Unhinged √

7.

I will not judge myself for the bad days when I can barely get out of bed
- Matt Diaz

     The next time I woke, it was to annoying knocks on my door. It took me a few minutes to adjust to my surroundings, I reached for the bottle I remembered being beside my bed but it was empty.

"Travis! Yell back if you are alive".
I groaned at the sound of Albert's voice, only getting out of bed to open the door when the knocking resumed. The light blinded me momentarily.

"Are you okay?" My eyes shot open to stare into Jake's.
"You weren't taking your calls and Janice said you weren't at work yesterday". Albert answered my unasked question.
"I was at work yesterday". I argued.

"Wearing an invisibility cloak? Coz no one saw you".
Jake looked slightly pissed and that pissed me off.
"Okay, what the hell? When did you two become my legal guardians?"
"Since you started blacking out for over 24hours".
"You do realize that I am not a kid, right?"

"Okay, ladies. Let's talk about this inside". Albert suggested, glancing at Mrs. Bradley's window where we could all see her peeping. A part of me didn't want to let them in but I saw the look on their faces and knew they weren't just going to leave me alone.

"What can I offer you guys?" I watched them try to get comfortable in the sparsely furnished room.
"You can sit on the bed, I promise nothing nasty has been done on it, unlike yours".
"You expect me to believe that?" Jake scoffed. "You can give up a lot of things Travis but not the nasty".

There was another knock on my door before I could come up with a good reply.
"Hey handsome". She said with a childish twirl of her hair.
"Monique. What do you want?"
"I brought cake!" She pushed her way in.

"Oh. Hey guys". She greeted the couple on my bed and gave me a loaded stare but I refused to say a word, every single one of them was an intruder, I didn't care for their thoughts.
"I'm Monique. You must be Travis's friends".
Albert gave me a look and I remembered a certain conversation we'd had.

"Monique, Travis told me all about you". He smiled.
"Really? I knew you talk about me all the time babe". She said and I rolled my eyes, dumping myself on the single armchair.
"You guys like cake?" She lifted the parcel in her hand.

"Ehm. What's the occasion?" Jake spoke for the first time since she walked in.
"Nothing, I just like to spoil him sometimes. So, cake?"
"Sure". He said with a tight smile.
We all watched her saunter to the tiny kitchen.

"I see your preferences have really changed, Travis". Jake said with a stony face.
"We are going to talk about your blackouts later". Albert whispered and I sighed.
"No. We are going to talk about it now". Jake countered.

"Look, I don't know what the fuss is about. I got back from work yesterday and passed out. Maybe I woke a little late today but what's the big deal? I put in a lot of hours at the garage to deserve a three month break".
"You were at work last on Tuesday". Jake was suddenly calm.

"So?"
"It's Thursday man".
Okay fuck. I got bummed out for an entire day.
"Alright, here is the cake". Monique entered the room, handing a plate each to the boys.
"What are you guys talking about?" She handed me one but I declined.

"Come on babe, have a slice". She was getting in my face and it made me really uncomfortable.
"Yes babe, have a slice". Jake said with stress on the stupid nickname.
"You know what? I will". I took the plate from her and pulled her so she was sitting on my lap.

The chocolate shit was tasteless in my mouth and no sooner had it gotten to my stomach before I began to feel uneasy and itchy.
"Travis?" I watched as the plate fell from my hand and I began to jerk. Allergies.
"Was there honey in that?" Jake's stern voice questioned.

"What? Yes, my granny's recipe". Monique's panicked voice was the most annoying sound on earth.
"Look for his pen". Albert yelled.
"He doesn't have any". The certainty in his voice. He still knew me.

*

   I didn't die. I always had a feeling that I wasn't going to die from an allergic reaction, it was just stupid. After everything I'd been through, an allergic reaction just didn't seem fitting.
Forest green. That was the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes and I didn't realize how much I missed that moment until I had it but it was quickly ruined.

"Are you okay?" Albert asked, he was standing beside Jake who was sitting on a chair beside the bed.
"I will have to say no".
"I'll get the doctor". He said with a soft smile and left the room.

"You really should tell people you date about your allergies".
"To what end?"
"To avoid impromptu trips to the emergency unit. I've told you before, it's not a weakness if you can't control it".
I sat up.

"How much is the bill?"
"Albie took care of it".
"I'll return it".
"He can afford it Trav, you don't want to have that argument with him".
"I can afford it too".
"Fine. I don't want to argue".

He leaned back on the chair and in no time, he was jerking with laughter.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh, I'm just remembering how fast your 'girlfriend' took off after attempting to murder you. She legit threatened to rape us if we tell anyone she'd been to your house. Man, some taste you've got".

I shouldn't have but it was Jake and I couldn't resist his laughter so I joined in.
"She wasn't playing with the rape part, I can assure you".
"My God and the cake wasn't even tasty, imagine that being the last thing you ever tasted".

"I'd have haunted that bitch for the rest of her life".
This was the second time Monique was feeding me something toxic, there wasn't going to be a third.

"I think Albie suspects something". He quietly said and I adjusted so I was leaned against the wall.
"How?"
"You told him we weren't close so it's a little weird that I know about your allergies. I told him pretty much everyone knew but I don't think he bought it".

"It doesn't mean anything". I said, leaning my head on the wall.
"We should have been honest with him".
"It doesn't matter".
"Nothing ever matters to you". It was like we couldn't have a conversation without arguing.

"If you know that then why do you bother? You don't have to tell your little boyfriend about our little secret because it doesn't matter. I'm not gay!"
The silence that followed was loud and when he got up, it was swift.

"You are the one who wants to keep me a secret, always have".
He was right and for that I was sorry but it was beyond me.

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BB readers will remember the honey thing lol.
Don't hesitate to comment.
See y'all on Monday!