April 9

Dear Diary,

I am ill.

But I've never felt so good.

The sneezes didn't stop all of last night and I got literally no sleep. This morning I woke up and Mom sent me back to bed – which is a first for her. Usually she thinks you should just keep going until you die. Okay, that's a bit of an over-exaggeration but she usually never lets me stay home. I guess now I'm old enough that she doesn't have to take time off work so she able to be a bit more lax about it. But the point is, I looked shit. If Mom thought I looked shit enough to stay home, then I really did look shit.

So when someone knocked on the door at about ten in the morning and I was still in my pyjamas, I just donned a sweater and didn't bother to look in the mirror. Nothing was going to make me look any better and I didn't really care.

However, to my absolute horror and devastation, I found out that the person knocking on the door was none other than Jared freaking Thail.

"Kim!" he breathed as he stepped forward, his arms circling me and pulling me into his chest. It was so good to be in his arms. He was so warm. It soothed the dull pounding in my head.

"Jared!" I screeched as I covered my face with my hands. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"You weren't at school and I panicked," he said naturally, his hands moving to stroke my hair. My probably greasy hair. I pulled away and continued to cover my face.

"Why didn't you just call?"

He laughed at me failed attempts to hide myself.

"I wanted to see you," he said simply, stepping forward. I stepped back.

Oh right, yes, fine. Perfectly legitimate reason for skipping school.

"Well, I'm okay. You can go now," I tried not to sound mean but I was panicking.

He laughed again and tried to pull my hands away from my face. "Don't be rude, Kimmy. Why are you covering your face?"

He managed to get my hands away from my face so I ran into the bathroom, which is perpendicular to the front door.

"I'm ill!" I explained, locking the door behind me.

"Yeah, I got that," he called from the other side, his voice laced with mirth.

"You'll have to leave because if not you'll catch this."

"I like my chances. I think I'll stay, I don't get ill easily."

I groaned as I quickly washed my face and tried everything I could to look acceptable.

I was still in my freaking pyjamas!

It was not good. I am already nowhere near able to 'woo' Jared and this isn't helping matters. In fact, this is going backwards. Jared will never kiss me! Especially when he noticed my big fat red nose.

"Are you gonna come outside?"

"No!"

"Aww, Kim. I came all this way just to see you."

"I don't care! Go away!"

He laughed again.

Why wasn't he getting offended? I really did want him to leave. Okay, no I didn't. I just didn't want him to see me.

"You can't spend all day in the toilet."

"I won't. I'll come out as soon as you've gone."

"Come out, Kim. I promise I won't look at your face."

"Really?"

"Yes, get out here."

I opened the door and he stared right at me. "Jared!" I complained.

He didn't even look guilty about it. He just laughed and took hold of my hand, pulling me through to my living room.

"You said you wouldn't look at my face!" I moaned.

"Sorry. You're just too beautiful for me to keep my eyes off you," he grinned as he pushed me down onto the sofa.

Great. We all love a bit of sarcasm from the most beautiful man in the world when you're feeling shit.

"I hate you so much."

"No you don't," he told me and I groaned and at least tried to cover my nose. "Now, stay right there and I'll go get a blanket or something."

He disappeared up the stairs in the blink of an eye.

"You don't even know what room is mine!" I called after him.

"I'm sure I'll find it!"

I groaned. How did this happen? I was fine wallowing in self pity alone.

He came back and draped my sheets over me.

"You know, it's awfully rude to invite yourself into someone's house and then go rummaging through their rooms," I teased. "I could have had underwear on the floor or something."

Jared smiled as he tucked me in. "I definitely wouldn't have minded that."

My cheeks flamed red and he laughed. "I'm sorry," he apologised but I couldn't look at him from fear of dying of embarrasment. Why did I even mention my underwear? This is what I get when I try to tease. I'd never be able to flirt properly.

"Anyway, I don't care if it's rude. You're ill, and you're home alone, so I'm going to take care of you."

"It's just a cold, Jared. I'm sure I'll be fine."

He stroked the side of my face. "Please let me take care of you."

His eyes had that look that he knew I couldn't say no to.

"Fine."

I was still embarrased about the underwear thing so I didn't really want to look at him.

He smiled brightly. "Awesome. I'm gonna make you some soup. I'll be back in about ten minutes, okay? I have to go get some ingredients. Don't move."

I nodded unhappily and he dropped a kiss on my forehead before hopping off out the house.

