~April~

"Achoo!"

Uuugh.

I sniffed blowing my nose into my handkerchief for the millionth time.

My head hurt like a bitch and my nose was stuffed. I had to breathe through my mouth half of the time.

It was getting harder to move around and I was only at the bottom of the stairs.

"Pumpkin?Are you alright?"My dad asked appearing in the door way near the kitchen.

I sniffed again this time I felt a wave of dizziness.

I snapped my mask on groaning because of how uncomfortable this was going to be.

"Yeah dad. It's just a cold."

I was disgusted by the sudden hoarseness of my voice.

I couldn't even recognize it.

"That's what Wuhan said and it turned out to be Covid."

I was taken aback by his statement and placed a hand on my chest faking hurt.

"So you mean to tell me that I might have Covid?"

"Yes. Yes actually.And I think you think it too because you are wearing your mask."

I rolled my eyes, gosh it was painful.

"It's a mandate that we wear masks when we have flu."

Jesus my voice sounded terrible.

I was really nosing my speech.

"Besides, I was in the swimming pool for too long with Axel last night."

He raised his eyebrows, "Swimming pool with Axel?"

Oh shit!

I wasn't supposed to tell him that.

Now he'll think I lost my virginity or something.

"That's why you came home late last night?"

"Dad it isn't what you think. Really. I was supposed to go pick him up after practice and I...I fell into the pool. I...he tried to help me out but me being a clutz I kept falling in till-"

"Honey you don't need to lie to me. Your clothes weren't even wet last night."

I looked down ashamed at myself for lying straight to his face.

"You're eighteen. I can't tell you what to do anymore. I'm just worried about you not using protection."

"Oh god."I cringed so hard and started to walk out.

"I'm just saying!"

"Ewww!!!"I returned. Could I not walk out of there any faster?

"You were conceived in a pool!"

"Dad no. Bye."I said briskly walking out clutching my phone and my bag.

I liked carrying my bag on my stomach, it seemed more secure.

I saw Axel's orange Porsche by the driveway and he looked kinda occupied.

I gladly let myself in startling Axel who was staring up at the ceiling looking all aesthetic with the sun kissing his cheek and the red leather making him look like some guy off a grunge magazine.

What?

Can't I express my thirstiness?

You would too.

"Hi!"

"Jeez! Don't sneak up on me like that."He said clutching his chest.

That only made me giggle.

He recovered lying back on the driver's seat clutching the steering wheel.

He looked super tense.

"Are you okay?"I asked, concern seeping in.

"Yeah. Yeah."He said reassuring me.

Axe Body spray was acting weird today.

"I got you these."He said pulling out a pack of bon bons.

But not just any bon bons.

"Swiss delights?!"I said enthusiastically but I sneezed straight after. But I sneezed into my mask and into my sleeve.

It was pretty gross.

I looked up to see him flinching.

"You're sick?"He asked looking mortified.

Why'd he look like that?

"It's just flu."I stated trying to calm him down.

"Okay."He said nodding before slowly turning to start driving.

He coughed. And I knew that it was a fake cough.

"Corona."He said smiling mischievously.

We burst out laughing hard.

~sometime later~

"Achoo!"

"Bless you."

"Achoo!"

"Bless you."Simon said for the eighth time today, inching away from me; Cherrie in his arms with the exact same level of concern.

"Heechoo!"I sneezed hurting my vocal cords.

"That ain't a cold. That's Corona." Axel remarked earning a sharp elbow in his gut.

"Ow." He complained rubbing his stomach.

It actually hurt to hit him, his abs were that defined and rock solid.

I sniffed again blowing my nose into the handkerchief. It took a lot of energy to blow out the mucus because it was stubborn to come out.

I breathed in and out heavily, my breath heating up my chin and lips.

Simon looked further grossed out by this and so did some people in the Library.

"What?! It's just the flu!"I said agitated by these stares.

I hated this.

I honestly hated this with all that I had.

My eyes hurt and I could barely keep them open.

My head felt like a circus had moved in while I was sleeping and everybody just kept moving away from me.

It was irritating.

I was irritated and agitated and moody at the same time.

And another thing; I woke up and my period decided to say hi.

Well it said 'hi bitch!' when I first sneezed.

Everybody moved away from me; even Simon and he's my best friend.

Well everybody except Axe Body Spray next to me.

"Why are you still here?"I asked turning to him lowering my mask.

He raised his eyebrows and realized something, "Oh...I wanted to give you this."He said handing me a cupcake.

I was a little confused, "You're no longer doing art, why are you still paying me?"

He rolled his eyes, smiling; "I noticed that you liked the cupcakes with the little notes; so I was thinking that maybe I could bring you one everyday."

"Awwww."Simon and Cherrie said wiping away fake tears.

I rolled my eyes ignoring them but still smiled at Axel for the gesture.

I took it from him and unfolded the tiny paper. I noticed that the cupcake's frosting had edible glitter on it.

Damn the thing was pretty.

'Glitter because you make my darkness sparkle'

Heat rose to my cheeks and my heart fluttered again, "Aww."I replied him, he was still smiling.

Then his dimples showed; shit I was pregnant again.

"You're welcome."He said.

Wait did he just say that I was welcome for him impregnating me?

That was some weird shit right there.

I took a bite from the deliciousness and it tasted different, like lemons or something.

All I knew was that this made me feel an awful lot better.

I'd gotten to the half of it pretty quickly so I remembered to give it to Axel.

"Here."I said sniffing again.

He raised his hands shaking his head, "No. I'm good."

I pouted, "So you're still disgusted by me?"I whined crossing my arms playfully.

"No!No...no. It's just that right now I can't afford to have the flu."

"Or Covid."

We all started to laugh; even me the person that was struggling to breathe.

I laughed so hard I started to cough.

"Woah."Everybody started flinching like they were on James Corden's show.

I was coughing hysterically into my inner elbow the sound so inhumane; I was pretty grossed out by myself.

I felt Axel's hand rubbing my back soothingly.

The thing was that his touch burned, if only he knew what being near me did.

I'd finally recovered to raise my head a little only to see that Xanny and Cherrie were gone.

"Pussies!"I yelled to no one; just anybody who would care to listen.

"Thanks for staying."I said to Axel smiling weakly, I was feeling sleepy again and I'd had too many aspirins.

He pulled me under his arm comfortingly and I didn't resist.

His shoulders were broad and just so freakin' comfortable; it was free real estate.

His chest was just the right temperature, so I laid down my head; closed my eyes and hugged him back.

He held my index finger funnily and I asked, "What's that for?"

"I'm giving you some of my energy cupcake."

Shockingly, I actually felt pretty energetic, but I continued to nestle myself into his warm and cosy embrace.

I felt so safe in his embrace; nothing could ever ruin this beautiful, intimate mome-

"Hechoo!"

Fuck my life.

AN/ HI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!TO ALL YOU"S READING R U ENJOYING YOURSELVES? IF SO PLS VOTE AND COMMENT AND IF YOU"rE NOT EnjOYING PLS VOTE AND COMMENT.