I woke up to the sound of crunching and muttering. My eyes soon focused on the ceiling, then I turned my head to inspect the rest of my surroundings.
My eyes finally landed on my little brother, he laid beside me surrounded by books and a two bags of chips.
I pushed myself up and stretched, "Hey sweetpea"I yawned and opened my arms to him. He instantly dropped his pen and hugged me back.
"You were burning up at a some point, I called Uncle Alex but he said he was stuck in traffic on another side of town, he told me a few things to do to keep you steady till tomorrow, so I tried those before starting my homework"he said sounding worried. "Wow, you don't say....I had no idea anything like that could have happened, I guess I really can't do anything without you can I?"I said and patted his tangled hair. "Uhm, I made sandwiches for you, lemme go get it"he said and ran off to the kitchen.
I sighed, I could feel a headache surfacing. I crawled towards the couch, taking his books and chips with me, so I could rest against it.
He returned with a stack of scrumptious looking sandwiches and a cup of cold water.
"Here you go!"he beamed and handed them to me, "thank you very much", I bit into the first one and I was instantly transported to cloud 9. "This...is... amazing!!!"I cried and begun munching and chewing with happiness.
"Don't be silly, it's just a sandwich"he said with a big smile, "Yeah but I feel the love in it and that makes it even more incredibly tastier!!!!"I squealed.
He laughed at me, "You're such a doughnut".
I eyed him and waited to swallow before I spoke "Yunno, you look a lot happier than most days...wanna tell me what changed?". "Well, I... I think I made new friends today...guy friends and maybe soon the rest of my classmates"he said shyly, I almost cried. "Details boy!"
~~~~~
I felt incredibly happy. He told me everything, from the cafeteria to the bus where he got invited to play ball at a boy's house. But he being him just had to be a buzz kill... "Now, explain just how you managed to catch a fever when I specifically said to stay indoors , did you not see the weather report?"
I sighed and lowered my head in shame "I got hungry and I really wanted cereals but we were out of those, so I went to get some and got stuck in the rain"I said, he glared at me. "Do I look like I was born yesterday?"he asked with an annoyed look, God help me he looks so cute!
"Don't answer that, just give me details... like exactly everything that happened from the moment I left, everything Donna"he said seriously. "Well, if I must..."
*********
Earlier that day....
"Bye Sweetpea!"I yelled after the bus, he shook his head at me but got thrown against the seat in front of him as his bus driver floored it. If that ass keeps that up, I'm gonna teach him how to drive at gun point.
I walked back to the apartment and stopped by the front desk.
"Good morning Charlie!"I greeted, "If it isn't my ray of sunshine, good morning milady"he greeted back with his fatherly smile. "I was wondering, it said it was going to shower today, you think it's okay if I go for a long jog?"I asked. He stroked his beard in thought then raised a brow at me "To be honest, I don't think so. Lately the weather forecast hasn't been quite accurate and the weather right now doesn't look promising either. I suggest you just stay indoors for now"he said and I nodded in agreement.
I went back to my apartment and headed straight for the kitchen. I reached up to the cupboards but my target was no where to be found. "Great, we're out of cereals".
I got my jacket and headed out to the grocery store.
"Since I'm here, might as well get other stuff" I mumbled to myself and walked towards the toiletries, then frozen foods section. I couldn't help feeling watched from time to time, but I shook it off. I walked back to the cookies and grabbed as much oreos and marylands as I could, then a tub of ice cream... finally, my cereals. One problem though...the one I really wanted just happened to be three rows higher than me.
Great.
I stood up on my toes and stretched out with one hand on my cart and my free hand trying to grasp the box. Three failed attempts after, my foot turned and I was falling, my cart was turning and I closed my eyes to brace myself for impact.
It never happened.
Instead I felt a wall behind me...a wall with a box like bump...kinda like...a belt-buckle?. I looked up to see a black shirt...fair neck, a light stubble...a hand reaching easily for the cereal I wanted. Once it brought it down, it tossed it my cart, that's when I noticed the second hand holding the cart, holding me in between like a catapult. The free arm wrapped around me and the wall moved so I stood upright. Stable, I turned to see me my savior, ofcourse my eyes leveled straight at the chest, that easily told me it was definitely a man, the shirt hugged his body perfectly showing faint lines of his packs. A bit reluctantly I looked up to see his face.
For a second or more, I forgot how to breathe. His face was stony but not in an angry way, His eyes were black and deep It felt like being sucked in a black hole just staring at it, his lips were curved to a smirk despite his stony visage and his chin had a light stubble going on. His dark brown hair was styled to a messy quiff, his lashes were long tempting you to just look into those eyes...heck I got jealous, mine weren't as long or seductive without make up.
"Are you alright?"he asked, his voice was clear and commanding despite how laid back he was in a black t-shirt and blue jeans. "Y-yes, thank you"I said shyly... This feels weird. "So you like this brand too, it's my favorite"he said with a smile that somehow made me relax a bit. "Yeah, mine too!, I don't mean to bother you more than I have already but could you please, help me with two more boxes?"
After that, we just happened to be heading the same way.
