"Germs! So itchy… germs. Filth - ow!" Jim whined and scrubbed himself harder with the wooden brush in the bath. It only made the rashes worse and raw. He threw the brush on the bathroom floor in anger. How dare she gave him measles? Stupid brat! But wait, Jim sat up suddenly. But she wasn't stupid. She knew that even though Jim would have enough vaccines to keep away the plague, he would catch it from someone who already had a vaccine, therefore indicating a stronger virus. Jim smiled. Oh, she was clever! Very clever! But so was Jim. He had to keep one step in front of her.
"Jim, honey?" Called out his mother from the hallway through the door.
"Yes, mum?" He replied, playing with his rubber duckie.
"That nice girl from next door told me to give this to you." Jim's eyes widened.
"What is it?" Jim asked curiously.
"It's a box. The writing says only you can open it. Is she your little girlfriend?" Jim could easily hear the laugh in his mother's voice.
"She is not!" Jim shouted. His mother opened the door. Jim quickly covered his body in bubbles, so his mother couldn't see the rashes. He was proud and would have been embarrassed.
"Oh, calm down dear, only teasing. Here, dry your hands so you can open it." She nodded and sat the box on the floor and left. Jim stared at the box. Wiping his hands, he leant over and picked it up. He frowned and examined it from all sides. Opening it slowly, he saw a jar and a note. It was on cream paper written in neat cursive handwriting. Jim read it out loud.
"Hello Jim, have fun with the measles . Mine went away after a week. Good luck! On the plus side, this ointment is from an herbal market in Thailand and really helps with the rashes. P.S, don't scrub them with a brush. It only makes it worse. See you after a week, Irene." The note was signed with a small 'x'. Jim frowned and examined the jar. It was small, fitting snugly in the palm of his hand. He placed the jar on the floor and hopped out of the bath, drying himself and putting on his bathrobe. He lifted up his right sleeve and saw the rashes travelled up to his shoulder. Carefully, he dipped his finger into the jar and placed it on the rashes. Instantly, a soothing effect was felt and Jim made a small moan.
"It actually works." Jim admitted and cursed himself thanking Irene. He still hated her, but he realised he would have got the measles sooner or later. She just sped up the process. Also, she didn't have to give him the ointment. Once he placed it on the worst spots, he screwed the lid back on and put it in his private bathroom cupboard. He picked up the note and before shoving it in his pocket, he put his nose to it and smelled. The smell was of vanilla and berries. Jim half-smiled and put on his blue fluffy slippers, walking to his room. He was about to climb into bed when he noticed something out his window, the one facing Irene's. Walking up, he noticed a note that was stuck to Irene's window, meant for him. It read 'goodnight.' Jim tried to see if Irene was there, but the paper blocked his view to her bed. He smiled as he realised she did it on purpose. Under the window was a stack of papers especially put there for Jim to talk to Irene. Thinking, Jim smiled as he wrote a message back. He blu-tacked it on the window and turned off his light before jumping into bed.
Irene suddenly sprung out of bed as she saw Jim's light turning off. She walked up to the window to see if Jim replied. He did. Irene smiled and saluted him before turning around and going back to bed.
"Sweet dreams, Irene."