Silent {g.m}

Chapter 13

   Later that day, while Gabe and his mom were eating dinner, I excused myself as another wave of exhaust washed over me. When I got up to my room, I laid down and decided to text May. We talked for a while about different stuff. Neither of us brought up my condition. I told her about the fun day I had, leaving out the severe migraines that appeared out of nowhere.

    When I wake a few hours later, the sky is dark and the west coast is sleeping. Well, some of it. I check my phone and see it's ten thirty. The old folk and adults who have to work the next day are probably sleeping right now. This house, however, is vibrant with music. I can feel the vibrations tickling my body. 

    I stand from the bed and realize I'm still in the clothes from earlier. Quickly, I change into a pair of white loose shorts with a black tribal print on them and a short, black long sleeve shirt that stops just above my hips. I throw my hair into a messy bun on top of my head and make my way downstairs. I don't go all the way downstairs, though. Instead, I sit on one of the middle stairs and lean against the railing and look down at my friends and a few other guests I don't recognize. 

    The living room has been cleared out. The coffee table is pushed against the window, the recliner is now turned towards the door, and the couch is pushed against the wall. Dana and Will are standing in the middle of the room, clenching white remotes in their hands and dancing in sync. I lean left and right, trying to see what they're doing. There's a glimpse of a colorful cartoon person dancing, and I figure they're playing one of the Just Dance Wii games.

     I don't even realize there's someone beside me until I feel a hand on the back of my neck. I jump and open my mouth to scream, when the boy quickly covers my mouth with his other hand. I lean against the stairs and see it's Dalton.

    "I wanna talk to you," he whispers. Well, I assume he whispers. Apparently he doesn't want anyone to know we're up here. He drops his hand from my mouth.

     "What's up?" I ask. 

    "The other day, when we were still in Ohio waiting on our plane, you pulled your sleeves down like you had something to hide." I suddenly realize where he's going with this.

    "Oh, Dalton, it isn't what you-"

    "I know what you're going through and remember you can talk to me about anything." I shake my head.

    "Dalton, it's not what you think it is, honestly." He frowns.

    "What are you talking about?" I bite my lip and look at him for a few seconds. Then I look down at Gabe, who is now taking Will's remote to dance alongside Dana. I look back at Dalton.

    "Can you keep a secret?" I whisper. 

   "Of course." I stand and walk back up the stairs. I motion with my hand for him to follow me, without even looking back at him to see if he's coming. When I walk back in my room and hear the door shut, I know he's as curious about what's going on as I'd thought he'd be.

    "I'm sick," I state, turning to him. 

    "Sick like… Flu sick?"

   "No. Sick like… Bacterial meningitis sick." He stares at me for the longest time, even while I push up my sleeves to reveal the blotches of rash that have covered my arms. His jaw falls slack as he steps forwards and carefully takes mine hand in his.

    "Oh my God… Have you told anyone about this?" I swallow hard.

    "May knows, but that's it. See, when I left home, I wasn't that bad. I knew that this may very well be my last chance to see you guys or Gabe again, so I still went on the trip. I knew it wouldn't be long until someone figured out something was wrong."