It was the day of the project presentations. Me and Victoria were so excited, Sam wished us luck too. Soon after we got settled into Biology, we were ready to present. I held up the empty plastic bottle the Kombucha came in.

"This is Kombucha, it's a tea drink that originated in China, it's known to have a lot of health benefits. But, there's one thing about it that makes it what it is, and that is fermentation."

Victoria held up the glass jar of the yeast.

"The tea was left out in room temperature for three weeks, causing this glob of stuff to form, it's bacteria and yeast from the drink. The purpose of our project was the process of fermentation in general."

They clapped.

"Does anyone have any questions?" The teacher asked the class.

One hand was raised.

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever drank that stuff?"

"No but I'm sure it's delicious."

"Doesn't look like it."

"I know but from the bottle, it'll be good. You can't drink things from a jar."

They chuckled.

"Thank you ladies, that was very interesting."

We sat down at our desks.

"Nice glob," Stella whispered to us.

"Thanks...." I said then shook my head.

"I dare you to eat it."

"Don't do it," Victoria said.

"Ignore her," I whispered.

The rest of the presentations were boring but the teacher might give them an A.

In gym, I was in the changing room putting my regular clothes back on, Stella and a couple friends of hers walked in and was staring at me as I zipped my bag.

"Stella, you need something?"

"Not really, just to talk."

The two friends stayed behind as Stella walked to me.

"I want to say sorry for the things I said, I heard your mother died."

I didn't believe the bitch but I went along.

"No hard feelings..."

She held out her hand for me to shake. As soon as I touched her hand, one of the girls had a hold of me, then both had a hold of me.

"What the fuck Stella! You bitch!" I yelled.

Stella found the jar of the Kombucha yeast in my bag. She opened it amd smelled of it.

"Smells sweet like vanilla. You said you never tried it, well, here's your chance."

"I'm not eating that."

"How come? It won't hurt to test your little concoction."

She took the glob out.

"Slimy...a sweet glob of slime for a slimy crack baby."

She held it in front of me.

"Take it, don't try to run, you'll be stuck here for a while."

I held the glob in my hands, all three were right on me to keep me from running.

"Eat it crack baby."

I shook my head, she slapped me in the face.

"Eat it before I tell the whole school your parents fucked in a drug den. Eat it Emma!"

I took a bite, it tasted like vanilla ice cream, she was right about that, I'll admit.

"See, that's not so bad, eat it all. If you tell anyone, I'll tell the school you're a pathetic crack baby."

I ate it thinking I was gonna be ok afterwards but I was dead wrong.

When school was out, I was having cold sweats and stomach cramps on and off. The three of us walked in the apartment, my stomach hurt so bad I ran to the bathroom.

"Emma?" Victoria called out concerning.

I stood over the toilet but nothing happened.

"Emma honey."

Sam was in the doorway.

"Are you ok?"

"I feel like I'm going to be sick but nothing's wanting to come out."

"I'm not aware of a bug going around recently...huh...Victoria get her a glass of water. Come in the kitchen, drink you some water to flush it out."

He walked me to the kitchen. Danny wanted to pat me on the back but Victoria stopped him.

"Careful Danny, she actually might be coming down with something."

I started drinking my water.

"He means well...sweet thing. I'll be fine Danny, I just gotta get it out."

I was halfway through my water when I got the cramps and cold sweats again but this time, it was worse.

"Here we go!"

I ran to the bathroom and closed the door, it came out both ends, I could've shat myself as soon as I closed the door but I was lucky. I was projectile vomiting in the waste basket. A minute passed, there was a knock on the bathroom door.

"Emma, are you ok now?"

"Not really but at least I'm done in here...whew!"

I cleaned myself up and walked out. Sam and Danny were making dinner in the kitchen, Victoria was on the couch holding the empty jar. I looked at her for a silent few seconds.

"You ate the bacteria and yeast didn't you?"

"What?" Sam and Danny stopped what they were doing.

"Yes I did...that's what just made me sick."

"Why!?"

"I had no choice."

"You had no choice, you had a choice, how could you be so stu-...Stella!"

I sat by her.

"Her and her girlfriends locked me in the girls changing room after gym with them...I was held like a prisoner...Stella forced me to eat it or else she'd spread rumors that I'm a crack baby around school."

Sam walked to us.

"Sounds like you're dealing with a school bully. Emma, you're gonna take a sick day from school, I'll have a talk with the headmaster about this tomorrow morning after dropping Victoria off. Danny's gonna stay and keep you company. You don't mind do ya Danny?"

"No," Danny replied while stirring food in the pan.

"There we go, you're still feeling sickly, maybe bloated."

"Yes," I nodded.

"If you feel like eating, feel free to eat with us later, you need to rest."

"Yes sir."

I didn't eat that night. I hoped I'd eat breakfast in the morning.

I woke up to the smell of eggs cooking. I walked out of mine and Victoria's room to Danny scrambling eggs in the kitchen. I noticed he loved helping out with the cooking.

"Good morning Danny."

He looked at me.

"Good morning...you feel like eating?"

"Yes I do. What'chu cooking, looks good?"

"Scrambled eggs, your favorite."

"Oh Danny...how did you know!?"

"You say so."

I smiled. He put some eggs on two plates. We sat at the table, I took a bite, it tasted exactly how Sam makes it.

"Delicious!"

"Thank you. Sam said I stay with you today."

"I know, we're spending the day at home. I wonder what we're gonna do?"

"Rest."

I laughed.

"Obviously..."

Danny smiled along with me.

"We could see what's on the television...or find a book to read."

We decided over breakfast.

We sat on the couch flipping through the TV channels, we found a cartoon called Danger Mouse, it was about a British supermouse, a series separated into shorts. Danny was smiling the whole time. It warms my heart. We ended up falling asleep on the couch, resting my head in his lap. I woke up to hear the door open and footsteps.

"Sam, they're napping on the couch."

I heard them both chuckle.

"Leave them be," Sam whispered.

I fell back asleep in seconds.