Chapter Five – We Have to Try
Author's Note: sorry for the long delay, next chapter will be faster, I'm sure!
When Justin woke up the next morning, he was feeling horrible, worse then yesterday, even. He could barely lift his head off of the pillow. He coughed deeply into his hands, the cough hurting his chest. There was no way that he would be able to make it to school. It would be the first time in years. Justin hated missing school. So he attempted to get up, but he felt dizzy from the fever, and had to lean against the wall to prevent himself from falling over.
Needless to say, it was not the smartest plan that Justin had in awhile. Justin couldn't remember the last time that he had felt this sick. It was probably never. He wanted to run to Alex and have her be his nurse. He was seriously tempted to beg his parents to let Alex stay home from school as well. Thus, he braced on the wall and slowly began to make his way downstairs into the living room/kitchen. Theresa looked at him.
"Oh Justin," she sighed with just a note of irritation in her voice. "You shouldn't be out of bed."
Justin nodded. "Well I just thought with you and dad running the shop, maybe Alex could stay?"
"You want your sister?" his mother asked surprised. Just then Alex came down the stairs.
"Want what?" Alex said startled. Theresa had already made up her mind. She could tell that Justin couldn't be left on his own for a long period of time. He was too sick.
"Alex, your brother needs you to take care of him. I'll let you miss school just this once, since your brother is so sick, and we have to take care of the shop." Theresa replied. Alex's eyes lit up at once.
"Really?" she asked looking at her mom. "Sure you're not sick too?" Her mom would normally never let her miss school. Not the way she was behind all of the time.
Theresa sighed, "Yes, I must be crazy, but yes." Alex grinned. She was getting to miss a whole day of school and she did not even have to be sick to do it. She should try and get Justin sick more often. Unfortunately her brother seemed to be the opposite of her. He never got sick, having had perfect attendance for two years in a row. Actually, correction. Justin never admitted he was sick, and even when he was, he generally went to school anyways, even with a fever. For Justin not to go to school meant that he was really sick.
"Now back upstairs!" Theresa said looking at Justin meaningfully. "And Alex, be sure and take his temperature!"
"I will mom," Alex said, annoyed. She grabbed Justin by the arm. "Come on," she told him. Justin leaned on her. For once the roles were reversed. Alex was the one looking after him. And she was not teasing him. He kind of liked it. No, scratch that, he really liked it.
"Thanks," he murmured, his voice husky from the sore throat and cough that he had. It reminded him of yesterday. Alex had helped him up the stairs that time too. Ugh, his head felt heavy. He wondered how he had managed to get out of bed. That seemed like such a long time ago.
And Justin slept almost immediately after crawling back into bed. Alex took his temperature while he was sleeping. It was a shade over 103 degrees Fahrenheit. It hadn't gone down at all from yesterday. That was a bit worrisome. She frowned and then ran down to the kitchen to fill up a cup of water, which she placed beside his bed. Then she sat there. But she was tempted to hold his hand.
She watched him for a few hours until he stirred. Justin smiled softly when he saw her.
"Feeling better?" Alex asked. Justin shook his head.
"Not really, no," he replied. Truthfully, he felt like complete crap. His eyes felt all crusted together and would barely stay open. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. Still, he knew he needed to stay awake. He just had to know. Not knowing was making him worse, if anything.
"Alex," he said suddenly. "Yesterday, what did you mean when you said you loved me?" He had assumed that it was just in a brotherly way. But he had to know for sure. The back of his mind was shouting out the possibility of what if it had meant more? He had to take the chance. He could just use the time spell, mcreary tim... He couldn't remember the rest. The fever was getting to him, fogging his brain.
"Wha..what do you mean?" Alex stammered, caught completely off guard. "I think you're delirious," she declared. What had prompted Justin to even say that? It did not occur to Alex that her brother was asking because he felt the same way as her. At least not until he spoke again.
"I'm not," Justin protested weakly. "At least, I don't think I am." Well, he was a little delirious, but he still knew what he was saying. "I mean, do you love me Alex?" he asked her. "Because I love you, more than a brother should." There. He had finally let the words out, words that he had been hiding for a while now. "I know it's wrong, but I can't help it."
Alex's mouth opened in a bit of shock, then she quickly closed it again. She did not step away from him though, which encouraged Justin and gave him some hope. How long had she wanted Justin to say exactly that? It seemed unreal to her that he was saying it now, in this moment.
"Are you sure you're not delirious?" Alex asked again, this time, feeling his forehead. God, he was hot. His fever had gone up from the time that she had taken his temperature. Well he was hot, but Justin was also burning up. "You're burning up!" she exclaimed, removing her hand.
"I know. And, I might be a little delirious," he admitted, "But I know what I am saying Alex. I love you." Alex looked like she was ready to cry of happiness, but she held back the tears nonetheless.
"I meant it the same way as you," Alex replied softly. "I love you too." She hugged him hard, not wanting to kiss him. Then she would get sick for sure. Of course, she probably would get his "cold." But definitely not whatever the sickness eraser spell had turned the cold into. Still, Justin did not reciprocate the hug. Alex stood there looking confused. Hadn't they just said that they loved each other?
"What is it?" Alex asked. "What's wrong?"
"We can't do this," Justin said, his voice hoarse. He was losing his voice slightly, and he cleared his throat loudly. "This is wrong Alex. What would mom and dad say?"
"They wouldn't have to know," Alex replied. "No one would have to know."
"They'd find out eventually though," Justin pointed out, and then started to cough, deep moist coughs.
"They wouldn't," Alex insisted. "Not if we have other boyfriends and girlfriends." She paused as Justin kept coughing. "Are you okay?" Justin just gave her a look.
"What would be the point in that?" he responded immediately. "I'd just be jealous. What if you liked them more than me?"
"I could never do that," Alex replied. "I would never do that. Do you know how long I've waited for you to say those words?" Justin just shook his head.
"Well I've waited forever!" she declared. She looked at Justin's flushed, red cheeks, and the pale color of his skin. He still looked handsome, even with the signs of illness quite evident in his features. "You look awful," she declared.
He glared at her. "Thanks." Alex looked at him for a moment.
"Justin," she said. "We can do this. I know we can. We have to at least try, right?" He looked at her, and then nodded in agreement. Alex breathed a sigh of relief.
"We have to try," Justin replied. "I agree." But deep inside of him, all Justin could see was how this could go really wrong. He shivered, and Alex wrapped a blanket around his shoulders. He was not cold per say, more ill at ease. He was not sure that this was going to work. But he was going along with it. Because he couldn't but help love his sister.
