Not to mention, I’m going to have a hard time catching up, having skipped all of this week’s classes. I haven’t really allowed myself to think about that.

If I do, I’m going to start panicking, and I need to focus on getting better first.ThenI can panic.

I’ve just settled down for my second nap of the day when my phone pings on my nightstand.

I grab it to check my messages.

TJ answered my text.

TJ

Why not?

I groan. He’s lucky I even told him I can’t tutor him this week, and now he wants an explanation?

I text him back quickly.

Lacey

I’m sick.

I place my phone face down on my nightstand and close my eyes. I spend the next three hours drifting in and out of sleep. I’m not tired, but I figured getting more sleep would help me recover quicker, a theory I’m not sure is accurate, considering I’ve been napping for five days with no results.

What’s worse, I can’t even drive myself to the drugstore to grab medicine. I considered getting some delivered to me, but the delivery fees are outrageous, so I accepted that I’d have to get through this on my own.

A decision I’m starting to regret. It’s one thing to be sick; it’s another to be miserable.

I decide to text Dia. She asked me how I was feeling and if she could do anything to help just this morning, but I forgot to reply. It never occurred to me that I could ask her to get me some meds.

Lacey

My car broke down again. Do you think you could get me some medicine? Some decongestant, cough drops, and pain relievers maybe? I’ll pay you back.

Lacey

Oh, and could you get me some soup? I would DIE for chicken noodle soup right now.

She doesn’t answer right away, no doubt because she’s busy. Who knows when she’ll see this? Last I heard, she was spending the day with Finn, and I know they’re big on spending quality time without their phones.

I realize a few minutes later that there’s supposed to be a thunderstorm later today. I wouldn’t want her to get on the road in these conditions.

Lacey

Never mind, just saw there’s a big storm rolling in. I’ll manage xo

I scroll on social media for the next hour while I wait for her to text me back. Then, I drag myself into the bathroom for a hot shower. Hopefully, it will allow me to breathe through at least one of my nostrils.

I’ve just finished rinsing off the conditioner in my hair when I hear something.

It sounded like a knock.

Must be the owner having visitors. He lives on the second floor of the house I’m renting, but the walls are paper-thin, hence the cheap rent, and I can hear everything.

I carry on like nothing happened and step out of the shower a minute later.

Only, I hear it again.

It was louder this time. More persistent.