Keep Me Guessing

It was towards the end of September and it had already begun to rain and I had stayed home from school with a fever. I hated having to miss school like this, getting behind was not on my to do list, luckily though, I could have a friend bring me my work. Both my aunt and uncle thought I was delusional for wanting my homework, especially while I'm sick, but it doesn't really matter to me: I know I need to get the work done. College is expensive enough, and while I'm not poor, a scholarship would help us out greatly. However, I wasn't getting much work done this Friday night, as I kept sneezing and coughing, not to mention getting too hot then too cold.

Cheyenne and Jack stayed with me for a little while, trying to make me feel better, but retreated after awhile, unsure of what to do or say. I hate being sick, I hate not being able to move around like normal. While I was in my room, lying pitifully on my bed, attempting to do my creative writing homework, the doorbell rang and moments later Jack was entering my room with a package. He was retreating out of my room after he handed it to me, but I stopped him after seeing what it was.

"Wait, Jack, don't go."

"Is it from…?"

"Yeah," I said quietly. "I don't know what could possibly be in it."

"There's only one way to find out Addison Sophie."

I knew he was right, I sighed and pushed all the bad thoughts away and slowly too of the tape and opened the box. It was barely even half filled, I could tell that everything was mine. A bracelet I had lost last November, a sweater I had forgotten at his house in December, pictures of me, intact, some cut so I would be the only one in them. There were also three CD's I had thought I lost forever and an envelope with my name written on it. I would know that handwriting anywhere. I looked up at Jack and back to the envelope; he sat down on my bed and picked it up, placing it gently in my hands. I ran my hands over it a few times before actually opening it.
Addison,

Every time I hurt you, I hurt myself, but I couldn't stop. I guess I really am an abusive ass. I hate you so much for landing me in jail, I want you dead. I am going to have you read this before I kill you so remember that as I have the gun pointed to your head. Why did you run away from me doll?

I took the letter and ripped it to pieces, not even bothering to finish reading it. Jack looked at me sympathetically and threw the pieces away for me. I thanked him and placed the box next to the bed, on the floor, and laid down on my bed.

"You going to take a nap, Ad?"

"Yeah. Can you hit the light for me, please?"

"Sure thing."

I fell into a sleep and the dream was really weird. I wasn't in Maryland and I wasn't in Washington, but I was in a field with my friends and James appeared. A scream kept trying to escape me but no sound came out. James had a gun and he tried to kill me, but it backfired, killing him instead. I stood there astonished as everyone else laughed. I woke up with a start, dripping in sweat and gasping for air.

Unable to stay in my bed any longer I got up and walked downstairs where I found everyone about to climb the stairs.

"What are you doing?" Cheyenne asked.

"If I stay in that bed one more minute I am going to kill myself."

"Well come on," Brie grinned. "We were coming to kidnap you to the living room. We are going to watch movies."

"What movies?"

"Mean Girls, and Harry Potter!"

"Sounds like a plan." I laughed and then sneezed.

"Bless you." They said in unison.

"Thanks."

Before Cheyenne started the movie, we got situated in seating, because otherwise there would have been an argument. I sat on the end of the couch snuggled under a blanket and lying on Zack. Jack and Brie took over the love seat, Rian and Kara the big chair, and Alex and Cheyenne the floor. I was hoping I wouldn't get anyone else sick, that would be horrible. I didn't want to lie on Zack for that reason, I didn't want him getting sick, but he practically forced me to. So I gave in. Cheyenne pressed play on Mean Girls, why the guys even agreed to watch it is beyond me, it is such a chick flick. Of course, it is one of my favorites.

"Boo you whore!" I cracked up.

"There's a sixty percent chance," Kara stopped to feel her breasts. "That it's already raining!"

"You girls are so weird!" Alex said. "Let's watch Harry Potter now!"

"Only for you Al." I said tiredly.

"Are you getting tired Soph?" Zack asked me.

"A little bit, but I'm fine."

"Fall asleep if you want," he smiled. "we're spending the night together anyways."

"Since when?" I was confused. No one had told me that they were staying the night too.

"Since we decided to come over here and cheer you up with a movie night." Rian chimed in.

"I feel loved."

"Well you're not." Jack scoffed. "They're all lying. They really came over here to see the wonderful moi."

"Jack, you really need to stop living in a delusional world." Brie taunted. "It's not healthy."

"But you love me!"

"Seriously," Alex said loudly. "Shut the fuck up. I am trying to watch Harry Potter and you guys are drowning out the TV."

"Okay, we'll stop talking." Kara sighed. "Don't get your panties in a bunch."

Alex glared at her and turned back to his beloved movie. I laughed so softly no one heard me, not even Zack. I could feel my eyes grow heavy and I tried to fight the sleepiness that was trying to take over, but I was failing. Soon I felt myself drift off into another dream state. It must be all the cold medicine I was doped up on. I swear I had taken at least half a bottle of cough syrup in two days. Not to mention the Tylenol I had taken to help my headaches I was having and to reduce my high fever; I didn't take the suggested dose.

The next morning, I woke up on the couch, entangled with Zack. The clock on the wall said that it was only five in the morning. I buried myself even deeper under the blanket and rested my head against Zack once more. When I woke up next, I was alone on the couch but Alex, Zack, Jack, and Rian were around me holding a plate of food and a glass of orange juice. I saw that Brie, Kara, and Cheyenne all had food too.

"Can I ask why you are in front of me with food?"

"We made it for you silly!" Alex squealed.

"Did you make the others'?"

"Yeah," Jack answered.

"Is it edible?" I asked Cheyenne.

"Surprisingly, yeah it is."

I took the food cautiously and ate a piece of the waffle and grinned. "My aunt made these pancakes."

"Okay, okay," Rian surrendered. "We didn't make them. But we helped!"

"Good for you!"

I laughed and ate the remainder of my breakfast. I was feeling ten times better than I was yesterday. My aunt came out of the kitchen moments after I finished to ask me if I was and was pleased to hear that I wasn't feeling sick any longer. She told me to take it easy for the day still, so that I didn't get sick any worse. I told her that I would make sure not to do anything strenuous or anything that would involve me getting sicker, because let's face it, being sick is one of the worst things.

"Addie." Alex whined. "I'm bored!"

"Alex." I mocked. "I don't care."

"How can you not care?" He gasped. "Jack your cousin is a horrible person!"

"Don't worry Alex!" He shouted. "I love you!"

"Use protection." I snorted. "Hey Chey, Brie, how do you two feel about your boyfriends cheating with each other?"

"Who are we to stop them?" Brie laughed.

"Really." Cheyenne agreed. "If they want to be gay together I'm all for it."

"Zack," I said. "Entertain me, please."

"How so Soph?"

"I do not know. Let's leave the house!" I cried.

"Fine, go get dressed first."

I rushed into my room, followed by Brie, while Kara and Cheyenne raced to her room. I threw on some clothes that hopefully matched while Brie did the same. When we got downstairs, the boys had also changed, weird, I didn't know they had brought clothes over. Zack told me later they didn't, he and Rian went home while we were getting ready. The eight of us walked back to the park that we had deemed as ours so long ago and ran around like little children. Some elderly couples saw us and smiled at our childish antics. Little children looked at us strangely and their parents shot us glares. Funny how expressions can help you know a person's thoughts. Zack picked me up suddenly and I squealed, looking at him dead in his enticing eyes, never wanting him to put me down. It was all too great when I was in his arms.

"I love you Zack."

"Love you too Soph."