Love Sickness
Author's Note: Attention readers, I hope you like where this story is going. I'm trying to get back into the habit of writing on a daily basis but my semester finals have been holding me back! Now that they're done I'm going to try to step up on my writing. Hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll be finished with this story. Now it's time to switch characters. Hope you enjoy.
Todd's POV
I had a nice long nap that actually pushed me through most of the day. When I wake up it's already dark outside. I slowly arise from the bed and notice my muscles aren't anywhere near as sore as they were this morning. I reach out for my thermometer and set it in my ear for a few seconds. As soon as it beeps I flip my lamp on and read it.
"One hundred point six." I read aloud realizing my throat isn't sore anymore either. That also means my fever is gone and I can finally resume my time with Maurecia. I never actually put my shirt back on after Maurecia gave me that message so I really don't know if I need one today. I step out of my room and make my way into the kitchen, I immediately realize something smells delicious, yet unfamiliar. That must mean my nose isn't stuffed up anymore either. I see Maurecia facing a large pot.
"Hey babe, what are you up to?" I ask, she turns around so fast we make eye contact before I finish my sentence.
"Todd! You're finally awake! I was getting lonely." Fluffy crosses his arms at her. "I mean Fluffy gets to see me every day and night, he's not my boyfriend." Fluffy sighs.
"Okay, you missed me but did you check on my magnets?" She flinches for a split second then responds.
"Well… yes I did." I'm wondering why she paused.
"And are they done cooling?" She shrugs.
"How would I know that?" She asks. "I'm not super familiar with magnets you know?" I nod.
"Well I guess I'll need to teach you a little more about magnetism," I say. "But did you test them?" She looks to the side for a second. I get the feeling she's seen something or just doesn't want to reveal a hidden truth.
"I assure you the magnetic force within them is beyond powerful, especially compared to most magnets." I'm wondering for sure what she means.
"Well then, why don't we go downstairs and check them out?" I ask before Maurecia skates towards me.
"Whoa! Not yet." I raise an eyebrow.
"Why not?" I ask starting to lose a little trust for her. She lifts me up lightly and skates into the living room and sets me down on the couch. Sometimes her strength scares me.
"You might still be sick." I think she's trying to distract me.
"I feel fine Maurecia. I'm not sick anymore." She lowers her eyebrows cutely.
"I'll be the judge of that." I'm having very mixed emotions right now. Part of me is love-struck as when I first got together with Maurecia, another part of me feels the same way as I did when the Wayside kindergarteners considered me their king.
"Maurecia what are you doing right-" She puts her pointer finger to my mouth.
"Un uh. I'll ask the questions." Need I remind her why Fluffy bit her last night? "How's your head?" I shrug.
"My head?"
"Is your headache gone now?" I smile and nod.
"Yes, it is," I respond. "Are my magnets in their pos-"
"Are your muscles still sore?" She interrupts. I shake my head. "Then would you like another massage?"
"My muscles are fine thank you. But are my mag-"
"Then why aren't you wearing a shirt?" I pause for a second.
"I know you like the look of my body." She giggles.
"Of course Todd, I adore your skinny abs and orange chest hairs." She wraps her left arm around my neck. "I find them sexy." She sounds real seductive at the end. I blush at that.
"You do?" I ask shyly.
"I love everything you have to offer as a human being. It's all mine!" And I once thought I was in charge of our relationship.
"Right…" I say lightly under a little pressure. I'm losing my train of thought and beginning to forget what I was asking her. "Maurecia, I'm not sick anymore. I promise." She withdraws her stethoscope and winks at me.
"Are you sure about that?" She asks very seductively. I make a firm face.
"Yeah Maurecia, I am healthy," I say firmly. Her loving smile turns into her desperate face. "Well…" She slowly smiles. "No, I'm not completely sure." I concede as she inserts the stethoscope into her ears.
"Thank you." She holds the chest piece up. "May I?" I smile.
"You may." She quickly places it on the left side of my chest. I watch her as she sits there with a very fascinated look on her face. I can tell she likes what she hears.
"Wow Todd, you must be very excited right now." I chuckle.
"I'm always excited when you're around," I say. "What do you think?" She looks up at me with adorable eyes.
"I think you have a very powerful heartbeat, much steadier now than it was before."
"That's nice," I say. Maurecia sits there for a couple of minutes, listening to my heart and eventually I tap her shoulder. "Are you done now?" She retracts the chest piece.
