Chapter 13- The Porcelain Throne Had Become My Bestfriend

When in doubt, go without. That was my motto today. It was what would keep me well. Or from throwing up if you will. I’d opted out of breakfast this morning and did the same for lunch after spending the better part of the A.M curled up on my bathroom floor holding on to the toilet like my life depended on it. Yes, the porcelain throne had become my best friend over the past eleven hours and I was iffy about leaving it behind.

It was not a pretty picture.

Not trusting my stomach, I decided to go without food today. It was my only safe bet that would insure I would not reenact the horrid events that kept me from my peaceful night’s sleep. My mom was not happy with the decision however. She claims I should at least try something light like soup or applesauce and made sure to show up in my room every hour to ask me to do so. However, every time I refused. I felt better on an empty stomach.

This virus would not bring me down. I would make sure of that. I will attend Grace’s party tonight because I was a good friend and friends don’t abandon friends.

And even though I was currently still in bed at three P.M watching reruns of Friends on my DVR didn’t mean I wasn’t getting up. I just needed a little encouragement that’s all. It’s not that easy to break away from a show that should have never ended. It was addicting to say the least.

“Olivia?” Mom called from the other side of my closed bedroom door. “Are you awake?” she asked.

Before waiting on a reply from me she opened the door and invited herself in. I groaned and muted the TV already knowing exactly what she was there for by the tray of food in her hands.

“No, I’m not awake, I’m asleep and why do you knock if you’re just going to walk in anyway? It sort of defeats the purpose doesn’t it?”

“Hi, Olivia, how do you feel? I’m good mom, thanks for checking on me. You’re welcome honey, it only because I love you. I love you to, Mom,” she said in heavy sarcasm crossing her arms over her chest. She didn’t bother to hide her annoyance with me.

I ran a hand through my very messy and unmanaged hair and sighed. “I’m sorry, okay? I’m just trying to get better and you trying to force feed me every hour doesn’t help.”

“Olivia, you need to try to keep something down. You need the nutrients.” She sat the tray down beside me and my stomach turned at the sight of it.

“Mom eating makes me sick and I don’t want to throw up again. Just take it away.” I pushed the Toast and applesauce away and looked away from it and back at the TV.

“Then at least drink the Gatorade. It will help keep you hydrated and from feeling weak.”

“Fine,” I said grabbing the bottle it from the tray, “I’ll drink it.”

Suddenly I found the encouragement I needed to get out of bed and get out of my room. I pushed the cover off of me and stood up from the bed. After straightening out my wrinkled up pajamas I had changed into at some point over the last eleven hours I proceeded to the bathroom taking my drink with me.

“Where are you going?” Mom asked.

“To shower. I’m meeting Grace later,” I said as I exited the room. Mom followed behind me until I reached the bathroom door.

“You can’t go anywhere if you don’t feel well,” she shouted behind the closed door.

I sat the Gatorade on the counter then turned on the shower and waited for it to get warm. I mentally cursed my dad for telling my mom about me being sick. He just happened to be coming in from work at the same time I was up and caught me in the act of upchucking. Not my finest moment. And of course he had to go and tell my mom. She hadn’t left me alone since.

“I am better,” I yelled back to her.

“No you’re not!” she argued.

“Yes I am and I already promised Grace I would come over today.”

“Fine, go, but don’t come home complaining to me that you feel worse than you did before you left. You’re old enough to take care of yourself so go ahead.” I could picture her holding her hands up in surrender before she walked away. She was upset, I could tell, but so was I. She’d eventually get over it once she had time to cool down.

This was our routine. We’d argue, be mad at each other, and then make up after a few passing hours. I never took our arguments to seriously because they normally never were.

I felt very refreshed after my shower. It did make me feel a little better. Plus I didn’t have bed head anymore and that helped me look at myself in the mirror. I was not quite the mess I was.

I dressed in a white, zip-back tank top and a pair of dark skinny jeans with my favorite pair of boots. After applying my makeup so I didn’t look like the zombie I felt I slipped on my jacket. I finished my remaining Gatorade tossed the bottle in the trash. I was glad to see my mom removed the food from my room.