I laid back.

What the actual hell?

When my friends are ill, I don't skip school to go see if they're okay and make them freaking soup.

It was so lovely, though.

Even though I felt as if I was dying, I crawled up the stairs to my room to attempt to make myself look acceptable. Unfortunately, no amount of brushing could tame my hair and no amount of make up could hide this disaster. I jumped downstairs when there was a knock on the door.

"I was hoping you'd just run off and weren't returning," I said as I opened the door to reveal the object of every single dream I've had for the past three nights.

"Ha ha ha," he said dryly, pushing me back into the living room. "And I was hoping you'd do as I ask and stay still."

He pushed me back down on the sofa and tucked me in again.

"Now, don't move," he warned.

He then pulled something out of his bag, walked over to the television and slid a DVD in. He walked back over to me. "Do you want a drink or anything?"

I shook my head and then grinned as the title menu for 'Jurassic Park' started up. I almost started crying.

"You said it was your favorite movie," he said as he stroked my hair off of my face.

My brain literally can't function when he's so sweet.

"I freaking love it so much." I couldn't believe that he'd remembered. I just randomly mentioned it conversation and I didn't think he was even paying attention. And from my experience with Jason and Scott, when they look like they're not paying attention then they're usually not listening to a word you're saying.

"You're too weird, Kim," he said and then got up and went through to my kitchen.

It's not my fault I like dinosaurs. I think they're really interesting.

Zain jumped up onto the sofa and started to lick my face before he nestled into my side and fell asleep. I happily stroked him. He always knows if you're ill or upset. And he's so warm and cuddly that you can't really blame me for falling asleep.

Unfortunately, I woke about twenty minutes later. Someone was getting eaten in the film but I didn't even care. All that was on my mind was the sound of voices coming from the kitchen.

Voices. That's plural. It wasn't just Jared talking to himself. Oh no.

Scott was home.

And in the kitchen.

Talking to Jared.

Zain was now lying across my stomach, sniffing my face. I quickly wrapped my covers around me, picked him up and walked through to the kitchen. Zain isn't exactly a puppy anymore but I can't help but carry him around. He's so heavy that I can't hold him for long but it gives me comfort and support to hold him.

I entered and Jared and Scott turned to me, both wearing aprons and fussing over the pot of soup.

"Kim," Jared said, his hand on his hip. "I told you to stay where you were."

It was so difficult not to laugh at him, standing in my kitchen, wearing an apron, a wooden spoon in one hand and the other perched on his hip while he berated me like a child.

Zain barked at him and wagged his tail happily. I placed him on the floor and he happily circled Jared.

"What are you two doing in here?" I asked, ignoring Jared's fussing.

"Jared here is making soup!" Scott announced. "It's really very lovely."

I nodded, cringing. What the hell happened in those twenty minutes? Scott and Jared were working away like they were best buddies! Surely Scott would be a little freaked out to come home and find some random guy in the kitchen making me food while I was asleep on the sofa? Because I definitely hadn't told Scott or Mom about Jared. I did not want them to know about Jared. Yet here he was making freaking soup with my step-dad!

Some people tell their parents everything. I do not. It would just be awkward and they'd want to meet him and then it would be embarrassing and Mom would be like 'he's a good looking boy, Kim, but you need to focus on your studies'. I knew it because that's exactly what they did to Jason. Then Jason dropped out of school last year. He thought he got his girlfriend pregnant and Mom kicked him out. But it turns out it was some other guy's child (his last girlfriend was a classy lady) and Mom let him back in on the promise that he'd sort his life out. He got a job at a grocery store in Forks but got fired a few months ago as he would always turn up late. They didn't realise they were just lucky that he turned up at all. So now he's 'waiting for the right job to come along', which basically mean he fucks off out for the day either with his stupid friends or his stupid girlfriend (she's less of a slut as the last one but doesn't know her five times tables) with the car he got for his birthday. He begged for it because it would help him get to and from work and would be better for him to hold down a job. Do I get a car for my birthday? No. I have to save up because they know that I actually will and Jason never would. He'd just use not having a car as another excuse not to get a job.

Anyway, the point is, when Scott tells Mom she'll go off on one about how I don't need a boyfriend, because Mom is from the Stone Age and believes that you shouldn't even have a boyfriend till you're at least eighteen.

