39 Season 2 - Page Eleven

Fun fact: Siren can't pronounce Eight and Squirrel very well.

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[Siren]

I woke up to an immense pain in my lower stomach. Crap. Why does it have to be now? I somehow managed to reach the door clutching my stomach and looking for my sister. I found her in the living room reading a book.

"H-hey... Do you have medicine there?"

"What for?" She quickly glanced at me before focusing on her book again. "Just buy at the pharmacy. I don't think we have one left."

"What?! Can't you see I'm in pain? Can you just buy it for me?"

"Fine." She stood up. "Go eat your breakfast in the kitchen. Are you going to school?"

"O-of course."

"Why?"

I glared at her. "What do you mean why?"

"You're in pain."

"That's why you have to buy me medicine!"

She doesn't seem to like my answer as she approached me and smacked my head. What a sadist.

"What was that for?!"

"We all know you hate studying so just stay here and rest."

"I told you, I'm going to school!"

I felt her staring at me for a moment. I didn't bother looking up, I don't want to see her face.

"Fine. Just don't call me saying you're sick, I won't come to pick you up."

"I won't!"

"Go and sit there. You're so annoying."

I dragged myself to sit on the sofa. Sorelle is right. I can just stay at home today. This is what I wanted, right? To stay and do nothing all day. Why would I bother myself going to school and studying?

I don't know why but just the thought of not going to school right now is making me feel empty.

Sorelle came in with medicine and I head out to the bathroom as soon as I took one. I still have to crawl my way to school so I have to hurry to take a bath.

As expected, the pain only got worse as soon as I step outside the house. This medicine really is taking a long time to take effect. Pain, just go away, will you?! Why do I have to suffer like this every month? This is the time like this that I wish I am a man. They just don't suffer like this, those lucky bastards.

I couldn't bear the pain anymore so I decided to stop at the playground and sit on the swing. If this doesn't subside before school starts, I'm going home. I'm going to bother Sorelle to fetch me up. I should've just listened to her. I feel like a zombie crawling right now.

As I'm crouching down, I smelled flowers. And there's only one person I know who smells of flowers.

Ah, not now.

The smell got stronger and stronger until I feel a presence beside me.

"Are you okay?" I shake my head. Isn't it obvious that I'm in pain?! Sigh. I really don't have the energy to argue with her right now.

I heard the swing beside me creaking. She must have sat down beside me. Why can't you just go?

"Don't you want to go home? You seem to be in so much pain. You don't have to force yourself to go to school today, I can tell the teachers about it."

She talks too much but somehow... I can feel the pain subsides. Is it because of the medicine?

"Siren?"

Her hand reached my back and started caressing it, almost making me flinch at the sudden coldness.

"Y-your hand..."

"Hmmm?"

"It's cold."

"Yeah. It's genetics. My sister and mother's hands are colder than mine."

"Are you a vampire?"

I heard her chuckle. "Vampires can't stay out in the sun."

And silence. Just Peach massaging my back lightly.

"P-peach..."

"Hmmm?"

"Can you talk more?"

"Huh?"

As I thought, her voice calms me and makes me forget my pain.

"Nevermind."

"Have you heard of the red riding hood?"

I chuckled lightly. "Are you a kid?"

"I can't think of anything else to say... But it's my favorite fairytale."

"Why?"

"I don't know. I think because I like riding hood a lot. When I was a kid, I wanted to be like her."

"And what? Got eaten by a wolf?"

"She didn't get eaten by the wolf, though? It was her grandma. I thought you know it?"

"I was a kid then. How would I remember things like that?"

"Then, do you want me to narrate it to you? For refreshers."

"I might fall asleep."

"It's fine. I'm here."

My heart skipped a beat after hearing those words. The medicine must be taking effect now.

"Aren't you going to class? You're gonna be late."

"What about you?"

"I'll just skip the first period."

"Then I'll skip with you."

I peeked at her and saw her staring at me. "You don't have to do that."

"I'll send you to the infirmary so you can rest there. That way, you can have an excuse for not attending the first period."

I sit straight. The pain is still there but it's tolerable now.

"What do you feel now?" Peach asks as she continues to gently caress my lower back. Her eyes are full of worry while staring at me and it's making me feel a lot of things.

"F-fine... I guess."

"Then let's go?"

I nodded and without thinking clung to her arm. Just this once. I'll let her be this close to me just this once.

We reached the school and headed straight to the infirmary. The school nurse gave me a hot pack and instructed me to lie on the bed. I even heard Peach asking if she could stay with me until I get better.

I don't get her, really. Doing all of this when all I do is be rude to her. There's no way she could be this nice every time. Does she ever get mad? I shake my head. Why am I even thinking about that?

I opened my eyes when I felt the bed moving and saw Peach about to lie down beside me.

Wait. What?

"What are you..."

"I told you that I'll stay with you until the pain subsides." She answered and lay down facing me. "You should sleep a little. The nurse allowed us to stay here until you get better." She smiled and gently caressed my head.

Fine. I rotate my body to face her and buried my face in her chest and hugged her.

Just his once. I'll let her be close to me just this once.

To be continued.