Twenty Øne Reasons to Live

Chapter Thirty

Josh's Point of View

Her words hung in the air between us, and I struggled with what I was going to say next. I was thinking of what I could possibly say to this hurting young girl that would truly impact her.

Words in general, not just my own always impact her, but it felt as though this was especially moving. I knew two things: I had to correct her, because that train of thought isn't only destructive, but it's also wrong.

"Kid, we don't see things the same way at all. You see it as God is somehow attempting to punish you by not letting you die, but I see it as He was keeping you alive because He knows you're going to do something truly amazing with your life, and you need to be....well, alive to do it."

The times where she was so angry with me where she wouldn't even look at me were rare, but this was one of those times. Why did I even inquire about the uncle? That was a stupid move. Stupid, stupid, stupid Josh.

"Kit, are you okay?" I asked, but she refused to answer. We crossed under a street light and I could see that her face looked rather pale. Sickly. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head and swallowed with the force of someone with something caught in their throat and had to push it down. Like someone who was about to puke.  "I don't feel very good Josh."

I knew by her voice it wasn't an emotional problem. She was actually sick. Why did I know this would happen? Her parents trusted me with their daughters well-being and now she's sick. What do I even do? I guess we take her to the emergency room, but I don't even know the problem yet.

"Oh. Erm, does your head feel warm?" I asked, reaching out tot touch it. It felt fine to me, but hey, I'm not a Mother with freak super powers. Plus, when my Mom used to check my head she would kiss it, and I wasn't about to do that.

"I don't know." She did that swallow again. "Josh, I'm really cold."

Now that I looked closer, she did look really cold. In fact, she was shivering, I think. Well great, I tried to do something special for her and it ended up making her ill. Wonderful.

"It's okay, it's good. I'll...well...ummm-" I turned towards the cabby then changed my mind and twisted around and spotted Tyler and Jennna's sleigh. I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled. "Ty!"

"What?!" he yelled back.

"She's sick, what do we do??"

"Stop the driver!"

I got the attention of the driver and he stopped with a good bit of bribing.

"Come on, let's go," I urged her down, as Tyler and Jenna were running to catch up to us.

"I don't need to go to a hospital, Josh I'm fine. Really." But as soon as she finished, she doubled over and puked all over the ground- and my shoes. But I didn't care. I could burn the shoes, she just needs to get healthy. Nothing can happen to her as long as we have her. In fact......

"Oh Josh, I'm so sorry," she stuttered, still green.

"No don't worry about it, I don't care about the shoes, Kit. We're gonna get you home okay?" I know I know. But it was the safest move I could think of.

I had began to take her forearm and help her down when she pulled back, aghast. "Like, my home?"

"Yeah. You'd be more comfortable, wouldn't you?"

"I don't want to go home Josh! Please don't send me home! I want to stay with you!" she pleaded, looking more nauseous than  she had several moments ago.