Unlikely

5. Crossed fingers

"Get up!"

"No. Go away." I get Thalia's feet in my face.
I suck my teeth in frustration. "The only reason I'm right here, right now at this unhealthy time of the day is because we're twins. Now get the fuck up! We'll be late for school." I order her but she just manages to get smaller underneath her blankets.

"But I don't wanna." She whines her voice muffled.

"You don't want to see Lee." I tease, knowing I was being a little cruel about that issue.
She groans, rolling over to give me puppy eyes. "That's exactly why I'd rather stay in bed."

I fake being hurt. "That's a cruel thing to say of your one true love." I place a hand over my heart.

She sits up and glares at me. "Keep that up and I'll end up hating the poor soul. Now. Go. Away." She bites out, reentering her blankets.

I pinch the bridge of my nose, praying for patience and the ability to hold on to the ragged strips of my remaining sanity - then I think of all the times she had to wake me up for school and I feel bad, was I always this horrible to wake up?

"I promise I won't ever be difficult to wake up Thalia but just please get up." I say with puppy eyes, the closest I'll ever get to begging.

"You really think that's what this is all about?" She gives me an astounded look and I'm just confused.

"Huh?" I blink.

"Touch my forehead." She invites in a raspy voice and I do.

"Holy shit! You're burning up." I say, snatching my hand back like it's contagious - it probably is.

"Besides I like waking you up, it helps me practice controlling my anger and it sure as hell wakes me the fuck up." She says in a sweet voice, a stark contrast to her words.

I just stare at her in horror, our parents were never around, always on some business trip or the other not that it really bothered us, we were used to it I guess. "What am I going to do?" I wail, staring at the palm that touched her. "You're sick!"

She rolls her eyes at this then grabs her head, muttering. "Shit! No eye rolling, how am I going to get through a day without rolling my eyes at you."

"B-But you're sick." I repeat, wondering just what to do.

She sighs in exasperation, "Yes, Miss. Obvious I'm sick and no. Don't panic, just get me some pills from the cabinet and make some soup for me and no. Again - you can't fucking leave me alone and run to school."

I pout at this. "What if I poison you with the soup or give you the wrong pills or something besides you know I can't stand the sight of puke." I know I'm whining but I can't help it.

"Where's Tinsely?" She asks, hacking a bit and I know she's done with my tantrums.

"Left early, weird person. Said she has this new morning routine facial that she can't risk to miss." I complain.

"And she got you to be lucid enough to explain why she's going? Wow." She says shortly, shivering a bit.

"Ha. Ha. Very funny. Are you okay?" I bend over her as her shivering gets worse.

"I would be if some one would get her ass over to the kitchen to get me some soup instead of yammering me to death." She grits out, shucking her blankies closer.

I'm very worried now but I just scoff at her and waltz out, heading straight to the closet to get thicker blankets and a glass of water. She's silent when I tuck the new sets of blankets around her and help her drink the water - she's probably sicker than she let's on.