"Sorry, I forgot what I was doing." She removes the nubs from her ears. "Your heart is just very precious to me." I'm a little confused.
"Why is my heart such a critical thing to you?" She gets a little closer to my face.
"Because Todd, it's the very thing that keeps you living." I open my eyes a little more. "Listening to it reminds me that, not only are you alive, but you're here with me. Every single time it beats it reminds me of your presence. And furthermore, it's the source of your love." Wow, this is very deep.
"My love?" I ask dumbfounded.
"Mm-hm. It's the centerpiece to every vein in your body and the center of your emotions."
"That's a really marvelous thing," I say.
"I know." I'm sitting there for a second trying to remember what I was asking her, before she says something that throws me off. "Your turn." I flinch as Maurecia slowly places the earpieces into my ears. Not more than a second later she holds the end to her own heart and I'm hit by the sound of her heartbeat. I immediately lose all my thoughts I originally had. She takes my hand and holds it to the chestpiece before letting go, allowing me to hold it to her heart.
"Wow." I manage to mumble through the hypnotizing harmony of my girlfriend's life. She and I are both blushing deeply. I've never heard anyone's heartbeat before, including my own. I close my eyes to concentrate, and I feel her heart vibrating beneath my hand.
"What do you think? How does it sound?" Maurecia asks. Her heart is beating so loud and so fast I can hardly keep up with it. But wasn't that to be expected?
"It sounds beautiful," I respond contently. I sit there and continue listening for a minute or so before I open my eyes to see the curious look on her face.
"Well Todd, am I healthy?" I grin and an idea goes through my mind.
"Maurecia, you have a rare illness," I say suspenseful. She immediately looks scared.
"I do?" She asks nervously as I nod with my eyes closed. "What is it called?"
"Love Sickness," I say as I remove the stethoscope from her chest and retract the earpieces from my ears, placing it on the table beside us. Maurecia's expression instantly changes to a happy one.
"Oh, Love Sickness?" She chuckles a couple of times. "Is there any cure?" I smile.
"I'm sure there is and I think I have it." I put my hands on her cheeks and hold her face closer to my own. She blushes again. "Hopefully I'm not sick anymore because this won't work if so." She smiles daringly.
"I'm willing to take that risk." I give her a daring smile myself.
"Okay, then are you ready?" She lowers her eyebrows.
"I was born ready for this Todd!" I pull her face in and we forcefully lock lips. I close my eyes and ignore every muscle in my body aside from my mouth and tongue.
Making out isn't something we've gotten to do on an average day in public or around family. Now it's just the two of us. Maurecia and I begin smooching repeatedly as she gently rubs my shoulders and I stroke the back of her head. We began to move our jaws in unison over and over. It feels like we're both trying to absorb each other's oxygen, but the sheer intensity of the pressure makes it enjoyable. After a good three minutes of nonstop kissing, we break. I'm exhausted as hell afterward but Maurecia looks ready for more.
"You're really, getting good at that, Todd." She says while panting.
"So are you." I choke out through hyperventilation. We both rest for about thirty seconds and catch our breaths.
"That felt so wonderful." She moves a little closer. "I can feel this 'love sickness' fading away by the second." I smile.
"You know what they say?" She shakes her head. "Love is the best medicine." She pulls me closer.
"Oh, you!" She tackles me on the couch and pins my shoulders against the cushion. "You always have something romantic to say."
We stare into each other's eyes for a few seconds. I can't take my eyes off her beautiful smile. She's got the prettiest face anyone could ask for. Her smile alone is enough to calm me down after a stressful day or a long walk up or down Wayside School, but the fact she's only a couple inches away from my face brings the sensation to a newer level. I feel much stronger yet weaker whenever we're this close but none of it hurts. It only hurts whenever it's over. Moments like this make me wish I could pause time, or rewind events and relive them. But it's not over yet.
"Thank you Maurecia," I say, adjusting my arms. "Ready for the next phase?" She nods.
"Of course I am. My question to you is where do we start?"
"Why don't we get romantic instead of just jumping into the kissing?" She lowers her eyelids.
"Reasonable plan." She says as she slowly lowers her body to the point she's right on top of me.
"You comfortable?" I ask.
"Very." She responds. "Now, what did you have in mind?" I grin.
"I think we both have different thoughts on 'romantic' so I'll let you choose. You want to go first or second?"
"Hm." She thinks for a second. "I'll let you go first because I've had romantic thoughts for a longer time. I think you'll like what I have planned a little more." I raise an eyebrow.
