'This is it, my first cold away from Dean.' Sam thought miserably as he snuffled into a tissue. 'I have to take care of this myself I guess.'
He woke up that morning with the worst headache and a runny nose, coughing his lungs up. It was not a good wake up. Sam slowly rolled out of bed, ignoring the ache in his bones as he did so. He had to go get some flu medicine if he wanted to be back in classes soon.
He slowly dressed and shuffled out of his dorm, he made his way passed group of giggling girls and flirty guys with a scowl on his face. Sometimes he regretted having to accept the dorm in the co-ed housing. There was always a lot of flirting, partying and scoring and it always interfered with his studies. His friend Brad had offered him room in his apartment but Sam couldn't accept it just like that, he left so that he could be alone and be self sufficient.
Sam made it outside into the blistering heat, before wave of nausea washed over him, and he bent over his stomach with a moan and a grimace. He just held back the leftovers of his breakfast and slowly straightened up. The moment he was straightened he found himself racing to a nearby pot plant and spewing his stomach contents into the foliage.
"Hey are you okay?" A girl's voice roused his attention.
He looked up to see Jessica Moore standing in front of him with a worried look on her face. He gasped before retching again into the pot plant.
She sighed and reached out to take his arm. "Easy Sam, it's Sam right? Take it easy, I'll get you to my place and clean you up. This isn't the best place to be if you're sick."
Sam didn't remember how he got to her place but he noticed when he was put into her bed. She tugged his shoes and socks off, then she tucked him in and told him to stay put.
Sam watched in confusion as she walked out of the room. Jessica was quick to return with a few tablets and a flu syrup.
"Open up you." She said with a playful smile, offering him the syrup. "It's not poison, I swear."
Sam smiled weakly and allowed her to pour it down his throat. He gasped and spluttered in disgust, the taste was terrible!
"Ug!"
Jessica laughed and poured a glass of water. "That bad?"
Sam nodded weakly. "It's like the salted liquorice that De-" He trailed off with a sad look on his face.
Jessica tilted her head in confusion. "What's wrong?"
Sam shrugged and accepted the tablets and water. Jessica sighed and stroked his hair out of his face.
"Homesick?" She asked knowingly.
Sam shrugged again. "I guess you could say that."
"Family sick more like it?" Jessica pressed him. "You can tell me, I won't judge. I miss my family too."
Sam sighed and looked at her wearily. "It's complicated….why are you helping me?"
Jessica smiled. "Something about you just get's my attention, we've been acquaintances for a while now Sam, I'd like to be friends though. You seem like a good guy."
Sam laughed sheepishly and gave her a grateful look. "Well thanks, I'll leave as soon as I'm on my feet."
"Don't even think about it, just think about getting better."
Sam dozed off and only woke a few hours later when Jessica screamed in alarm. He scrambled out of her bed and hurried into the dark living room. Jessica was drenched in the doorway, staring at two people, who were running away.
"What happened?" Sam asked in confusion.
"They rang the bell and said some weird word, then the one threw water and the other threw salt! I'm drenched and they touched me with the containers!" Jessica shrieked in horror. "I hate frat boys!"
"Frat boys?" Sam questioned, still completely out of it because of the medicine.
"Yea they're hazing each other, they do all kinds of weird crap to become initiated." She sighed. "Come on you go back to bed and I'll go shower."
Sam let her guide him to her room and he crawled into the bed. When the shower turned on he heard a familiar engine purring passed the house and he rushed to look out the window. Nothing. Sam felt his heart ache and he lay down without seeing the sleek black car as it rolled passed again and disappeared into the night.