Ending of Chapter 15 - Rachel
I shivered. I felt nausea in my stomach.
Suddenly, I didn't feel like eating nachos. Or anything for that matter.
I got up, feeling a little sick. I looked at the others.
"I'll be right back," I said, walking towards the restrooms. I was halfway there when I felt a hand on my arm. I turned around.
"Rachel, what's going on?" Jake questioned, pulling his hand from my arm.
"What?" I asked, moderately confused. Jake looked at me, unsmiling.
"You know. You're freaking us out. First you're sick, then you're not. Tobias was worried all night, and he told me that you forgot you were sick when he visited you this morning." Jake shook his head.
"What? I was sick?" I asked, oblivious of the four pairs of eyes on my back.
"Yeah. Sick. Really sick." Jake ran his hand through his brown hair, "look Rachel, we're your friends. I'll be there for you, Cassie will, Marco will, Ax will. Tobias will probably never leave your side." He smiled slightly, "if you feel sick or anything, just tell us."
For probably the first time in my life, I felt confusion from Jake. Total, uncertain, confusion.
And I didn't like it. Not one bit.
Chapter 16 - Cassie
It was weird.
Yeah, you probably think you've seen weird. Your guinea pig flips in the air, you brother invites his friends over, you get a C on a perfectly easy math quiz.
Well, let me tell you something.
It isn't enough that my friends and I have to fight evil parasitic aliens by morphing into animals, we have to deal with diseases that have probably never been in contact with the human race. That's what I consider weird.
Anyways, I was listening to Jake explain to Ax the purpose of a mailbox when someone shook my arm. I looked up, and Tobias was staring at me evocatively. He pointed at Rachel.
My eyes widened. She was sitting there staring at the table. She was breathing, but it was her eyes that caught my attention. They were unfocused and unblinking. I glanced at Tobias and shrugged. He looked really worried and kept glancing constantly at Rachel.
All of a sudden, she went back to being normal. Still seemingly in a daze, she said softly, "You do that Tobias."
Tobias looked freaked out now. I felt sorry for him. I could relate - I felt the same way. Seeing my best friend in a trance was not making my day go any better.
Oh, really? I thought sarcastically.
Just at that moment, Marco came back to the table, balancing the nachos like a waiter in a restaurant.
"Nachos anybody? I got extra cheese!" He said, setting it down on the table. Marco held up his hands and looked around at everyone, "What's gotten into you guys? Cat got your tongue?"
Marco pointedly raised his eyebrows. Then he rolled his eyes exasperatedly.
"Whatever. Fine. Ignore me." He said, jamming his hands in his pockets.
"Thanks for getting the nachos, Marco." I said, tearing my gaze from Rachel for a second to thank him. Jake followed suite.
"Yeah."
"Is that grease? And salt? Grease. Greasuuh. Saltuh. Those are enjoyable flavors!" Ax. In his human morph, Ax was surprisingly pretty for a boy, but not lacking definite weirdness. He reached across the table and grabbed a nacho, plopping it in his mouth. I almost laughed when he missed the first time.
"More!" He cried, grease dribbling down his chin. I laughed and wiped it off with my napkin. Marco laughed too, and even Tobias cracked a grin.
"At least you're eating real foods," Marco snorted, "I'll never forget the time you ate those cigarette butts." Ax ignored him, and even Rachel had to laugh when he grabbed another clump of cheese-covered nachos. Suddenly, Rachel stood up.
"I'll be right back," she said, looking a little pale. She started walking away. I looked at Tobias. He stood up quickly, but I put my hand on his arm. I glanced at Jake and smiled. He mouthed, 'thank you,' before hurrying up after my best friend - his cousin. I felt Tobias tense up next to me.
"It's okay Tobias. She'll be fine." I said, at the same time telling myself. I was acting all calm around my friends, but inside I was screaming. That's my job. Calm Cassie. It seems to work for everyone.
Everyone except me.
Tobias relaxed a bit and tried to smile.
"Yeah," he said, "yeah. She's Rachel, after all. Rachel!" I patted his arm sadly.
"Don't worry." I said. Hypocrite.
"I can't." Tobias responded flatly, watching Rachel and Jake talking, "I love her."
Then he jerked, as though he just realized what he said. He stuttered and glanced at Marco warily, "As a- as a fellow Animorph. She's part of our team - she's very important."
"Yeah, I know." I said softly, smiling at Tobias. I couldn't help grinning. I knew Rachel and Tobias loved each other, but they could never admit it, even to themselves. Tobias looked at me again and nodded.
"Yep. Really important." He said.
"Yeah." I said.