"Is that a challenge?" I ask. She nods.
"You bet. Now, what do you have in mind?" Suddenly Fluffy comes out of nowhere and hums loudly, catching both of our attention. "Fluffy, what do you want?" Maurecia asks. Fluffy points back in the kitchen. "Oh, soup's done." My expression goes blank.
"Well then, I guess we'll have to resume this later." I help myself up and enter the kitchen.
"Great timing Fluffy," Maurecia says sarcastically. Fluffy just shrugs and they both enter the room. I notice Maurecia has made a large pot of soup with wild rice, chicken, and celery. It smells amazing and I've never seen or tasted this before.
"You made this?" I ask her. She nods proudly.
"I did. I wanted to make sure my patient was well fed." I chuckle a couple of times.
"So what type of soup is it?" She faces the pot.
"It's a special recipe my mom makes during winter. It's one of the greatest foods I've ever eaten myself." She grabs a ladle and pours some into a bowl. "It's just chicken broth and a few ingredients." She hands me the bowl and a spoon. "Tell me what you think." I blow on it a few times and take a small sip. I'm astonished by the flavor.
"Mm." I can't contain. "That is pretty good." She pours a bowl for herself.
"I'm glad you think so." We both sit down at adjacent ends of the kitchen table. "My mom says it's impossible to make this without love."
"That doesn't surprise me," I say as I take a bite containing a large piece of chicken. I can't help but moan in satisfaction.
"You really like it don't you?" She asks.
"I think Le Chef should take cooking lessons from you." Her eyes widen. "It's that good."
"That's the highest praising compliment I've ever heard!" She exclaims.
"I used to think I could cook." She chuckles.
"It's just a meal I told my mom I'd miss when I graduated from school. I felt like I needed to master this recipe before I began living alone." I grimace.
"What if you never live alone?" She flinches for a second but once we make eye contact she knows what I meant.
"You want to live with me?" I regain honesty.
"When we can afford to of course." She gasps happily. "But I've spent some time thinking about it and I think you'd make a great wife." She looks ready to cry.
"Todd…" She sets her spoon down. "Do you really mean it?" I set mine down as well.
"What can I say? You changed your habit of punching me, you know how to cook a large meal, you took care of me when I was ill, and honestly, I've never heard such a detailed love story out of anyone else. The reasons you love me are things anyone can have." She speaks up.
"But I don't know anyone else who does." I continue.
"And furthermore you always try to be a good girlfriend, sometimes I think you try too hard or get a little too far ahead of yourself, but you never fail to succeed. And you've become much more to me than just a friend."
"Awe Todd! You're so sweet! Can we snuggle in bed when this is over?" I nod.
"As you wish babe." I wink at her.
After a few bowls of soup are consumed we go back to my room and Fluffy gets into his small bed. I don't bother putting on a shirt of some sort because right now there is no reason to. Maurecia notices I don't have a shirt on and puts her pajamas aside.
"You're not putting on any sleepwear?" She asks as I shake my head.
"No need. I often sleep without a shirt anyways." She gives me a very seductive face and removes her own shirt. Beneath, she has a clear white undershirt and a reddish bra. I feel my heart begin to speed up a little.
"Why don't we shorten the space between us?" She lays in the bed and holds the blanket open. "Shall we?" She asks as I subtlety enter the bed. Immediately she throws her arms around my neck and pulls our chests together. "Now how about we cure that 'love sickness' I have?" A limit meter runs through my conscience.
"Actually, not now," I say and she looks rather disappointed.
"Why not, is this mood not sexy enough?" I sigh.
"It's sexy alright, I'm just too tired for it right now." She sighs.
"Okay." She stops hugging me and rolls on her side. "Goodnight Todd." I tap her shoulder a few times.
"What's wrong Maurecia?" I ask and she turns over.
"Nothing, I just really wanted to see the truest romantic side of you that you had to offer. Then Fluffy came in, we ate our soup, and now you're ready to end the day." I point at the clock labeled 9.
"Well, it is nine o' clock." She rolls her eyes.
"Well Todd, this might come off as a surprise to you but, I really get aroused when I'm in bed with you." I'm overwhelmed. But I need to be honest.
"We're two freshmen in ninth grade," I say. "I think you're pretty sexy myself but we should have some limits." She turns her head to the side a little.
