I looked at Michael, he was on the floor. How did he get there? "Michael?" I said my voice cracked as looked around panicking.

"Calm down Jeremy, we're almost to school." My mind was white with pain as the bus bumped on a road under construction. I guess I started crying, because Michael was hugging me and trying to get a tissue out of his bag.

"Jeremy!" It was the Squip. Why was he on? "I do an automatic start up if you are in immediate danger. You cannot fall asleep. Listen to Michael."

"Take deep breaths," Michael said handing me a tissue. "What did you do after you helped me to my house?"

"I-I um..." my throat was dry, "I walked home, and I sat on the porch until I got cold then I sat in my room."

"What about Mr. Heere?" Michael asked.

"He got home early and left late so he didn't see me." I said holding my head as the Squip changed things in my body.

Suddenly the pain subsided. "I activated some of your hormones, they help suppress pain in times of need. This will not work for long Jeremy." The Squip warned.

The bus pulled into the school and Michael helped me get off the giant yellow deathbed. I felt like I wanted to vomit, but I didn't know why. Michael got me to the nurse who looked me over before calling someone.

Michael was panicking in the other room, and trying to talk to the lady at the front desk. "No, you don't understand lady, my friend needs immediate medical attention!"

"He looks alright to me, go to class." She snapped. Michael shook his head and the lady sighed. "Fine, stay, but don't bother me brat."

He walked over to me and sat down next to me. He looked shaky. "Michael, it's going to be alright. I'm fine I promi-" I flinched as the pain came back. "Promise." I choke out.

A doctor came in a few minuets of suffering later. "Mister Heere, I'm Doctor Charlotte." She says immediately checking me over. She shines a light in my eyes, looks over my head wound, and asks if I have any number of diseases. She preforms a couple of other things. (Including cleaning my head wound and stitching it back up.) Once she is done she gives me a small packet full of pills. "You have a minor concussion, it may act up again if you aren't careful. I'm sending you home, take these," she pointed to the pills in my lap, "it's Tylenol to help with the pain, and you might need some sleeping medication, but you can get that over-the-counter. Clean your wound as necessary. And you," she looked at Michael, "young man I hope you are cleaning those bandages because one of them is bleeding through."

Michael gasped and looked over himself. The doctor softly smiled. "Here, let me help you." She asked and Michael nodded. She changed out his bandages and taught him how to do that too. "Take care of your friend guys, I'm sending you both home to help each other get better, and give you some time. You should both be alright to come to school tomorrow, just no extraneous activities, understand?" Michael and I nodded; the doctor gave us another small smile. "Gosh I wish my wife were here, she would adore you boys." She stated, I don't think she thought we could hear her. She shook her head, "Come to my office in a week." She handed me a card with her information on it.

We both were dismissed as the Doctor talked with the school nurse. As we left I heard the doctor start yelling about how the nurse couldn't even check a simple temperature. I smiled and so did Michael.

We walked to my house leaning on each other. "Dude, we look like zombies," Michael laughed at us as we hobbled down the street. My house was ruffly twenty minuets from the school. Ten, on a bus, so it wasn't that bad. It was cold, but both of us had on warm cloths so only our faces were as red as our noses.

"I bet I could be a better zombie than you." I laughed and we both hobbled home in a ridiculous swaying motion occasionally making a gargly moan and clawing the air. One old lady started at us as she overwatered her rose bush.

By the time we got home my phone had 102 texts and Michael's had just about the same amount.

We made a group chat and told people we were sick, but recovering. After much prying (from Jenna) we told everyone what happened yesterday. Rich went ballistic saying he was going to find Alina and kick her ass. Jake told us he would help, but we asked him to stop Rich from killing Alina.

Christine sent the most texts. She wailed about us missing play rehearsal and being sick and how painful it must be and how terrible it was. I smiled at my phone. She really cared and it was so nice of her. Brooke and Chole sent a get well soon, almost lost in the masses of Christine's all caps texts.

After about an hour of calming down our friends Michael picked out a movie and we watched it. It was Doctor Strange. Michael loved Marvel, I was more of a DC person myself. We had a movie marathon.

The Avengers was the last movie I remembers seeing; I watched half of it and then fell asleep. I woke up in the middle of the night from another nightmare with Michael in my bed sleeping beside me. "Jeremy, I am glad you are not dead." I smiled down at Michael. "Me too," I whispered.

"I held the message for you." It said almost tenderly.

"Okay," I sighed, I was ready.

"Jeremy,
I'm so worried about you. You didn't come to school today. I can't stand seeing you in pain, I hope you get better. I shouldn't have said all that crap I did last night. I feel as though this is all my fault. I love you in sickness and in health. God that was cheesy. Goodnight Jeremy. I wish I could hold your hand.
Red"

In sickness and in health it seemed. I looked at Michael. Wow, why did he look so beautiful right now? I fell asleep to the sounds of his soft snores and the calming sight that was my Best Friend. I need to find Red fast, because I don't think I could love them, I think I like someone else.