"So you really feel that bad?" Judy asked as she and Katie walked to the door.
"Yes. I feel like sh- crap." Katie said quickly, glancing at her three younger siblings.
"Uh huh." Judy said. She tugged on Madison's hand, and the little girl followed her inside.
"Okay, we're home. What should we do now?" Judy asked the Ben and Madison.
Katie didnt' stick around to hear. She made it to her room just in time to make it to the toliet and empty out the contents of her stomach. She slumped near the toliet, trying to figure out what she ate that was making her feel so bad. She felt fine that morning, but just before lunch she had started to feel queasy. She couldn't recall eating anything strange though.
She dragged herself off the floor, then rinsed out her mouth. She took a few Advil, then got a cold washcloth to put on her head. She managed to change into an soft, old, long-sleeved t-shirt and sweats before ripping the ponytail our of her hair and falling into her nice warm bed.
It was times like these that she missed her mother. Her mother would take her temperature, then give her the funny tasting syrup, and then send her to bed. She would then get her a icy cold washcloth that had been in the freezer for a few minutes and put it on her head. Her mother would bring the small TV from her bedroom into Katie's room, and let her watch cartoons while eating saltines and drinking 7up. It was the little things that especially tugged on her heart these days.
Katie stayed home from school the next day, and she was starting to feel better the next evening. She was sitting up in bed, reading a magazine when the phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey." Katie recognized Nicole's voice.
"What's up?"
"Are you feeling any better?"
"A little." Katie said, yawning. SHe had slept most of the day.
"Oh." Nicole said. "Have you talked to Zac?"
"Not since last night." Katie said. Zac had called after school to check up on her, but she had been half asleep, so their converstation hadn't lasted long.
"Why?" She asked.
"Well...Oh gosh. There's so much shit flying around." Nicole muttered.
"Like what?" Katie asked. Her attention was instantly grabbed.
"Just...I dont' know if it's true or not. I don't even remember where I heard it."
"Spit it out, Nicole." Katie said.
"There's a bunch of stuff going around that Zac supposedly started."
"Like what?!?"
"He saying he slept with you." Nicole said.
Katie was silent. "What?"
"That's what I heard. He supposedly said that he's done it with you numerous times." Nicole said.
"I can't believe that." Katie said. It didn't sound like Zac...Did it?"
"I mean...you haven't...have you?"
Katie was shocked that Nicole would even ask her such a question.
"Nicole!"
"What?"
"No! Of course not! Not even close!"
"Well...that's what I figured." Nicole said.
"Well...why did you think that?" Katie wondered.
"I dunno... I mean, you two spend a lot of time together...."
"Well you're wrong. We don't. Nor do we plan to."
"Oh."
"At least that's what I though."
"yeah, really."
"I can't believe this."
"Well, I just called to prepare you."
"Oh my gosh."
"Yeah."
"How many different people did you hear it from."
"At least six." Nicole winced as Katie wailed.
"Have you talked to him?" Katie asked.
"No, not yet." Nicole said. "I dont' see him much after lunch."
"Oh my."
"I know...just...dont' get all worked up. We're not even sure he even said it." Nicole said, in defense of Zac.
"I don't know what to say."
"I'd say you stay home from school as long as you can."
"Why?"
"The whole school knows."
"They couldnt' possibly!?!"
"Sorry."
"Oh my god." Katie said, covering her mouth with her hand.
"I don't know what to tell you Kate." Nicole said.
"And I don't know what to say."