The next day he's not at school. I figured as much. Again, the day crawls
slowly by as I wait for class to get out. At lunch, Lizzie says she wants
to come with me to Gordo's today. I shake my head.
" Um, he's really sick, and I'm pretty much just bringing him his homework, then leaving." She frowned.
" Do you not want me to?" she asks, looking hurt. I can't help but roll my eyes.
" Lizzie…you can come if you want, be we can only drop off his books and leave. No way we can stay and talk." She blinks, apparently not expecting me to give in.
" Okay…thanks!" I shrug, and finish my lunch.
Finally, school ends, and I gather Gordo's assignments. We head off to his house, Lizzie chattering and giggling the whole way. I make a few half-hearted replies, but my mind is on Gordo. My heart pounds with apprehension as we near his door. What if I killed him, like all the rest? The question echoes in my mind. What if I killed him? Mrs. Gordon lets us in, and we head upstairs. I don't bother to knock, because I am so worried. I quietly move over to his bed, Lizzie right behind me. He is asleep, still pale, but no worse than before. But he is also no better, I remind myself. I shake him gently.
" Gordo," I whisper. His eyes flutter open, and he sits up, dazed.
" Hey, guys." Lizzie smiles.
" How ya feeling?" He shrugs, and glances at me.
" The truth, or a reassuring, yet totally made up reply?" Lizzie considers.
" Both. Reassuring, yet totally made up reply first." He smiles slightly, looking so frail and weak that I want to throw my arms around him, hold him close, make him feel better.
" Um, I feel a lot better." He looks at me again, takes a breath, and continues. "The truth is, I feel terrible." He falls back on his pillows with a sigh. " Much more terrible. I'm going to school tomorrow, though. I really need to." I frown.
" Are you sure?" He looks up, confused. My heart breaks at his face. Even his eyes, those clear pools of cerulean blue, look lifeless and dull.
" I thought you wanted me to go." I nod.
" I do. I just…want you to get better." He shuts his eyes, smiling.
" I will. I'm gonna get some sleep, okay? See you guys later." I certainly hope so. We leave quietly.
What if I killed him? What if I killed him?
" Um, he's really sick, and I'm pretty much just bringing him his homework, then leaving." She frowned.
" Do you not want me to?" she asks, looking hurt. I can't help but roll my eyes.
" Lizzie…you can come if you want, be we can only drop off his books and leave. No way we can stay and talk." She blinks, apparently not expecting me to give in.
" Okay…thanks!" I shrug, and finish my lunch.
Finally, school ends, and I gather Gordo's assignments. We head off to his house, Lizzie chattering and giggling the whole way. I make a few half-hearted replies, but my mind is on Gordo. My heart pounds with apprehension as we near his door. What if I killed him, like all the rest? The question echoes in my mind. What if I killed him? Mrs. Gordon lets us in, and we head upstairs. I don't bother to knock, because I am so worried. I quietly move over to his bed, Lizzie right behind me. He is asleep, still pale, but no worse than before. But he is also no better, I remind myself. I shake him gently.
" Gordo," I whisper. His eyes flutter open, and he sits up, dazed.
" Hey, guys." Lizzie smiles.
" How ya feeling?" He shrugs, and glances at me.
" The truth, or a reassuring, yet totally made up reply?" Lizzie considers.
" Both. Reassuring, yet totally made up reply first." He smiles slightly, looking so frail and weak that I want to throw my arms around him, hold him close, make him feel better.
" Um, I feel a lot better." He looks at me again, takes a breath, and continues. "The truth is, I feel terrible." He falls back on his pillows with a sigh. " Much more terrible. I'm going to school tomorrow, though. I really need to." I frown.
" Are you sure?" He looks up, confused. My heart breaks at his face. Even his eyes, those clear pools of cerulean blue, look lifeless and dull.
" I thought you wanted me to go." I nod.
" I do. I just…want you to get better." He shuts his eyes, smiling.
" I will. I'm gonna get some sleep, okay? See you guys later." I certainly hope so. We leave quietly.
What if I killed him? What if I killed him?