"Uh-huh."
"Tobias, it's okay. I understand." I said, reaching for a nacho. Tobias grinned sheepishly and grabbed one too.
"Sorry," he muttered, munching on the chip slowly. I stole a glance at Marco and Ax. They were still eating the nachos. They didn't hear a word Tobias had said. Maybe it's better that way.
I heard Jake sit down next to me and I looked at him expectantly. He breathed deeply.
"I don't know." He said, looking at his clasped hands. Tobias looked as though someone had stabbed him. His eyes went wide and he got up, pushing his plate away from himself like it had just bitten him.
"I've, I've got to go," he stammered, hands shaking, "I need to, uh, protect my territory. There's another red-tail, and he's pretty big." Tobias pushed in his chair.
"Bye," I said, eyes brimming in tears. Poor Tobias.
"See ya, man." Jake said, giving me a concerned glance. I took his hand. Jake gave it a squeeze, and I smiled.
I noticed Tobias staring at us, an expression of regret and longing on his face. Finally he turned around, and without a word, walked towards the exit.
I put my head in my hands. I felt Jake put an arm around me, and I relaxed onto him.
Chapter 17 - Rachel
I felt a little better when I got to the restroom. Maybe I just needed to walk around or something to settle my nerves.
It happens.
Still shivering slightly, I ran my hands under the bathroom sink. The hot water felt good against my shaking hands. When they were hot enough, I rubbed them up and down my arms, warming my shoulders and arms thoroughly. The goosebumps slowly left the surface of my skin.
I looked at myself in the mirror. I tried to remember what I had said, or what I was thinking at the table just minutes before. Try as I might, I didn't remember anything.
Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nothing. Nada. Nil. Nope. Naught. Uh-uh.
I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand and walked out of the bathroom, frustrated. As soon as I got back to the table, I was surprised to find Tobias gone and Cassie crying. I immediately forgot my problems for the moment.
"Jake, where's Tobias? And, why's Cassie crying?" I asked, concerned. Cassie looked up and wiped away a tear.
"Tobias, he.he went h-home," she said, breathing in little sobs. Marco and Ax looked at Cassie, not knowing what to do. I looked at my best friend.
"Cassie, I-I've got to go, okay?" Cassie nodded, and I was relieved to see a small smile.
"I understand." She said.
I shivered. I felt nausea in my stomach.
Suddenly, I didn't feel like eating nachos. Or anything for that matter.
I got up, feeling a little sick. I looked at the others.
"I'll be right back," I said, walking towards the restrooms. I was halfway there when I felt a hand on my arm. I turned around.
"Rachel, what's going on?" Jake questioned, pulling his hand from my arm.
"What?" I asked, moderately confused. Jake looked at me, unsmiling.
"You know. You're freaking us out. First you're sick, then you're not. Tobias was worried all night, and he told me that you forgot you were sick when he visited you this morning." Jake shook his head.
"What? I was sick?" I asked, oblivious of the four pairs of eyes on my back.
"Yeah. Sick. Really sick." Jake ran his hand through his brown hair, "look Rachel, we're your friends. I'll be there for you, Cassie will, Marco will, Ax will. Tobias will probably never leave your side." He smiled slightly, "if you feel sick or anything, just tell us."
For probably the first time in my life, I felt confusion from Jake. Total, uncertain, confusion.
And I didn't like it. Not one bit.
Chapter 16 - Cassie
It was weird.
Yeah, you probably think you've seen weird. Your guinea pig flips in the air, you brother invites his friends over, you get a C on a perfectly easy math quiz.
Well, let me tell you something.
It isn't enough that my friends and I have to fight evil parasitic aliens by morphing into animals, we have to deal with diseases that have probably never been in contact with the human race. That's what I consider weird.
Anyways, I was listening to Jake explain to Ax the purpose of a mailbox when someone shook my arm. I looked up, and Tobias was staring at me evocatively. He pointed at Rachel.
My eyes widened. She was sitting there staring at the table. She was breathing, but it was her eyes that caught my attention. They were unfocused and unblinking. I glanced at Tobias and shrugged. He looked really worried and kept glancing constantly at Rachel.
All of a sudden, she went back to being normal. Still seemingly in a daze, she said softly, "You do that Tobias."
Tobias looked freaked out now. I felt sorry for him. I could relate - I felt the same way. Seeing my best friend in a trance was not making my day go any better.
Oh, really? I thought sarcastically.
Just at that moment, Marco came back to the table, balancing the nachos like a waiter in a restaurant.
