I scoffed and turned away from her. Thankfully the movie got over and I breathed a sigh of relief. I then realized I had eaten just one sandwich I picked the other one as we went out. I hadn’t really liked it it tasted gouchy but when I asked Natasha to taste it she said it tasted fine. However I tossed the second one in the bin. As we went down several people stared at me and giggled.
“Er Natasha, do I look funny.”
She stared at my face and said, “Nope”
“Then why are people looking at me and giggling.” Natasha made me stand at an arm’s length and looked me up and down and suddenly started giggling too.
“Jude your zipper! Its open” then for the third time that night she collapsed into giggles. I looked down and to my mortification it was open! I must’ve forgotten in my haste.
I could feel my face burn in embarrassment as I turned away. “Quick cover me! Its your fault!” I hissed.
Natasha came and stood in front of me as I closed my zip. ‘How is it my fault?”
“If you wouldn’t have scared me I would’ve never rushed out of the toilet like this!”
It seemed like she wanted to say something but I shut her up by saying, “Zip it!” I grimaced and then started laughing with her. She was laughing so hard that she had to lean on me. She wiped her eyes as I held her and I smiled at her. She licked her lips nervously. My arms were around her and she was leaning into me. I dipped my head and she turned away at the same time. Then she turned towards me and I pulled away at the same time. Awkward much? We had almost kissed each other willingly because we wanted to and not because we had to pretend to. Well almost. I shrugged it off and we started walking towards the parking lot.
I was feeling nauseatic and my stomach felt like someone was wringing it. I really shouldn’t have eaten so much cake. We sat in silence well at least I did, while for Natasha watching the movie wasn’t enough. She had to recount every scare scene and she smiled in glee everytime I grimaced.
We reached home and I felt really tired. I sat on the couch and felt my stomach lurch. I quickly ran to the bathroom and threw up in the pot. I kept heaving till I felt like I didn’t have anything left in my stomach. I came out pale faced and sweaty an what I saw almost gave me a heart attack.
There was a silhouette on my bed. It was a woman because all of her hair was in her face and she was caressing it with her hands.
“aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh”
“WHAT HAPPENED?” jumped Natasha from the bed clutching her heart.
“What the hell were you sitting in the dark with all your hair in front of your face for?”
“I was brushing it backwards! It adds volume to the hair” said Natasha as if it was the most obvious explanation in the world.
“And its not dark in here the bedside lamp was on!”
“Whatever, I don’t feel well.”
“Told ya!” she said in a sing song voice.
I sat on the bed and clutched my head.
“Did you throw up?”
I nodded, I didn’t have the energy to speak. I felt my stomach lurch and ran into the bathroom again. Natasha followed and kept rubbing my back gently. She took a damp cloth and pressed against my forehead. I leant against her and she put me in bed and pulled the covers on me.
“Jude you’re warm I think you have fever”
“Great” I grunted. She didn’t say anything and went out. I could hear her speaking on the phone.
I hadn’t realised that I had fallen asleep. When I woke up my head hurt a lot and I felt really dizzy. I looked around to see my family doctor feeling my pulse while Natasha hovered around looking tensed.
“I told him not to eat the whole cake!”
“It may be a contributing factor Ms. Blake but he has had spoilt food. This is why it has resulted in mild food poisoning.”
I groaned as I remembered the last time I had fallen ill because of food poisoning.
“Are you alright?” asked Natasha looking really worried.
I shook my head weakly, how long I had been out? I glanced at the clock and saw it was 1. 00 a. m.
“Dr. Graham, do we need to get him admitted in the hospital?”
“Well right now his symptoms are mild. I will give him an antibiotic shot and leave a few medicines for him. If he doesn’t improve soon then we will have to admit him and get him on IV fluids but let’s hope it does not come to that.”
Natasha smiled and nodded. I groaned as I felt my body ache with weakness. Natasha stood listening to the doctor’s instructions and nodded. She went to see the doctor to the door and I groaned as I felt like throwing up again. I walked to the washroom cautiously and threw up once more. Natasha came behind me and held my head. I rinsed my mouth and went to bed once more. Throughout the night I was in and out of slumber. But everytime I was awake Natasha was by my side pushing my hair away from my forehead or putting a wet cloth on my head to bring my temperature down. Needless to say I was delirious and the stupid ghost from exorcist haunted me most of the night. Whenever I woke up with a start Natasha was there holding me and re assuring me.
The next time I woke up I realized it was noon and I was glad I hadn’t thrown up anymore but I felt really weak. I sat up in my bed but couldn’t bring myself to move. I looked down and realized someone had changed my clothes. Suddenly Natasha came in.
