leave it at that.

billie

I wake up in a pool of sweat. I feel my own head but it's useless. My own skin is hot to the touch. I turn over in my bed a turn on my phone. 5:00 am. My phone is buzzing with messages, clearly the group chat couldn't sleep last night. Reading through the cracks of my screen, they're playing crazy 8. I flip down back on my bed. I try to go back to sleep but fail, so I get up and go to the bathroom down the hall. I open the medicine cabinet and look for nyquil, or something to help this fever. I look out the window of the bathroom, and notice no cars in the driveway. I don't even ask anymore, my parents never say where or when the leave. My "parents" I snort at the thought of those people being my real parents. I walk down the stairs to the kitchen, trying to find food, but there's nothing to eat. There never is, anyway.
I go back to my room and reply to the groupchat.
me: hey guys :D guess who's sick
leila: awwww:((( sorry abt that hun
leila: r u ok ???
me: yupp ill b fine took some medicine so :)))
kai: dang u always get sick u were sick about 3 weeks ago
me: i know.. my immune system hates me
ellie: hope u feel better babes !!!
ellie: want me to bring u a bagel ?
me: duh !! <3
I shut my phone off and start getting ready for school. Regardless of my fever, i'm going to school. School is the only place i can go to get my mind off things. I take a shower, wash my face, brush my teeth, and go back to my room. At least I have the house to myself. I set up my speakers and blast tyler, the creator. I put on a black crop top, lime green pants with a black stripe down the middle, and lime green shoes. I put my hair in a bun and do my makeup. I cant leave the house without makeup, they will see the scars and bruises I try to hide from everyone. I shake the thoughts out of my head and receive a text from the groupchat.
kai: hey ! u want me to pick u up or r u staying home billie ?
me: yea come get me :)))
ellie: really don't think u should go bil:((
leila: yeah sis mayb u should stay home for this one...
I wish i could tell them why i don't want to stay in this hellhole. I want to see them, I don't want to stay here, no matter how sick I am.
me: no i want to go... please ?
kai: if u insist,,, were on our way
leila: also.. send math answers:DD
I smirk and turn off my phone. Soon I get a text from Ellie, telling me their here. I grab my nike bag and head out the door, locking it on my way out. "Get in the back!" Leila says. I open the door to the back and climb in next to Kai. "How ya feeling?" he asks. "Good!" I lie. I pass Leila the math answers and ask Ellie to pass me the aux. I play Ariana Grande and we bump to thank u, next. We pull into the parking lot and we jump out of the car. San Francisco is always so warm, so this fever doesn't help. We all walk into school and me and Leila say bye to Ellie and Kai and we walk down to math together. "Hey, are you sure you're alright?" she feels my forehead. "You're burning up" Leila says. "I'm fine, really. You don't have to worry. If i really didn't feel up to going to school, I wouldn't" I say. "Mmmm ok... whatever you say hun!" Leila replies. I take a deep breathe and we walk into the classroom together. I wish I could tell her the truth. All my friends know i'm adopted, but they don't know what goes on behind the scenes. I want to tell them everything.

But I can't.

It's too dangerous.