"So uhmm, I'm Madonna"I said nervously and stared straight at a jar of nutella. "Nate, nice to meet you miss Madonna...I wonder what I should shorten your name to"he said, I turned to look at him, he held his chin in thought, then suddenly clicked his fingers... "Maddy! Sound okay to you?"he asked.
Seriously?
"Sure, anything you want"I said and I pulled out a jar of mayonnaise from the shelf. "Hmm, then I'll call you Chocolate", "sure what-, wait what?why?"I asked confused. "Cause your literally chocolate, and you look just as good, not to mention you seem just as sweet so far. I also have a bit of an addiction to it"he said and licked his lips.
What a weirdo...so why the hell am I smiling so hard?
I tried to force my smile away and he just burst out laughing. It startled me, "Yunno, I like you Chocolate", he walked towards me and held my hand firmly "even though you're a total stranger". I felt a shiver run up my arm...
I blame the AC.
"Me too"I said freely smiling up at him. He smiled back and somehow everything else seemed to fade away. His smile seemed foreign, like it wasn't something he usually did, yet it was the most attractive smile I've ever seen.
He opened his mouth to speak but a buzzing noise stopped him. "Sorry"he said and let go of my hand. I suddenly felt annoyed for some reason. He took out his phone and I watched with great interest as his facial expressions morphed from the sexy sweet guy I just met to a vicious, stony and arrogant stranger. That look however seemed more normal on him. I looked at him as he listened to who ever was speaking with rapt attention, he looked icy. Cold, brutal, like someone you just know you shouldn't mess with, he looked like power to me.... freaking hot and...a bit scary.
"Keep him there, I'll attend to him personally"he said and cut the line. He looked at me and instantly his smile was back, though a little bit sad in a way.
"Sorry about that Chocolate..I...I want to see you again sometime, is it okay if I get your number? So we could chat and make a date maybe?"he asked and rubbed his neck nervously. "Yeah, sure"
We exchanged numbers and said our goodbyes.
I went over to pay for my stuff, and to my surprise, he'd already paid ahead for me. "You're Miss Maddy Chocolate right? Mr. Nate made a down payment for you ma'am"She said as she calculated my groceries. I smiled and nodded at the lady then took my bag.
My stuff wasn't that heavy so I decided to walk a bit, plus my apartment was close by anyway.
It felt strange, he felt strange, so easy to be around yet downright scary. Usually taking a walk meant clearing my head, but, the more steps I took, the more less clear my surroundings were to me. It seemed to get darker and he was all I could think about, but why?
He probably won't even remember me after now, maybe one he's of those guys I watch in the movies just trying to feel good about themselves? Then why pay and leave without my thanks? The sound of his voice rang through my mind like my favorite song. We hardly really spoke but... my mind kept replaying everything. The moment he turned away from the aisle, he vanished. But I have his number... should I text first? But he seemed to have an important meeting or something so no... atleast not now, but soon? Maybe? Why did this have to happen?
Lost in my little world, I hadn't noticed the rain beginning to pour down on me. Well,atleast until it felt like I was being poked and prodded everywhere. I wasn't anywhere near the apartment complex yet, I turned to see chaos on the streets. The slippery roads had cars running into each other and non stopping, everyone was running for cover. Everyone tried to run, lightening struck, but, the more they ran, the more accidents happened, still standing where I was, being beaten by the rain and whipped my the wind, I decided I'd walk the way. I'd rather weather a cold than lose much needed body parts with my lack of stamina.
So that's what I did, I braved the storm, slipping occasionally, and holding on to things around so I don't get blown away.... Along the way, roofs flew off, there was screaming and a lot of running around and falling, and zincs attempting to shish kebab us pedestrians.
It got harder to walk, drenched with my grocery bag briming with water and the wind pushing me back. Half way I started coughing hard.
Maybe an hour? Or more? Or less? I got to the apartment complex. Once Charlie noticed me he quickly came to my aid, helped me with the bag and pulled off my thoroughly soaked jacket. We got to my room and he left me to change and soak in the hot tub.
I felt like melting ice.
Closing his eyes, he handed me a bowl of hot soup in a tray which I was grateful for. He left after he helped me around the house.
I got out of the tub defrosted with an excruciating headache. I changed to comfy clothes and searched everywhere for pain killers, I couldn't find any anywhere. Soon my whole body begun to hurt and I found myself sprawled on the floor...very lightheaded and closed my eyes
***********
"And that's when I saw you"I finished. Audrey stared at me intently... "You're telling me...you walked in a that storm cause you got distracted thinking about a guy you just met?!"he asked...not sounding quite as angry as I'd expected. "I know right... you're big sister's really stupid"I replied and covered my face in shame.
"We can't watch the marathon today"he said out of nowhere..."what? Why?! I'm not that sick!", "Firstly, yes, you're even sicker than you think and lastly, it's been moved to next week"he said seriously. "Fine, so what now Doc?", "You're going back to sleep, in you're room this time. I'll ask anyone else to help get the painkillers and I'll do my homework and watch over you, I'll order pizza for tonight too"he said and stood up. He stretched his hand out to me, I happily took it, getting up, my head felt like it was splitting in halves and I cringed. "Sorry, let's go"he said and escorted me to my bed where I was tucked in and patted to sleep.
I wonder if Nate got caught in the storm.