I quickly grabbed my keys and pocketbook from my chair then made my way out of my room and down the stairs.

My mom wasn’t waiting for at the bottom of them when I reached it to my relief, but my brother was in the room playing his Xbox. He stopped and looked up at me when I cleared my throat.

“Tell mom I’ll be back tonight,” I told him.

“You tell her, I’m not your messenger,” he said focusing his attention back on the TV.

“Cody, just do it?” I ordered.

“Give me a reason.”

“I’ll make your life miserable.”

“You already do that. What else you got?” he smirked.

I rolled my eyes. “Fine, five dollars and not a cent more.”

“Twenty,” he said looking back at me with his signature evil grin. “And I won’t tell mom what you’re really doing tonight.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my eyes at him. “And what am I really doing?”

He pulled my phone out from behind his back and tossed it to me. I barely caught it before it hit the floor.

“Something to do with a party maybe,” he teased.

“You twerp! How did you even get my phone?”

“I walked in your room and took it while you were sleeping.”

I clinched my fist in anger and stomped over to him ready to kill. I stopped in front of him blocking the TV from his sight.

“Before you do something you’ll regret just remember I know your secret,” he said proudly.

Calm down Olivia. Just give him what he wants and he’ll go away.

I let out a frustrated groan and pulled some money from my purse and threw it at him. “Fine, but if you breathe a word of this to mom or dad, you just remember I know where you sleep.”

“Pleasure doing business with you,” he chuckled stuffing the money into his pocket.

Thanks to my anger it had temporarily distracted me from nausea, but it was quickly returning and I was not exactly holding it together well. I bent over while clenching my stomach and holding my breath.

“Are you sure you’re going anywhere?” Cody teased. “You don’t look so good.”

“Shut up,” I snapped.

I stood and pulled my slipping purse back up on my shoulder before making my way to the door. The fresh air that hit my face was very welcomed as I stepped outside. I closed my eyes and breathed it in and exhaled slowly.

You’re fine. Just breathe.

Just then I received a text alert and I quickly opened my eyes to check it.

Grace: Hey. I haven’t heard from you today. How are you feeling?

I typed back a reply as I made my way to my car.

Me: Good. I’m on my way to yours. Need me to bring anything?

As soon as I got inside and started the engine she replied.

Grace: Yes! Ice please. We’re on short supply. But you sure you’re ok?

Me: Yes. And will do. See you soon!!!

Hopefully the three exclamation marks will be enough to convince her I’m really okay. It’s much easier to lie in text than in person. My face often gives me away. But on rare occasion I have been able to pull it off. It just depends on the circumstance and how big the lie.

I pulled up at the 24 hour mart and made my way inside. I scanned the trial sized medicines against the wall and settled on some pink pills that claimed to help with nausea so I decided to put my faith in them tonight. Hopefully they wouldn’t let me down. I couldn’t imagine puking in front of a bunch of strangers. However, it was obvious that some people didn’t have a problem with it, like people who attend parties for example.

I picked up a bag of ice and carried to the counter with my meds. I wasn’t at all surprised to see was working the register tonight.

“Hey, if it isn’t patriot,” he smiled. “You haven’t been in for your usual in a while.”

“Ugh. I’ve been sick…and busy.”

He picked up the items and scanned them and gave me my total. He handed me the items after paying him. I looked around the store and back at him.

“It’s slow in here tonight,” I noted.

He nodded. “Yeah, it’s been like this all day.”

I somehow managed a smile despite my condition and gave a small laugh. “You mean you’re not on the graveyard shift tonight? That’s weird.”

He shrugged. “I’ve got another gig tonight. This isn’t my only job.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “It’s not?”

He rolled up the cuff of his shirtsleeve that had his tats well hidden and pointed to the elaborate black dead tree with the long bending branches that wrapped around each other. “I gave myself that one.”

I gasped at the detail. “Wow. You really did that? It’s amazing.”

“I’ve been giving tattoos for two years now. It’s a side thing right now, but I’m opening up my shop next month. I’ve been saving up to lease a place and buy equipment. That’s the only reason I’m still holding on to this job.”

I grinned. “That’s great, Ink. I can’t wait to see it.”

