Everything I Hide From You

Chapter Two (Edit): Allergic to Oranges

THIS IS THE EDITED CHAPTER. THE ORIGINAL CHAPTER IS STILL HERE, BUT I RECOMMEND YOU READ THE EDITED VERSION BECAUSE SOME CHAPTERS AND EVENTS CHANGE.

“Rose!” Jamie yells running into the hospital waiting room where I am waiting to apologize to the girl that I hurt two days ago at the plaza upon request by my mother. “I found a dead lizard.” Jamie stops in front of me dangling the dried out, brown creature in my face.

            “It’s very cute,” I grimace as Jamie pushes it even closer. “Yeah Jamie it also stinks. Please get it away from me.”

            “Five bucks if I throw it at the receptionist,” Jamie prompts and I shake my head. Jamie gains this sadistic and malicious smile. It splits her face in the most obvious way and I know in her head she has already decided that she is going to do it whether she gains five dollars out of the bet or not. Jamie lives off of being outlandish and she likes to say she doesn’t care what people think of her but in all honesty I just think she’s a bully. My sister bullies her way into things one minute and then in the same minute she’ll bully her way out.

            “Do what you want Jamie. The only person that can stop you is you,” I shrug and Jamie gives me this familial smile.

            “I told you that,” she mews sadly

            “Told me what?” I look back at her and she sits down beside me. Leaning forward she places her elbows on her knees and lets the deceased lizard hang between her legs.

            “The only person that can stop Rose is Rose,” she says to me and my eyes widen slightly. “I told you that when I was nine. It was your eleventh birthday and mom or dad didn’t come home because they went to a hospital banquet a couple towns over and got stranded when the car stalled. Do you remember that?”

            I try to think back to the day she is describing and I can’t register anything from the day besides deep and unsettling disappointment. “No.”

            “Oh.” Jamie hangs her head.

            “But the fact that you said it means everything to me now because it’s true. Thank you,” my thanks is genuine and Jamie beams at me.

            “Ok, fair enough.” She jumps to her feet and glances at the receptionist desk. “I’m still going to throw this lizard at her.”

            I chuckle. “Please,” I scoff. “I never doubted you would.”

            “Darling you know me so well,” she laughs and skips over to the receptionist counter. I watch the events unfold into something ridiculous.

            “My lizard just got ran over by a bicyclist! Help him. Please help him,” Jamie begs the stunned woman and hangs the lizard directly in front of the woman.

            She shrieks and pushes backwards in her chair. “We don’t treat animals here. This is a human hospital!”

            Fake tears appear in Jamie’s eyes. “You treated me for appendicitis last year and I’m nowhere near human.” Her voice turns into pure innocence. “All I want is for you to treat Mr. Spikes with the same respect you treated me with.”

            “How about you find your parents before I call the mental health ward on your ass?” The woman snarls trying to get further from the counter.

            “Holy shit he’s moving!” Jamie shrieks and tosses the lizard. “BOO YAH!” She yells as the lizard touchdowns in the receptionist’s cleavage and slips down into her shirt.