I sighed. “I think I’m just going to try to get some sleep.”
Angela nodded. “Okay,” she said. “If you change your mind and you get hungry later, I’ll be up.” She yawned. “I’m just gonna stay here and veg for a while.”
I stood up from the couch and sighed. Even though I was exhausted, I didn’t feel sleepy. At least, that’s what I thought. But once I was tucked into a pair of flannel pajama pants and a loose fitting t-shirt, I felt much more comfortable. Closing my eyes, I crawled into bed and pulled a pillow over my head. Snuggling in the blankets felt more comforting than ever before. Maybe this is all a bad dream, I thought. Maybe I’ll wake up and I’ll have a message from the school, saying this was all a mistake.
Soon, my brain was clouded in a dense fog and my eyes were burning. Yawning, I rolled closer to the wall and drifted off to sleep.
--
“Hey, June, it’s me. Wake up.”
“Guh?” I opened my mouth and yawned widely right into Angela’s face. She was sitting on my bed, glancing down at me with concern.
Yawning a second time, I balled my hands into fists and rubbed my eyes. “What time is it? Did I fall asleep for a few hours?”
Angela chuckled nervously. “You were out all night,” she said. “It’s like, ten-thirty in the morning now.”
I frowned. “Why did you wake me up?”
Angela gave me a guilty smile and held up my phone. When I saw the screen, I gasped – it was covered with notifications. All from Thomas. Calls, texts, even a few voicemails.
“Damn,” I said.
“Yeah,” Angela said. She licked her lips and cleared her throat. “He’s actually here, right now. He’s in the living room.”
“What?” I sat up in bed, my black hair falling over one shoulder like a curtain. “Are you serious?”
Angela nodded. “Yeah. Sorry I woke you, but damn – this guy is hella protective. He told me that he’s not leaving until he knows that you’re okay.”
The events of the previous day came crashing back to me and I shuddered. I closed my eyes, picturing Principal Morris as he told me to leave. As he told me that I’d be escorted out of the building with security.
Tears welled up in my eyes and I shook my head. “I can’t see him right now, Ang. I really can’t. I feel too bad.”
Angela shook her head. “Oh, no,” she said. “You’re getting out of bed and seeing Thomas and I don’t care if I have to drag you myself.” She put her hands on my shoulders and tugged. I shrieked as Angela pulled me out of bed.
“Okay, okay!” I gasped, wrenching free of her tight grip. “Tell him I’ll be five minutes.”
When I looked in the mirror, I groaned. I should’ve told her to say that I needed a half hour, I thought bleakly as I ran a brush through my tangles of black hair. I look like absolute poop.
After splashing my face with water and soap, I dried off and pulled on a loose sweater and a pair of leggings. They were new – some of the clothes that Angela and I had picked out together. But putting them on only twisted my heart when I realized I wouldn’t need new clothes for work after all.
I swallowed nervously as I combed my hair into a manageable mane, then rolled it into a messy bun. With a swipe of blush and lip balm, I almost looked human again. Taking a deep breath, I opened my bedroom door. Thomas and Angela were sitting on the couch, side by side, looking stiff. When he saw me, Thomas’s face relaxed.
“Oh, god, June, I was so worried about you,” Thomas said sternly. He stood up and walked over to me, wrapping one arm around my shoulders and pulling me close.
“I’m sorry.” I blushed. “I fell asleep, I didn’t think I’d be out for more than a few hours but I didn’t wake up until just now.”
“It’s okay. Stress does strange things to our bodies.”
I nodded.
“June, can I take you out for breakfast?”
“I’m not hungry,” I said sadly. “I don’t really feel like going out, Thomas.”
“Come on,” Angela interjected. “You’ve been moping around here all day, and I know you didn’t eat anything yesterday.” She raised an eyebrow at me. “Can’t have my bestie going and getting sick on me.”
“I already feel sick,” I said.