Another normal, boring night. Just me and Honey and the new medicine I picked up at the pharmacy. What a thrilling life.
I’m dialedin listening to nineties pop ballads and working at my desk when there’s a heavy knock at my door. Honey perks up, on high alert just from the sound, but she doesn’t leave my side. Not after I was up sick all night from the new meds.
I peek through the keyhole, then open the door with a scowl.
“What?”
Andy rolls her eyes, dark curls bouncing as she shoves her way bodily into my
house. I’m annoyed for a brief second, only until she pinches my cheeks with her nose scrunched up in clear delight. I hate her. Just kidding. She’s my best friend and cousin and I adore her. But I’ll never tell her that. Ever.
“Your mom told my mom about the new medicine. Figured I’d come check on you because I bet you’ve been sick but aren’t telling anyone because you think you’re a burden.” She plops down on my sofa, all comfort and cockiness at her clearly correctstatement, her gaze sweeping from my toes to tired eyes. “You look like shit, Harp.”
“Yeah, well.” I toss myself onto the sofa beside her with a heavy sigh. “Spent the night on the toilet. Every time I switch medicines, it fucks my stomach up for days.”
“Think you’ll make it to the first weekend of the autumn festival?”
I grimace at the reminder. The first week of the autumn festival is always a big deal. But I just don’t know if I have the energy. Plus, what if I have a seizure in the middle of the crowd? Everyone pointing and staring at me… a shiver rolls through me just at the idea. High school was enough, I don’t need it as an adult too.
“I’ll feel fine by tomorrow… probably.”
She hums in clear disagreement. “The guys from Eli and Colby’s barbecue are here. That cute one, Jackson.”
I blink slowly at her. “Okay?”
“He was hitting on you.”
An absolutely maniacal snort escapes me before I realize she’s serious. “You’re a lunatic. Nobody flirts with me.”
Andy leans forward with an awkward grunt and pinches my arm, hard. I yank my arm away with a deep frown. That actually hurt.
“What the fuck?”
“You’re an idiot,” Andy says seriously, with all the gravity of someone admitting to a grievous sin.
“Okay.”
“Do you want to watch your skateboarder?”
I roughly rub at my tired eyes. “I still have some more work to do.”
“I’ll cook you dinner while you finish up, then we can watch some TV and gossip. I heard that Mr. Travis droveanothertractor through town while the cops tried to flag him down.He seriously needs to be stopped. That old man is going to kill someone!”
I nod as she prattles on about town gossip, returning to my room once she peters off. The sound of her messing around in the kitchen filters into my room as I wrap up work for the day. Something sweet floats in the air when I make my way back towards the kitchen. Pancakes with a side of scrambled eggs and blueberries I don’t remember buying.
“Did you?—”
“I used the griddle,” Andy says with a roll of her eyes.
“And the blueberries?”
“From my freezer at the house, last season’s,” Andy explains when she catches my look toward the blueberries.
My stomach grumbles just at the sight of the delicious food. Andy is always taking care of me, because I take such bad care of myself. We eat silently together, then spend the evening doing just as Andy said. Watching my favorite videos, with her fingers carding gently through my hair. She’s the only person that ever touches me like this and I never take it for granted. Around midnight, she hustles me into my bedroom, tucks me in, then gently kisses my forehead. The soft smell of her floral perfume wafts over me, a smell that reminds me of comfort and home and love.
“The festival is tomorrow, please try to come,” Andy whispers against my forehead.
I grumble in annoyance, batting her hand away as she sweeps her fingers across my cheek. Her laughter is the last thing I hear before succumbing to sleep.
