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Elias
Winter sickness. If I could erase one thing off the surface of the earth, winter sickness would be it. I hate it, yet it apparently loves me. My dad, unfortunately, thinks nothing of it. If I decide to stay home, I’m just going to spend my time being lectured and gain an even bigger headache. So, school it is.
I’m seated on the floor, my locker behind me, and my bag next to me. My head is leaning back onto the metal, my eyes closed. I hear the voices of chatter, and the sound of shoes stepping on the floor tiles. I ignore them, knowing Aurora is not far. I can trust her not to let someone knock into me.
“Hey Aurora.”
My eyes fly open at the sound of a bright voice. Violet. Or Valentina. Their voices seem so similar now. They’re both familiar to me. I raise my head when Aurora greets her and Lorenzo.
“How are you today?” Violet asks, while Lorenzo opens his locker and drops his bag inside. He closes it with a clash, joining the lock around the hole.
“I’m good. Elias isn’t,” Aurora replies. I bring my head back up to look at Aurora.
“I’m fine, just a bit sick,” I tell her. She blinks her eyes at me, squinting as if judging me. I hear Lorenzo drop down next to me, almost two inches away.
He extends his hand to my shoulder, patting it weakly. “I’d comfort you, but I don’t want to get sick too. And a bit? You look deprived,” Lorenzo points out. I drop my head onto my hands, wiping it before looking back up again.
Violet is looking at me when I do. “He’s right, you look exhausted. Why didn’t you stay home?” she asks, concerned.
This is normal. I always get sick in the winter, it’s not unusual or anything. Skipping school anytime I got sick would mean missing too many days. Days I would spend busy at home anyway. There’s no point in staying at home. “I get sick a lot in the winter, and my dad said it’s nothing I can’t go through,” I reply.
“Also, you’re no person to talk, Vi,” Lorenzo says next to me. Violet crosses her arms, frowning at him. He’s right though. Violet always comes to school tired or looking exhausted. Thinking about it, it all makes sense. With all the time spent at school, she probably works at night.
But Monday was different. Two days ago, she wasn’t just tired. She looked different. Tense. Stressed. I noticed even at the concert, when Aurora met her, she didn’t look great. But now, she seems better. That’s all that matters.
“Anyway, I’m going to wish you luck, because today’s schedule is harsh,” Lorenzo mentions, warning me. I wince, as if in pain. I’m so tired. My whole body feels weak, and my head feels like it’s being hit by a hammer. I wish I could just stay here the whole day.
“Did you have to remind me?” I mumble. I should’ve stayed home. I could’ve stayed in bed, in the comfort of heat. Now thinking about it, it’s actually so cold. I need another coat even over this black one.
Well, on the bright side, at least the school’s lectures aren’t specifically directed toward me. This is my rest of the day, and I’m going to have to deal with it.
Dealing with it turns into a fantasy when the first period finishes. By the time it's second period, my head’s only gotten worse, and the teacher’s chatter and yelling aren’t making it any better. When she doesn’t notice, I slip out of class and into the hall. I’m too tired for English, and too tired of the teacher. She talks so much. I sit outside the class, my head leaning on the wall. I rest my eyes a bit, until I suddenly hear Lorenzo.
“You doing okay?” I open my eyes at his voice, turning my head to look at him. He sits down next to me, and I move my head with him.
“Yeah, just taking a small break. The teacher is giving me a headache,” I explain, and he nods his head. We sit there in silence for a while, my head still beating in pain. Now it’s hot. Why can’t my skin decide on a temperature.
Lorenzo finally twists toward me, breaking the silence. “Want me to drive you home?” he offers. I honestly would love to, but I don’t want to have to deal with my father. Or his lectures.
“No, home isn’t any better,” I answer him, truthfully. We sit in silence, and I close my eyes again. My eyelids are burning, and it feels like flames are in my eyes when I close them. This sucks. And the worst thing is it’s a one-day thing. I’ll be fine tomorrow.
Footsteps echo the halls. “Please don’t tell me it’s a teacher,” I beg Lorenzo, keeping my eyes closed and my head back. I left my class so I didn’t have to deal with one.
“What are you guys doing here?” Violet. I open my eyes and look at her.
“I could ask the same thing,” Lorenzo answers back.
“I was going to my locker. Is Elias okay?” she asks. For some reason, my name being mentioned by her seems so much more than it should.
“I’m fine, the teacher was giving me a headache, so I left the class,” I answer her myself.
“I’m just here so he doesn’t die alone,” Lorenzo says after me.
“I thought you said you were failing English,” She jokes, crossing her hands.
“You’re failing everything, you don’t get to talk.” I can see her frown. I remember she doesn’t have to deal with school. This is all for the competition.
“Go. I’ll stay with him. I have art anyway; I won’t miss anything,” Violet tells Lorenzo who stands, still offended by her insult.
