More, Most, Forever, & Always (COMPLETE)

8. Panera

Hailey Aspen-

I was so fucking sick. My throat was sore, my nose running, making it hard to breathe. I was achy.

I hated the winter colds I got. But I loved winter.

Literally two days ago I was fine. I woke up yesterday feeling okay, and today I'm dead.

I had to cancel my last 2 classes because I had a light fever, luckily I had great professors that helped me out and gave me an extension on my work.

"I'll drive down there Hailey." Hudson told me and I laughed.

"No. Stay at your campus you dork. I'm fine. I don't wanna get you sick either." I sounded like a lawn mower with how rough my voice was.

"Have you eaten?" He asked.

"Some dry cheerios." I answered honestly.

"Ugh. You know that's not enough." He complained.

"It's okay, call me when you're back at your apartment tonight. Actually don't, it's already late. " I rolled onto my side.

"I love you." He told me.

"I love you too." I hung up, grabbing a tissue and blowing my nose.

I was hungry when I thought about it.

I shrugged, shutting my eyes to try to sleep.

-

I groaned, hearing knocks on my door.

I thought I was delusional.

"Go away." I grumbled.

"Stubborn." He grumbled and I frowned.

"I'm sick! I'll get you sick." I yelled, my voice croaking.

"And? It's almost thanksgiving break. I'll be fine." He told me.

I rolled out of my bed, unlocking the door.

"What?" I asked, getting back into my cozy spot.

"Don't be mean. Your brother told me you're not doing good." He shut the door behind him.

"Snitch." I pulled the covers up, tucking them under my chin.

He laughed.

"I Door-dashed Panera Bread. Your brother told me you like the Broccoli and Cheddar soup with the bread bowl. I brought DayQuil and NyQuil, Gatorade, more tissues and hot chocolate to soothe your throat a bit." He set things down beside me.

"It's okay, you don't have to do all this it's unnecessary-"

"It's doing the bare minimum sweetheart. Your sick, your brother is worrying, I'm here to help you." He told me.

"I have a question." I mumbled.

"Hm?"

"Do you know Lover Of Mine by 5 Seconds of Summer?" I asked.

"Maybe, I'm not sure. Why?" He asked.

"Because, I wanna hear that before the James Arthur one." I answered and he sat criss cross on my floor, beside my bed.

"Yeah? Let me look it up." He grabbed his phone.

He began playing it, the song making my heart want to shatter into thousands of pieces.

I felt a tear fall from my closed eyes as he placed his phone on my pillow, beside my head.

"It's a beautiful song." He told me.

I nodded, tucking my face into my covers.

"Don't cry." He said quietly.

"I'm okay." I whispered.

"Is it the song or you don't feel good?" He asked.

"Both." I was exhausted.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled, I heard a knock on the door as he stood, opening it.

"Thank you." He nodded, shutting it.

"Want it now?" He asked.

"Yes please." I whispered.

"Okay. Sit up." He told me and I did, placing a pillow behind my back.

I sniffled, sounding congested as hell.

He set a tray on my lap, a plastic container having the soup inside as the bread was beside it.

I tore up the bread bowl, putting it in the soup and dipping it while eating it.

"You don't have to stay." I told him when he sat at the foot of my bed.

"I have nothing else to do. And I know you keep saying that to be nice. If you actually want to be alone I'll respect that though." He told me.

"Thank you." I was self-conscious about myself.

I was sick, it was gross in here, I had a bag full of nasty tissues, and I looked awful.

"You gonna read any new books?" He asked, looking at my bookshelf across the room.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"What?" He asked.

"Uhm, I was thinking I'd re-read Archers Voice." I mumbled.

"What's it about?" He eyed me and that made me feel worse.

"A girl, her name is hard for me to remember but I think it's Bree and she moves to this town where this man, who is vocally mute, lives. And basically it's a really cute story and he's basically my first book boyfriend." I nodded and he smiled.

"What is your favorite book of all time?" He asked.

"Oh god." I raked through my thoughts.

"I'm not gonna lie, the book you asked me about when we first met, it's called the Love Hypothesis and that's pretty high up there." I nodded.

"How come?" He asked.

"Because... the main guy is very very attractive to me. And he was like pining for Olive for like 2 years before he actually met her. And he's just hot." I shrugged and he laughed.

"Fair." He nodded.

I needed to blow my nose but it was awkward. This whole thing was awkward.

"What?" He asked.

"I-I need to blow my nose." I mumbled.

"Then blow it?" He chuckled.

"It's gross though." I blinked.

"Not really. Last time I checked you're a sick human being and sick human beings get congested as a response to the infection your body is trying to fight off so regardless of anyone situation you're gonna be congested." He told me and I blinked.

"Wow." I hummed.

While I blew it, he opened the NyQuil and handed me two pills, handing me a bottled water.

"Thanks." I sniffled.

I took them and I set my tray down but he took it across the room.

"It's late, you don't have to stay." I told him.

"Do you want me to leave?" He asked and I struggled looking at him in the eye.

"No." I mumbled.

"Then I won't go." He pulled my desk chair beside my bed.

He felt my forehead with his hand.

"You're warm."

"Light fever." I answered.

He hummed, taking his hand off my head and he just sat there.

I sighed, feeling drowsy.

"Thanks." I mumbled.

"Mmhm."