“I’m moving in and setting up next week. I’ll give you the address. You can come by before we open and I’ll show you the behind the scenes if you want.”

I nodded excitedly. “Definitely.”

He grabbed a small notepad from the counter and scribbled down the address and handed it to me. “Refer your friends and I’ll give them a discount.”

“And it gets better. Thanks.” I folded the paper and placed it inside my bag. “I’ve gotta go. I’m late for a thing and my ice is melting.”

He nodded and gave me a short wave. “Later, Patriot.”

“Later.”

I arrived at Grace’s just as the first few cars arrived. She met me outside to help carry in the ice and rushed us inside.

I steadied myself with the counter when we reached the kitchen. My nausea was back with a touch of wooziness. If anyone saw me now they’d probably think I had already started drinking, which by the way I wouldn’t be doing tonight. I don’t think mixing alcohol with a stomach bug would be the best idea.

“Liv, you don’t look so good,” Grace noted. She rushed to the fridge and pulled out a bottled water and handed it to me. “Here. Hydrate. You need it.”

I nodded and took it from her before taking a seat at the counter. I opened the bottled and let the cool liquid flow down my throat.

“You could lie down if you need to. You can use my room,” she offered watching me with concern.

“No. I’ll be alright in a minute.”

“You want me to take you home?”

“And give my mother the satisfaction of knowing she was right? No thanks.”

She raised her eyebrow at me. “So you’re not as well as you let on.”

“Not so much,” I admitted shamefully. “I might have embellished a little.”

“Olivia…”she said disapprovingly.

“I know. I know. But I took something for it a while ago and I’ll be getting better soon.”

Knowing Grace my assurance wasn’t enough to please her. She needed cold hard proof of my words and wouldn’t be satisfied until she got them.

“We’ll see,” she said. “Now come on. We have to hide out in my room so Deacon won’t make us leave the party before it gets good.”

Grace and I spent better part of the night hulled up in her room listening for any sign it was safe to join the drinking college goers downstairs. Deacon had stopped in to check on us once and we fooled him into thinking we were in for a night of chick flicks and he ultimately left us alone without any questions.

Grace crept to the bedroom door and slowly opened it. She poked her head out side of it for a moment then leaned back inside.

She grinned widely and motioned for me to follow her. “All clear. Come on.”

We traveled the hallway until we reached the top of the stairs. I could hear the music playing loudly and see the people coving the downstairs floor. A sense of excitement filled me. While I still battled my nausea, I was starting to loosen up a little more.

“Okay. Just act like you belong here and no one will ever know the difference,” she instructed.

I raise my eyebrow at her and smiled. “I take it you’ve done this before?”

She smiled back and shook her head. “No. I saw it on a movie once.”

“And did it work?”

“Yeah… until the killer found her.”

I crossed my arms over my chest and frowned at her. “Really? I’ll never understand your love for horror movies. They freak me out.”

She shrugged still keeping the smile on her face. “That’s the best part.”

She turned her attention back to the stairs and straitened herself up before confidently taking the steps on at a time. I followed closely behind trying to mimic her movements.

We reached the floor and to our relief Deacon was nowhere in sight. Only a bunch of semi sober young adults he called friends.

“Ugh. She’s here.”

I followed Grace’s stare to a short girl with mid waist curly chestnut colored hair who was shamelessly flirting with one of Deacon’s friends I had saw a few days ago.

“Who is she?” I asked Grace.

“That’s June,” she answered with disgust.

An unfamiliar emotion passed through me and it unsettled me. “You mean your brothers ex?”

She nodded. “That’s the one. I know she’s only here to make this harder on him and to make it worse she’s flirting with Chris, my brother’s friend.”

“Do you think Deacon’s seen her yet?”

She sighed. “I hope not.”

I was pleased to see Chris resisting her advances. At least he didn’t seem to be betraying his friend. Deacon didn’t deserve that. He was to kind.

“Come on, let’s mingle,” Grace said walking toward a group of people she didn’t know. “They look like fun.”

“You go. I’ll meet up with you later. I need something to drink.”

