Chapter 24

It was Theresa's turn to check up on Herry, he had been passed out since about five. She expected to find him still asleep, but instead she caught him laying on his back on the floor tossing a medicine ball into the air. He leaned his head back to look over to the door, his eyes glazed over by the pain killers. He forgot the medicine ball for a vital moment and it landed on his chest with a thud, forcing the air from his lungs.

"Herry," Theresa scolded and rushed over to help him sit. Coughing he pushed her away and lied back down on his side. Theresa looked down at him with hands on her hips and shook her head, "Are you okay?"

"No," he moaned.

She rolled her eyes and reached down to sit him up again, "Why don't you lay down in your bed?"

"No," he shook his head. He fell out of her light grip on his arms and onto his back, cracking his head against the hard wood floor. Reached up a hand to massage his scalp he let out a low grown.

"Herry," she pinched the bridge of her nose and let out an aggravated sigh. He reached for his medicine ball, but Theresa kicked it away from him, "You're going to split open your stitches."

"No," he said, arm reaching for his ball as if some kind of force would make it roll back to him.

"Do you have any other words left in your vocabulary?" she asked as she stepped over him to his bed. She swiped up his pillow to tuck under his head and his comforter to toss over him.

"Theresa," he asked in bafflement, kicking off the blanket to push himself up. Sitting cross legged on the floor he looked up to her and said, "What are you doing? I don't want to sleep on the floor."

"Ugh," she smacked her face into her palm, taking his pillow to put back on his bed when he handed it to her, "Do you want to get in bed then?"

"I want to," he crawled over to his bed and crossed his arms on the mattress and leaned his chin on his wrist, "I want to go."

"What? Go where?" Theresa asked him in confusion.

"Nah I shouldn't."

"Herry, I don't know what you're talking about," she dropped down on his bed and rubbed his shoulder, "You're going to need to help me out."

"Do you think I should?" he leaned his head to the side to glance up to her.

"Should what?"

"Go out."

Theresa closed her eyes as she searched for a little more patience to deal with her friend's drugged mind, "Go out where?"

"Jam… some music thing in the park."

"What, why would you…" she said to herself as she thought out loud, she snapped her fingers when everything clicked. With an elated squeal she exclaimed, "With Opal, she asked you out?"

"Theresa," he moaned and clasped his hands over his ears.

"Oh sorry," she dropped her voice to a whisper, "Yes, you should go."

"Yeah?" he looked over in inquiry, "But what about Cronus?"

"Don't let that keep you from dating. Cronus has messed up so much of our lives, don't let him take this from you too. Where's your phone?" she began searching for the logical places it would be placed, "Text her."

"She doesn't have a phone."

"What?" she asked unbelieving, "What kind of teenager doesn't have a cell?"

Herry just shrugged, "Jay's not going to let me go to school tomorrow is he?"

"I can guarantee that," Theresa said, "I'll talk to her tomorrow for you."

"I don't feel very good," he reached down a hand to place over his stomach.

"Shit," she jumped to her feet and lunged for the garbage pail at his desk. She jammed it into his lap and waited.

"No, it's gone now," he said and pulled himself onto his bed.

"Have you had any water?" Theresa asked, tossing his blanket over him.

"I have some," he reached out a hand to his bedside table sending the glass full of water tumbling to the ground, "Oops, I did have some. Theresa."

"I'll get you more," she sighed, leaning down for the glass to take to the bathroom tap where she could also grab a towel. When she came back he was passed out, snoring lightly. She set the glass on the night stand and quickly mopped up the puddle of water. She flicked off the lights and quietly tugged his door closed, letting out a deep breath on the other side. Thank the gods that headache was over.

Odie stood in Jay's doorway watching their leader pace circles on his blue rug. Movie in hand, Odie crossed his arms and scowled, "Jay, just come watch the movie."

"Odie," he exclaimed, tossing his flexed hands up, "Gods damn it Odie."

"What?" he asked in irritated defense. Jay just sent him a black glare and began pacing again. Odie's portal shifter was sitting there on his desk waiting to be used, but with Herry like he was it would be weeks before they could put it in use. If only he had risked it and brought it along when they fought Orthrus, this could have ended, Herry could have been fine. He growled and dropped into the seat of his desk. With a hard thwack he brought his forehead down on the edge of the stained wood and moaned.

Odie hissed and said, "Dude, you got to calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down," he shot, "If only –"

"Stop with the 'if only' man, it was no one's fault," Odie cut him off, raising his voice to match Jay's, "It sucks, but it could be worse. Alright?"

Jay didn't answer. He sat hunched over his desk, arms hanging limply at his sides. Odie sighed and slipped away from the door. Holding out the movie case he shook his head, he didn't really feel like watching it either.

It was too convent of a time for Herry to miss their English class together. He could have told her no, it would have been easier to take than this. Avoiding her, really? Herry was always such a nice guy, she never thought he would pull a dick move like this. She brooded at the back of the classroom as Rice lectured, scribbling boxes and circles in an attempt to distract herself from the disappointment and pain of being let down like this. The bell for the next class couldn't come along soon enough, she just wanted out of this room.

When they were dismissed she dragged her feet through the hallway to her locker. She blinked back tears to bring the dial of her padlock into focus and entered the combo. Someone placed a hand on her wrist and she jumped, snatching her hand close to her chest with a gasp. Glancing over she found Theresa sending her a bright smile. Opal sighed and hung her shoulders, what did she want now?

"Hey," Theresa said with a cheery pipe, "I can't believe you actually did it."

"Did what?" Opal asked, the dull pounding in her head made it hard to work through her statement.

"Asked him, no offence, but I really didn't think you would."

"Oh," she looked back to her locker with sunken eyes and used the padlock to distract her attention. She wished she hadn't. It had been a huge mistake. She had ruined their blossoming friendship all for her little crush.

"He's home right now, but I he wanted me to tell you his answer," Theresa said.

"What?" she looked over her shoulder in confusion, her mind still incapable of following the conversation.

"He says yes," she said.

"What?" she said, unbelieving as she blinked at the redhead.

"To your date in the park," Theresa said, slowing her words as she spoke, "He says yes."

"Really?" Opal asked, an excited grin spreading across her face. She felt it growing there and quickly shook her head, forcing down her smile she said, "It's not a date, I just don't have anyone else to ask."

"Okay, sure," Theresa said with a knowing smile.

"Wait, where did you say he was?" she drew her brows together as she overcame the daze she had been in all morning.

"Oh, ah, he's at home," she said.

Opal bit her lip for a moment, her heart starting to quicken when she asked, "Is he okay?"

"Yeah, he'll be fine," Theresa said waving a hand in dismissal.

"Umm, what's wrong?" she asked on quiet whisper.

"He, ahh, he's just on a few pain killers right now, not really in the best shape to be going out," she said, tiptoeing around her answer.

"Pain killers?" Opal said, her eyes widening, "What did he do?"

"It was, ahh, it was a dog bite," Theresa said, "Yeah, just a dog bite."

"Oh," she said in slight surprise, "How did that happen?"

"You know, it just happened," she waved her hand through the air, a crooked smile wormed its way across the redhead's face as she changed topics, "Do you want to drop by after school and see him? Come have lunch with us, I'm sure I can convince Jay to let you visit our place for a little while."

"Really?" she asked, a small smile pulling on her lips.

"Yeah, I'll come get you right after class," she nodded and patted the smaller girl's shoulder, "catch you later."

"Sure," she nodded, biting her lip as she looked back to her locker. The day would be so much easier to get through now. She would still be distracted for all her classes, but it was much better to be distracted this way.