"I'm not trying to push us that far. But I was hoping we could get really romantic in bed. I was hoping we could snuggle, make out a little, and maybe we could fall asleep hugging each other." I raise an eyebrow. "It's true I was really lovesick today and you know why?" I shrug.
"Why?"
"Because I spent most of the day writing in my diary and watching a couple of news events. By the way, that blizzard hasn't started yet." I roll my eyes.
"We could've had school today."
"But after you fell asleep into your long nap I spent all my time waiting for you to get better and wake up. I came to check on you at three separate times today and felt slightly more disappointed each time." I'm slightly confused.
"You were lonely today?" She nods.
"Yes. You're the only person I look forward to seeing every single day and I only see you five times a week at most. It got to the point where Saturday is my least favorite day of the week." She looks back to me and smiles. "But when you're with me, I'm happy. If I'm having a rough day or a grandparent dies, I think of you. But you're not always next to me when I'm sad, and when I came in today to check on you, I wanted to wake you up for company, but I didn't want you to feel sick for the rest of the day, and…" She pauses for a few seconds.
"And what?" I ask curiously.
"I thought of when you came to me in the hospital. I thought about how you were there for me when I wasn't conscious and waited for me to wake up. For the past year now, I've felt like you had a debt I'd never be able to repay. But today, even though your life wasn't at stake, I could be there for you." I cry a tear. "And sometimes I'm worried I love you a little more than you love me."
"I thought we both agreed love is infinite." She looks up.
"It is, but I think it's safe to say I'm a little more desperate to see you whenever we're not together." I nod.
"That could be. But why do you think that is?" She stops to think about it for a few seconds.
"I think you have more things on your mind than me." She's not incorrect. "I feel like every day at school, seeing you is the only thing on my mind, but you casually eye me from time to time and there isn't a lot of focus centered after that."
"I don't really know how to respond," I say. We make eye contact.
"Sometimes I think I try a little harder to make our relationship a priority." My eyes widen greatly.
"Whoa," I say slowly. "I think you hit the nail on the head." I really hate to admit that.
"Am I the first thing you set your mind on every day?"
"Well… Most of the time." She sighs.
"Am I in your subconscious during your free time?" I shrug.
"I play a lot of video games in my free time." She looks rather sad.
"Is it my fault? Am I not trying hard enough or am I trying too hard?" She asks. I pat her shoulder a couple of times.
"It's not like that if anything I don't try hard enough to prioritize on us." She looks down sadly. "But in my defense," She looks back up. "I didn't know how much it meant to you."
"Oh, okay." She says casually.
"But that's partially your fault too." She shrugs.
"How am I at fault for that?"
"Well for starters you do spend a lot of time next to me updating your diary."
"That's because I want to remember every lovable moment we share. And I'm not really into video games."
"I guess, but sometimes I feel like you treat me like I'm in charge." She sighs.
"I have a couple of reasons for that." She states. "One, you're a little older than me."
"But we'll still graduate at the same time." She continues.
"You are much better at managing your free time." I point to Fluffy.
"That's partially because Fluffy takes up some of your time." She shrugs cluelessly.
"I guess I thought if I tried to manage our relationship I'd screw up, but I didn't want to tell you that either because… I was worried you wouldn't trust me as much, or you'd doubt my capabilities." I hug her slightly.
"I'd never doubt you Maurecia, you're my special girl." She slowly begins smiling. "How many guys are lucky enough to have a girl come to them?" She shrugs. "Very few!" I exclaim. "My mom says it's always the guy's job to make the first move but you came to me first." She looks happy now.
"What does that mean?" I smile proudly.
"It means you started this relationship with me. I never bothered to think about what it'd be like to have a girlfriend, but the past year has really changed my life. And you're the only one who I've gradually spent more and more time with than before so… this is the result of that." I squeeze her gently. "You've actually given me something else to live for." She hugs me back.
"Thanks, cutie pie." She kisses my forehead then snuggles up to my chest. "I love you, Todd." I stroke her back.
"I love you to Maurecia. And I promise I'll never let go." She slowly opens her right eye.
"And I'll never forget you said that." She closes her eye. "Goodnight Todd."
"Goodnight Maurecia." I lean forward and kiss the top of her head before I realize something…
*You never checked on your magnets!* I look over but Maurecia is already sound asleep. I think I'll just check on them tomorrow.
Author's Note: That's a wrap. I was hoping I'd have this story done by Christmas time but semester tests have really thrown me off. It's not over yet though so stay tuned for more. Enjoy your holiday!