She agreed and I quickly made my way to the kitchen where they were keeping the hard stuff. I made my way behind the counter and pulled open the refrigerator door to grab a bottled water from the middle shelf. I wasted no time opening and pouring the liquid down my throat. It felt good and slightly settled my stomach.

I closed the door as I took another sip of my drink only to come face to face with the person I was supposed to be avoiding tonight and nearly spit out my water. Thanks to my quick decisions I swallowed the water quicker than I intended and became strangle on the liquid.

Deacon looked amused as he patted me on the back to help regain my breath.

“What are you doing here?” I asked him through loud unattractive coughs.

“Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing,” he grinned. “Weren’t you supposed to be watching The Notebook or Titanic with my sister or something like that?”

My eye widened in alarm. Oh no, Grace! Has he seen her?

“O-oh right,” I said slowly. “Grace and I took a short movie break. Yeah, we were thirsty so she sent me down to get drinks.”

He smirked wider. “But you only have one drink.”

At that realization I blushed and chuckled nervously. “Oops. I uh…I guess I forgot hers.”

With his eyes still on me I opened the fridge again and pulled out another bottle and closed it back. “Well I guess I should get back to the shirtless Ryan Gosling.”

I turned away from him while silently praying he hadn’t figured out what Grace and I were up and clutched my stomach again. This time was worse than the others. I knew I would have to make it to the bathroom soon or it wouldn’t be pretty. I was no doubt having another repeat of last night.

Immediately I felt a pair of arms around me, supporting me. “Are you okay?”

“I need a bathroom,” I admitted.

He nodded, concern cast over his features. “Okay. Come on. I’ll help you there.”

It was last night all over again. With my head hung over the toilet and a worried Deacon holding my hair back he had defiantly seen me at my worst. I was surprised he even stuck around. Most guys wouldn’t be here right now helping out a regurgitating teen while they missed out on their own party. I was embarrassed to say the least.

“Is there any chance you might forget this ever happened?” I asked him after so gracefully pulling my head from the porcelain throne.

He shook his head. “Not a chance.”

I groaned and buried my face in my hands while Deacon patted my back in comfort.

“If it makes you feel any better, I’m sure you won’t be the only one throwing up at my party tonight. Some of the people outside that door have been drink quite heavily,” he joked.

I managed to force out a laugh despite my state and raised me head to look at him. “Yes, but they’ve been drinking. I haven’t.”

He smiled. “You want me to get you something?”

I laughed again and weakly punched his arm. “Don’t make me laugh.”

“So, is that a no to the drink?”

“That’s a no,” I confirmed. He held his hand out for me to clutch and help myself up and I thankfully took it. When I released it I smiled at him. “Thanks.”

“No problem. You should probably get some rest now.”

“Yeah. I need to get home anyway. My mom’s probably up waiting for me.”

He frowned. “You’re in no condition to drive. You should just stay the night here.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I couldn’t subject Grace to this.”

“Then take my room. I’ll crash on the couch once everyone leaves.”

“I don’t want to put you out,” I said.

“I sleep on the couch a lot. It’s not a big deal, trust me. Plus my bedroom is closer to the bathroom. You’ll need it.”

I smiled. He could be very insistent. It was cute. When I finally nodded he smiled back.

“Okay. I’ll stay,” I said. “Thanks.”

“Any time,” he smiled and turned toward the door. “Now, I have to go find my sister. I’m pretty sure I saw her talking to Brett Gellar a few minutes ago.”

“Hey, go easy on her. It was my idea to crash your party,” I lied.

He shot me a knowing smile over his shoulder and pulled the bathroom door open before saying, “I’ll keep that in mind,” and disappeared from the room.

The morning came and I sat up in the warm, comfortable bed as I recalled last night’s events. It wasn’t as bad as the previous, but I definitely made use of Deacon’s bathroom. I’d have to remember to thank him again for his hospitality as I’m not sure I would have made it home safely last night if I had left.

I rubbed my still tired eyes and pulled the covers off of me before forcing myself out of the bed. I took the time to make it up and then found my way to the bathroom.

I cringed when I saw my reflection in the wide mirror. I looked hideous. I covered my face with my hands and sighed. I could only pray no one sees me when I leave today. Maybe I could sneak out.