Watch Me Drown

18. Can I show you something?

TW: throwing up

(Julien's point of view)

A few days later, I woke up early. Abby wasn't in bed. I guessed that we were both up early. Dorothea was nowhere in sight. Normally, she would drag her dog bed into our bedroom and sleep with us. Her bed was in the room, but it was empty. Maybe her and Abby had gone for a walk.

The internet had sort of moved on from the video, but it wouldn't be forgotten. I'd seen a few people still talking about it. When the video was going around, a lot of people had opinions. Some people were really scared that something had happened to Phoebe. Only a few were concerned about Abby. Some people thought that we should not have been filmed, and the fans who filmed us should have known better and respected our privacy. I agreed with them. Then there were the people who responded to the people worried about Abby. The haters. They said that they hoped something was wrong with Abby. After seeing those, I told Abby not to read her comments or DMs for a while. I knew that they would all be hate and death threats. It had happened before.

"Abby?" I called.

There was no answer. I got up and walked out into the living room. She wasn't in there either. I could see Dorothea, though. She was sitting in the office. When she saw me she started barking frantically.

It felt very familiar.

"Abby?" I said again.

"Mhm?"

She was in the office bathroom.

"You okay?" I asked.

"It's happening again." She sighed.

"Did you pass out?" I questioned. I was now standing in front of the closed door.

"No," She groaned. "My period."

"Can I come in?" I said.

"I look like shit." She answered.

"I don't care." I reassured her. "Plus, you never look like shit."

Abby opened the door and let me in. She was still in her pajamas. Her hair was in a braid, just like every night. Her eyes were bloodshot and she was pale, but she was still gorgeous in my eyes.

"See..." I kissed her sweaty forehead. "You look beautiful, per usual."

She forced out a single laugh and leaned against the vanity, her legs shaky. She wrapped her arms around herself, and any trace of happiness in her expression was gone.

"You threw up?" I asked.

"All morning." 

Our eyes met and it was like she could see exactly what I was thinking. She told me, very firmly, "It's just my period." 

I decided to change the topic.

"You seem very calm." I told her. "That's good."

"I'm too exhausted to freak out." She said. 

"Why are you in here and not our bathroom?"

"I didn't want to wake you."

I opened my arms and she hugged me, tight. In my arms, I could tell more. She was shaky and, even though she was sweaty, she was cold. She didn't let go for a long time.

"You okay?" I said after a while.

"Cramps." She whispered into my shoulder. "It's making me nauseous."

A protective feeling washed over me. I was not going to let this sickness, whatever the hell it was, ruin her life. Well...not ruin that day, at least.

"Are you fine here if I run to the store?" I asked.