Chapter Fourteen: Sick Day
Mal's P.O.V.
I'm tired. Maybe I'll allow Mike to take over today. For now. But first, I'm going to tell him.
Zoey's P.O.V.
*Cough*
*Cough*
*Sneeze*
*Sniff*
"Dad?" I just woke up and I felt like I've been attacked.
Kenneth opened my bedroom door, saying, "What's up?"
"I think *cough* I'm sick..."
My dad chuckled. "Sounds like it. Hold on, I'll be right back."
He left my room and I heard each step he took down the stairs and the final creak on the bottom. After a minute, I heard it all in reverse. Dad came back in, smiling and enjoying the possibility of babying me, and stuck a thermometer in my mouth.
After thirty seconds, it beeped, he pulled it out, looked at it, and said, "104.3°F. Sorry Kiddo, you're a SICKopath. Get it?" He cracked up laughing. I rolled my eyes, smiling at his pun. I sneezed again and tried to get out of bed.
Dad pushed me back down, saying, "No way you're getting out of bed today."
"What if I *cough* have to go to the bath- *cough* bathroom?"
He shrugged. "I'll bring you a bottle."
My mouth flew open and I sneezed. He cracked up some more. I complained, "I'm not a guy!"
"Sucks to be you, then."
I scoffed and pushed his shoulder. We both began laughing, then I started a hard coughing fit.
My dad looked like he pitied me. "Aw, Zo... I'm sorry, but- I'm really going to enjoy this."
I giggled and shooed him out of my room with my hand, all the while coughing. My phone beeped, telling me I had a text message.
Hey, Zoey, can I come over?
~Mike
Was it really Mike, or was it Mal?
No. I'm sick.
~Zoey
Aw, that stinks. I'm coming to take care of you.
~Mike
I giggled.
What if you get sick?
~Zoey
I'll be fine. See you soon.
~Mike
I put the phone up to my chest, my heart pounding. Whoever it was was so sweet. I quietly snuck out of my bedroom to go to the bathroom right next door. I didn't want my dad herding me back to bed. I looked in the mirror and saw I was quite a looker. Not really. I was a mess. I had a small amount of smudged makeup on my eyes (almost none at all) with dark lines under them and my hair was down, out of my pigtails, messy, and holding no flower. I shrugged, being too tired to fix myself up. When I was finished with my business, I tiptoed back to my bed. I crawled in, pulled my blankets up to my neck, and turned on my side to go back to sleep.
I woke up to a light knocking on my door. "Zoey?"
"Mm?..." I quietly mumbled. My eyes were still shut and I was facing the wall. All of a sudden, I had another coughing fit and I ended it with a sneeze. I sniffled and groaned. 'It's too early to be sick,' I tiredly thought.
The door opened and I just peeked behind me. I saw my boyfriend's body, but I didn't know WHO it was.
"Who *cough* are you?" I tiredly asked. My voice cracked.
"Just Mike," he said. I could hear a smile in his voice and I turned over and smiled back. I kind of missed his voice, being so used to Mal's low one.
"Hi, Mike. *cough, cough* I would hug you, but I really, physically can't."
"That's okay, I'll accept a mental one. I brought you daisies. And a vase." He put the flowers on my bookshelf.
"Aww! You're so sweet! Thank you!"
"Anytime. Hey, your hair is down. I've never seen it like that." Mike came over and sat next to me on my bed, smiling. He moved a piece of stray hair away from my face and I gave him a tired smile.
He broke the silence. "How are you feeling?"
I sniffed. "The same way I look: terrible."
"You don't look that bad."
I giggled. "Liar."
He tilted his head, saying, "Yeah." We both laughed.
I put my hand to his cheek and quietly said, "I missed you. Where have you been?"
Mike tapped his head. My eyelids started to get heavy, so I removed my hand to grab his and a couple minutes later, I fell back asleep, smiling and staring at his beautiful face.
Mike's P.O.V.
Mal popped in front of me and asked, "What would you do if I turned your girlfriend evil?"
"Why would you want to know that?" I asked suspiciously.
He raised an eyebrow. I narrowed my eyes at him.
He said, "Well, I HAVE been the only one keeping her company..."
I suddenly grabbed a fist full of his shirt in my right hand. Glaring, I threatened, "If you do one thing to hurt MY Zoey Meadows, I will make your life a living Hell."
Mal leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "It already is." He began chuckling like a madman. I pushed him away. He walked back to his mental bedroom with his hands behind his back and whistling 'In The Hall Of The Mountain King.'
I took a deep breath and gained control of the body. I needed to talk to Zoey. I texted her and found out she was sick. Poor girl... I went out and bought some daisies and a vase to put them in to cheer her up and arrived at her house. Kenneth opened the door, pointed me to Zoey's room, I ran up the stairs, knocked on the door, and heard her cough, hard. When I opened the door, I saw her covered up in her bed and facing the wall. We had a short conversation and with her being so sick and tired, she fell asleep holding my hand. My hand. 'I have to protect this angel.' I felt a pang in my chest and left the room to find Kenneth with his arms crossed waiting for me.
"Mr. Meadows," I said, startled.
"Come with me, boy. We need to talk."