Piece By Piece

Chapter 6

                                                            Chapter six

                                                     The Devil's Daughter 

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I woke up the next morning in a bad mood. I had a headache, my throat felt like it was on fire, and I had terrible stomach cramps. Yeah, the happy and cheerful Val probably wasn't going to emerge today.

I rubbed my eyes while I dressed and got ready. I was like a zombie as I got into my car and drove to school, arriving only ten minutes later. A couple of guys who I didn't know and probably didn't want to know, nodded at me and said hi. I rolled my eyes and snapped at them, only to regret it for the rest of the morning. After all, they were only trying to be nice, right?

I slid into my first-period class earlier than I usually do. I practically had to convince Mrs. Heffer that I was feeling okay- since I'm never early to anything- even though I most certainly wasn't. I laid my head on the cool, hard desk and closed my eyes. The throbbing in my head and the churning in my stomach was leaving me nauseous and dizzy. When I opened my eyes, the room was spinning around and around and around. Like a carousel. I quickly shut them closed.

I was about to race out of the door when I felt someone's cool hand against my cheek. I carefully opened my eyes again and saw a big green one staring back at me, looking concerned.

"Are you okay?" Lex asked.

"I'm great," I mumbled. "I've never been better."

"Do you need to go to the nurse?" His cool hand left my cheek and then gently grazed my forehead. "You're burning up."

Suddenly, I realized that Lex wasn't even in my first period class. "Why are you in here?" I mumbled, not answering his question.

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I got a schedule change."

"Why?"

He shook his head. "I'll tell you later. But first, you need to see the nurse."

My eyes widened. I hate doctors, nurses, surgeons, and hospitals. It's not like I'm scared of needles; it's more like I'm scared of the idea of sickness and diseases and death.

"No f'ing way," I whisper. "I'm fine."

"Val, you're as green as The Grinch. You're sick."

"I'll survive." I close my eyes again. The dizziness was fading slightly, but everything else was still there. "Just leave me alone, mhm?"

He chuckled sofly. Why in the hell is he laughing? His voice was just making my headache increase. He must've seen the confusion and irritation on my face because he simply said, "I can't."

"Why not?" I whined, which only made him laugh again.

I glared at him until he finally said, "Because I'm your new lab partner."

I jerked out of my seat, the sudden movement causing my knees to smash into the desk, which caused all of my papers and books to fall to the ground.  I didn't bother even picking them up; I was just so shocked about what Lex had said. "But this is my table!" I hissed.

"I don't see your name engraved on it," he retorted.

"Doesn't matter. This has been my table for the past semester. Who made you my partner?"