Handle With Clare

Chapter 8: Was He Flirting?

Look for the <> for when to listen to the song!

Enjoy!

Darlah

I laid on the couch, trying to make the world stop spinning. I felt so terrible since the treatment yesterday and I hated this feeling. Why couldn't I just tell myself to not feel this way and move on?

I felt a wave of nausea hit me like a slap, and I quickly sat up and ran to the bathroom, throwing up all of my lunch that I had eaten an hour ago. I leaned over the side of the toilet bowl as I tried to catch my breath, convinced that I would be sick again.

"Clare, Peter's here," Farrah said as she walked into the bathroom with a smile that quickly slid off her face. "Oh... I'll tell him you aren't well."

I held my hand up to stop her. This boy had a habit of coming when I was at my worst. I had already stood him up once. I couldn't do it again. I was going to at least see him at the door. If that was the only thing I did today, so be it. "No. I'll go see him. Just stall him," I said as I got up from the ground.

She nodded, then closed the door as she left me to freshen up.

I went to the sink and splashed some water on my face, then dried it off with my shirt. Quickly I brushed my teeth and gurgled water around. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, noticing I looked paler than normal. I doubt he would notice.

Convinced that I was as good as I could get, I slowly walked over to the front door. I felt my heart speed up as I saw his face talking to Farrah. I didn't realize that I missed him as much as I did. I gave a small smile to him and he returned it.

"Hey you," he said and smiled brightly at me.

"Well, I'm off to do things," Farrah said coolly as she walked away, feeling accomplished with stalling.

I shot her a thank you look, which she acknowledged as she passed. "Hey," I said to Peter as I leaned into the frame of the doorway to give extra support.

His face grew serious as he looked at me. "Are you sick or something?"

Why yes, I am, thanks for asking. You have great deduction skills. "I think I ate something spoiled last night. It isn't sitting well with me. It'll pass," I lied. "What's up?" Changing the subject quickly.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go see a movie tonight. I tried texting you this morning, but I didn't get a response and I was getting a bit... anxious," he said and then looked at the ground to hide his embarrassed face.

I smiled at his insecurity that he shared. He was so honest, that was something I could learn, or so my sister told me. "I lost my phone last night." At the hospital where my cancer treatment was at. This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. I think I forgot my phone at the hospital at least once a month. Normally it was fine, but this time I was dying without it because I was waiting for a text from him.

He raised his eyebrows in realization as relief washed over his face. "Oh, that makes so much sense. But it doesn't look like you're feeling well enough to go anywhere. Do you want to watch a film here instead? I just want to hang out with you."

"At my place?" With all of my family around that could spill my secret to him? I'll take a hard pass on that. Besides, why did he want to spend time with me? I was boring.

"Yes," he nodded.

I looked up at the stairs where my parents were. I really didn't want them hanging around while we were together, especially when I was not feeling the best. I was afraid that my parents would let something slip that I wouldn't approve of. They had a habit of talking too much and I couldn't trust them to keep quiet. "You don't think I have enough strength to go out?" I accused him. The words came out harsher than I wanted them to.