When Bexley awoke again, her stomach was incessantly swirling inside of her. She felt so nauseous that she had forgotten where she was. She shot upwards and gripped her stomach, groaning in pain.
Tears streamed down her pale face as she felt her stomach twist in agony. Her silent cries of anguish woke Ponyboy up. "Bexley? Are you okay?" he asked, sitting up and rubbing her back gently.
"I... I don't..." she stammered, nausea becoming more distressing. She felt the tightness in her throat and in her chest. Tears streamed down her face as he started shaking.
She was going to throw up, there wasn't any denying it. Her stomach turned to ice, so she burst out of the bed and sprinted to the bathroom, not caring how much noise she made.
She makes it to the bathroom and collapsed in front of the toilet, her breath shaking as she heaved. She couldn't hold it in anymore so she threw up in the white basin, dirtying the water in it. More tears fell from her eyes as her stomach cramped up, making her sob and choke.
"Bexley? Are you okay in there?" Soda asked. Ponyboy must've woken him up. Bexley focused her feverish eyes on her brothers, who stood in the door with tears in their eyes. She closed her eyes and let her forehead rest on the toilet bowl.
Next thing she knew, she saw that both of her brothers were dropped down next to her. She began to cry again, feeling vulnerable in front of them. She hated herself for feeling like this and for even going out, to begin with.
"I'm... I'm sorry for waking... you guys up..." Bexley sobbed, closing her moist eyes. "Sshhh... it's okay, baby girl," Soda comforted, rubbing circles into her back. Ponyboy went to grab a moist washcloth and he wrung it out. He gave it to Soda, who thanked him for the moistened rag.
Bexley felt the cold washcloth touch her sweaty skin and she tensed up and gasped. "It's alright, Bexley. Take it easy," Ponyboy softly said, rubbing Bexley's back.
"What's wrong?" Darry asked, his voice coming from the bathroom doorway. Soda glanced up at the eldest Curtis and said, "She threw up again, Dar," Just as he said this, Bexley started to cough again. It soon turned to gagging, which made her stomach cramp up even more.
Darry knelt down with Soda and Ponyboy after seeing the distress on Bexley's face. They could easily see that she was in horrible pain. She was trying to hold it down, but she was losing that battle.
"It's okay, baby girl. Don't fight it," Soda said, his voice soft. "I don't wanna throw up again..." she whimpered, her voice cracking from her intensifying nausea.
"We know, hon. Just breathe..." Darry cooed in her ear. After another painful twist of her stomach, she started throwing up again. There wasn't much in her stomach, so most of it was slime and bile. After a minute of vomiting, her breaths were short and heavy.
More tears ran down her face as she choked on her wavering breaths. She couldn't breathe through the pain.
"What's the matter, Bex?" Ponyboy asked softly. "I'm hurting so much... please make it stop... it hurts..." she whimpered, letting out a distressed sob. Soda's hand slinked around her stomach, causing her to whimper in fear.
"Easy, baby girl. You're okay," Soda said in her ear, soothing her as much as he could. Soda gently rubbed Bexley's abdomen while she fought to control her breathing. Each breath caused a spasm of pain to ride through her stomach. When she did get her breathing under control, she leaned back into Soda's arms.
All that vomiting was making her feel physically and mentally exhausted. Darry had gone to get a glass of water for her to drink, hoping to wash out the horrible taste that lingered in her mouth.
"Bexley? Open your eyes," Darry said quietly. She forced her eyes open as her response to her brother saying her name. Her vision was so hazy that she couldn't make out the blurry figures that were looming over her.
"Can you drink some water for us?" Darry asked quietly. She carefully nodded and reached for the glass with both hands, which were shaking. As she drank the cool liquid, she felt fingers lacing through her hair.
The affection she was receiving comforted her and relieved her, chasing away the pain slowly, quieting the fear. As long as she felt those hands, she would be safe.
Bexley managed to finish the glass of water, letting Darry take the now empty glass. She felt her stomach finally settle down, but she was scared of making any sudden movements, fearing that her stomach would act up again. Darry had flushed the toilet while she drank.
"You ready to go back to bed?" Darry asked softly, to which she nodded. Soda carefully slid one arm under her knees and the other under her shoulders. She was picked up from the floor. Glancing at her brothers once more, she let her eyes shut, letting her head rest against Soda's bicep. She fell asleep before she was back in bed, feeling comforted with her brothers there, easing her into the darkness.