"Nachos anybody? I got extra cheese!" He said, setting it down on the table. Marco held up his hands and looked around at everyone, "What's gotten into you guys? Cat got your tongue?"
Marco pointedly raised his eyebrows. Then he rolled his eyes exasperatedly.
"Whatever. Fine. Ignore me." He said, jamming his hands in his pockets.
"Thanks for getting the nachos, Marco." I said, tearing my gaze from Rachel for a second to thank him. Jake followed suite.
"Yeah."
"Is that grease? And salt? Grease. Greasuuh. Saltuh. Those are enjoyable flavors!" Ax. In his human morph, Ax was surprisingly pretty for a boy, but not lacking definite weirdness. He reached across the table and grabbed a nacho, plopping it in his mouth. I almost laughed when he missed the first time.
"More!" He cried, grease dribbling down his chin. I laughed and wiped it off with my napkin. Marco laughed too, and even Tobias cracked a grin.
"At least you're eating real foods," Marco snorted, "I'll never forget the time you ate those cigarette butts." Ax ignored him, and even Rachel had to laugh when he grabbed another clump of cheese-covered nachos. Suddenly, Rachel stood up.
"I'll be right back," she said, looking a little pale. She started walking away. I looked at Tobias. He stood up quickly, but I put my hand on his arm. I glanced at Jake and smiled. He mouthed, 'thank you,' before hurrying up after my best friend - his cousin. I felt Tobias tense up next to me.
"It's okay Tobias. She'll be fine." I said, at the same time telling myself. I was acting all calm around my friends, but inside I was screaming. That's my job. Calm Cassie. It seems to work for everyone.
Everyone except me.
Tobias relaxed a bit and tried to smile.
"Yeah," he said, "yeah. She's Rachel, after all. Rachel!" I patted his arm sadly.
"Don't worry." I said. Hypocrite.
"I can't." Tobias responded flatly, watching Rachel and Jake talking, "I love her."
Then he jerked, as though he just realized what he said. He stuttered and glanced at Marco warily, "As a- as a fellow Animorph. She's part of our team - she's very important."
"Yeah, I know." I said softly, smiling at Tobias. I couldn't help grinning. I knew Rachel and Tobias loved each other, but they could never admit it, even to themselves. Tobias looked at me again and nodded.
"Yep. Really important." He said.
"Yeah." I said.
"Uh-huh."
"Tobias, it's okay. I understand." I said, reaching for a nacho. Tobias grinned sheepishly and grabbed one too.
"Sorry," he muttered, munching on the chip slowly. I stole a glance at Marco and Ax. They were still eating the nachos. They didn't hear a word Tobias had said. Maybe it's better that way.
I heard Jake sit down next to me and I looked at him expectantly. He breathed deeply.
"I don't know." He said, looking at his clasped hands. Tobias looked as though someone had stabbed him. His eyes went wide and he got up, pushing his plate away from himself like it had just bitten him.
"I've, I've got to go," he stammered, hands shaking, "I need to, uh, protect my territory. There's another red-tail, and he's pretty big." Tobias pushed in his chair.
"Bye," I said, eyes brimming in tears. Poor Tobias.
"See ya, man." Jake said, giving me a concerned glance. I took his hand. Jake gave it a squeeze, and I smiled.
I noticed Tobias staring at us, an expression of regret and longing on his face. Finally he turned around, and without a word, walked towards the exit.
I put my head in my hands. I felt Jake put an arm around me, and I relaxed onto him.
Chapter 17 - Rachel
I felt a little better when I got to the restroom. Maybe I just needed to walk around or something to settle my nerves.
It happens.
Still shivering slightly, I ran my hands under the bathroom sink. The hot water felt good against my shaking hands. When they were hot enough, I rubbed them up and down my arms, warming my shoulders and arms thoroughly. The goosebumps slowly left the surface of my skin.
I looked at myself in the mirror. I tried to remember what I had said, or what I was thinking at the table just minutes before. Try as I might, I didn't remember anything.
Zip. Zero. Zilch. Nothing. Nada. Nil. Nope. Naught. Uh-uh.
I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand and walked out of the bathroom, frustrated. As soon as I got back to the table, I was surprised to find Tobias gone and Cassie crying. I immediately forgot my problems for the moment.
"Jake, where's Tobias? And, why's Cassie crying?" I asked, concerned. Cassie looked up and wiped away a tear.
"Tobias, he.he went h-home," she said, breathing in little sobs. Marco and Ax looked at Cassie, not knowing what to do. I looked at my best friend.
"Cassie, I-I've got to go, okay?" Cassie nodded, and I was relieved to see a small smile.
"I understand." She said.