Playing With Fire
Burns
I stared at my hands, carefully sucking the air in through my mouth. I will not vomit; I will not vomit; I will not vomit.
The conversation continued around me as I ran a finger along a burn line. I remembered that day perfectly... It was the only burn I had done on purpose...
I was jerked out of my memory by a hand on my right shoulder. I jumped, my head shooting up, green eyes meeting brown eyes.
"You okay?" Jake asked. I shook my head.
"No, yeah I'm fine... I just need some air... I think..." I staggered to my feet, clumsily walking out of the lunch room. I heard Jake say something as I left, but couldn't make it out.
My head was swimming, my vision blurry. I saw faint shapes and colors, mostly feeling my way outside, where I collapsed on the sidewalk.
"Shit. Sayuri!" a male voice called, but I was too dizzy to answer. I rested my head on the cool concrete, closing my eyes.
"Are you okay?" Ah... Jake.
"No. Go away," I said, squeezing my eyes more tightly closed. Suddenly I was off the ground and in the air. Someone was screaming... Then I realized it was me.
"Shit, Sayuri, shut up! It's just me!" Jake hissed, covering my mouth with his hand...
And I was on the ground again, this time the cool, prickly grass. He lay me on my back, and I dared to open my eyes. He was to my right, leaning over me, frowning.
"Hello," I slurred, flinging an arm over my eyes. I was so dizzy...
"What the fuck is going on?" Jake said, his voice raising a few octaves.
"It's nothing. I'm just really dizzy..." I sat up, but instantly regretted it as a wave of nausea hit. Jake must have seen something in my face, because I was off the ground again. Moments later, I was emptying my stomach into some hedges while Jake held my red hair out of the way, whispering soothing words.
When I had stopped, the boy lay me back on the ground and leant over me, concern still written all over his features. I frowned at him.
"Sorry..." I croaked. He sighed and brushed tendrils of hair away from my face.
The conversation continued around me as I ran a finger along a burn line. I remembered that day perfectly... It was the only burn I had done on purpose...
I was jerked out of my memory by a hand on my right shoulder. I jumped, my head shooting up, green eyes meeting brown eyes.
"You okay?" Jake asked. I shook my head.
"No, yeah I'm fine... I just need some air... I think..." I staggered to my feet, clumsily walking out of the lunch room. I heard Jake say something as I left, but couldn't make it out.
My head was swimming, my vision blurry. I saw faint shapes and colors, mostly feeling my way outside, where I collapsed on the sidewalk.
"Shit. Sayuri!" a male voice called, but I was too dizzy to answer. I rested my head on the cool concrete, closing my eyes.
"Are you okay?" Ah... Jake.
"No. Go away," I said, squeezing my eyes more tightly closed. Suddenly I was off the ground and in the air. Someone was screaming... Then I realized it was me.
"Shit, Sayuri, shut up! It's just me!" Jake hissed, covering my mouth with his hand...
And I was on the ground again, this time the cool, prickly grass. He lay me on my back, and I dared to open my eyes. He was to my right, leaning over me, frowning.
"Hello," I slurred, flinging an arm over my eyes. I was so dizzy...
"What the fuck is going on?" Jake said, his voice raising a few octaves.
"It's nothing. I'm just really dizzy..." I sat up, but instantly regretted it as a wave of nausea hit. Jake must have seen something in my face, because I was off the ground again. Moments later, I was emptying my stomach into some hedges while Jake held my red hair out of the way, whispering soothing words.
When I had stopped, the boy lay me back on the ground and leant over me, concern still written all over his features. I frowned at him.
"Sorry..." I croaked. He sighed and brushed tendrils of hair away from my face.