Not that Jared is my boyfriend. Oh no. Far from it. But it'll just look like that. They jump to false conclusions very easy. Jared would never be my boyfriend.

Jared sighed at me and stepped forward, brushing my hair out of my eyes.

"You really pale. Go sit down and I'll bring you soup."

I looked at Scott. He was pulling that face as he tried not to laugh.

He was so telling Mom that Jared was my boyfriend.

I groaned as Jared turned me around and pushed me back through to my prison chambers. His warm hands were on my shoulders, somehow making the ache in them start to ebb.

"How are you going to get any better if you keep running around? You need to rest."

"It's a cold, Jared. You worry far too much."

"I worry just the right amount," he replied, mockingly stiffly. I jabbed his stomach and he grinned and dropped a kiss to the bridge of my red nose. "I can't help but worry about you."

I smiled although I knew my cheeks were flushing with embarrassment and, admittedly, happiness.

"You don't have to worry about me at all," I said softly, linking my fingers through his as he stood in front of me.

"Yes I do. Now you sit here and relax, you're mine to worry about."

I didn't know what he meant so I frowned up at him.

"Considering it's my fault," he added quickly.

"How is it your fault?" I laughed.

"Well, if I hadn't been such an idiot and let you go for a walk in the rain when you wouldn't have gotten ill, would you?" he said, as if it was so logical.

"Seriously, Jared? You're not my carer. You were out in it too, I just have a pathetic immune system. Blame that, not yourself. Plus, I would have gone for a walk anyway."

He harrumphed. "I don't like the idea of you out walking by yourself."

"I know, you said before."

He looked at me disapprovingly. "Especially through the woods. I'm taking Zain for walks now, okay?"

I opened my mouth but he cut me off. "No buts. At least until you're better. Then you can come. But you've got to have at least eight layers on or else you're not even going near the door."

I stared at him. "You're absolutely bonkers, Jared."

"Don't be so rude," he scolded, smiling. "And I made you my family's famous soup and everything..." he muttered to himself as he walked off back to the kitchen.

I heard laughter coming from the kitchen. This is not good. While Mom is the type to go all 'you're too young!', Scott is the type who goes 'wanna see some rank photos we have of Kim?'.

Jared returned about ten minutes later with a bowl of soup and some bread on a tray. He placed it on my lap, smiling, before he dropped himself next to me.

"Your step dad is wicked."

I groaned.

"He's invited me round for dinner when you're better, by the way."

I groaned even louder.

Do you think you could drown yourself in soup?

"You don't have to come," I told him. It would be much better if he didn't.

"I want to," he said, smiling. "We're going swap cooking tips and secret recipes."

I looked over at Jared. He was trying not to giggle with glee.

"Eat up, it'll be cold soon! Ooh look, it's the best bit," he said, pointing to the TV as he stuffed a whole piece of bread in his gob and swallowed it in one mouthful. For the first time in my life I wasn't interested in Jurassic Park. How can he make something that was essentially quite grotesque look fascinating? He seemed to still look beautiful even as he stuffed his face with food.

I took a spoonful of the soup and I swear, my dearest Diary, I died and went to heaven.

"Shit, Jared. Will you marry me? This stuff is freaking lush!"

He stared at me as I happily tucked into the godsend that was his soup.

I only realised once he left that I proposed over a bowl of soup. He probably thinks I'm so weird. That's probably why he didn't speak much after that and just stared at me. Oh well, that stuff was lush.

Who knew he could cook? I swear I learn something new about him every day.

He's so fascinating.

Oh god, I think Jared has actually melted my brain. I like to think I used to be quite intelligent. I could hold a conversation about quite important things - science, politics, general news; that sort of stuff. A bit boring but it meant I could talk to my Grandpa for more than five minutes as all he's interested in is politics. Now all I can think about is how wonderful Jared is. Maybe Mom is right when she says you shouldn't get a boyfriend during school time. I know for sure that I don't pay as much attention in class as I used to and it's only been like three days. And he's just a friend. I really don't think that I'd be able to function if he was anything more. It would be nice though.

Oh, shut up. I really need to stop thinking these things. It's getting ridiculous.

Kim Conweller

I promised an update and for once I've actually been sticking to it! My own dog came home from the vets today after a serious operation so be warned there will probably be quite a lot of soppy dog loving in here. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading it. A review would really cheer me up! ;)

Sisicloud and Princess2979 thank you both for reading and reviewing, I'm glad you liked it!