I reach into my pants pocket.“Yeah, so what are we gonna do, Olive Garden?”
She looks at me, and I can see this slight panic in her eyes.God, she needs to chill.
This early in a hypo, I can still help myself, and I’ve got at least fifteen minutes before my body switches off the lights.
“Eat,” I say, shortly, holding an individually wrapped candy under her nose.“Anything sugary.Cola, juice, candy, they’re all great.Followed by carbs, which you metabolize more slowly.”
“Muesli bars or bananas,” she says tonelessly.
Sure, the swimmer who can’t swim would know that stuff.I unwrap the candy.“You were pretty pissed off at me for being allowed to eat anytime, weren’t you?”
She blinks, caught out.“I thought you were being rude,” she explains, crossing her arms over her chest.
“I think passing out in class would be kind of rude too.”
Olive freezes.“That can happen?”
“If I didn’t do anything about it.”
“So...if you didn’t eat?”
I nod.
“So you always have to have something on you?”
“Generally a good idea.”I’m trying to sound sarcastic so that she won’t notice the slight tremor in my voice that always sets in if I start to get shivery and a cold sweat breaks out.
But she spots it.Her eyes flit from me to the benches a few yards away.“Want to sit down?”
“No,” I say immediately.If she hadn’t been standing there, I might have considered it.But there’s no need.I’ll be better soon.
“What happens if you forget?”she asks.
“Forget what?”
“To bring something to eat.”
“I don’t forget.It’s just habit now.Like the way you always have your phone with you, don’t you?”
“What if you can’t respond anymore?”I don’t like how serious she sounds.“Tell me what I should do.”
“Nothing,” I snap.
“Colin...”
“Call an ambulance,” I say curtly.“Or get your dad.They have a glucagon pen in the sick bay for emergencies.They know what to do.”When Olive doesn’t reply, I turn away slightly.“Right, so that’s everything you need to know.See you, Olive Garden.”
“No, wait.”
“What?”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be alone just now.”
There’s a treacherous tingle in my belly.“I’m not.”My voice is hoarse as I point to the greenhouse with my chin.She doesn’t speak as I head for the door.Then I stop and turn back to her.
“What?”I ask again.“Planning on putting down roots out here?”
Her eyes rest heavily on me, and I feel weird.She’s looking at me differently.Less hatred in her expression.Gentler.Almost like she cares.Something stirs within me, and it takes all my strength to push it down.Not an option.I can’t develop feelings and be the rejected one again.I’ve had enough of that.The thing with Maresa should’ve taught me a lesson.