“Thank God you’re up!” I saw that she looked really worried and frazzled. I saw her hair was not brushed and she had dark circles under her eyes. She hadn’t slept much all night.
‘Are you hungry.”
I nodded and said,, “But I may just throw up everything I eat.”
“You need to take your medicines so you have to eat, however there is one that you need to take before eating food so that you wont throw up” she said smiling.
“That sounds great”
“Well freshen up then.”
“Er Natasha who changed my clothes?”
She turned a bright shade of red and said, “I did you were stinking.”
“Well I hope you didn’t take advantage of me” I said smirking.
She gasped and recovered quickly to say, “I wouldn’t take advantage of THAT”
It was my turn to be shocked. “Why not!”
“Well you know its just not upto the mark”
“You saw me while changing?” I asked turning red.
“Nope not interested”
“Well there are plenty of girls who would be!”
“I am not among them”
“Come on! Are you saying you didn’t even peek?”
“Jude!” she said sounding amused, “are you disappointed that I didn’t rape you in your sleep?”
“Well that’s just ridiculous! You know what pfft just forget I mentioned it!”
“Forgotten” she sang. I scowled at her and walked slowly towards the washroom.
By the time I was out Natasha had already brought food in the room. She had also made the bed and folded the blanket. I went and sat down as Natasha placed home made chicken soup and toast in front of me. I sniffed the soup and my stomach growled appreciatively. I took a bite and found that it was really delicious.
“Wow Mrs. Bowers gets better everyday!”
“Well I would’ve told her that except that I made the soup” said Natasha indignantly. “My mom used to say that chicken soup is the best and the quickest way for strengthening the body after a bout of illness.”
“Well Natasha this is delicious!”
“Why, thank you Jude.”
I finished soup quickly and to my surprise I didn’t feel as weak as I was feeling when I woke up. Natasha took the tray away and returned with my medicines. I took them quickly and then Natasha checked my temperature.
“Well you don’t have fever and you haven’t thrown up after eating so I guess you must be getting better!”
“I guess.”
“So what do you want to do? I mean do you want to watch a movie or something?”
“Not really.”
“Cool! I am about to go and watch prison break if you need anything just give me a shout.”
“I guess I will watch it with you.”
“Ok but don’t tell me you’re getting annoyed when I swoon everytime Wentworth Miller comes on screen!”
“Oh please! What do girls even like about him?”
“His killer smile!”
“He’s gay”
“He is so not gay. You are just another jealous guy who thinks he is god’s gift to women and no other male looks good!”
“I am not!”
Natasha just smirked and went out. I followed her taking my blanket with me. I tried I really tried to not get annoyed when she went “awwwww look at him! Look at those eyes! Look at that smile!” I couldn’t take another moment of ‘look at that!’
“Natasha if you don’t shut up I swear I will-”
“You will what?” asked Natasha raising an eyebrow at me, the challenge clear in her mesmerizing green eyes.
“I will kiss you senseless” I said smiling toothily. She stared at me momentarily stunned by my reply. “You wouldn’t”
“Oh just try me”
“Empty threat”
“Just do it Nats”
She turned to look at the TV screen and opened her mouth, “Would you look at his l-”
I pulled her and well lets just say I kissed her senseless. My blood was singing in my ears as our lips crashed. She struggled at first and then gave in. I had my arms around her, I held her head captive with one hand. We kissed like there was no tomorrow. Suddenly she moved away and broke the kiss. She hit me feebly in my chest and said,
“Hey what did I tell you about stealing kisses from me?”
“Well I did warn you.”
“Be that as it may you just cant kiss me!”
“Why not? You are my fiancée” I said smiling cockily. At this she turned red and I realized that was not the correct thing to say. Uh-oh here it comes.
“Ok first I am your PRETEND fiancée, second there is no one here to pretend for and third you can’t kiss me like that!” she said her voice rising with every word.
“Like what?”
“Like you just did”
“And how was that?”
“Intense!” and then clapped her hand to her mouth I smiled and started watching the TV again.
“And just for the record there are a lot of women who would’ve taken advantage of me”
She just snorted and rolled her eyes. The episode ended and as the end credits rolled on the screen I spoke up.
‘Nats?”
“Hmm” she replied sleepily.
“Thank you”
“Whatever for?”
“For taking care of me”
She smiled and said, “That’s ok, in sickness and in health right?” I smiled back and said “Right.”
Just then my phone rang and I glanced at the display, it was Stephanie. I stared at it for a long time then pressed the disconnect button, I would deal with this later I thought as I glanced at the now sleeping Natasha. She had fallen asleep with her head on my chest and an arm across my waist. I smiled and rested my chin on top of hers feeling like she belonged right here.