Changed.

ave of pain passes through m

p it. What's worse, I'm home alone and no one is here to help me.

y flying out of my mouth. The smell of it is what r

he mess?and immediately regret it. The burning shoots up my arm; it bites at my muscles, intensifyin

whatever this is by then. It started out with a simple headache at the beginning of the week, along with some uncontrollable sneezes. I figured that it was just a bug going around.

riends had gone through the headaches. Did she

ing to ignore the pain and burning that shoots through my arm. Tears spring to my eyes rapidly and blur my vision. My finger

ce asks after an

so hoarse, like I haven't spoken in mon

it." She says honestly,

ns." I whisper. A cough shakes

my house simply because she wanted to. With no notice. In the middle of dinner. I'm sure she doesn't need much

is rampant with thoughts of what could be happening to me. I hear the line go dead and know she's comi

e my parents home? They're

rybody in my small town. Also, how did this person find out where I live? I mean, I'm not exactly "in town." Most people get lost just thinking about where I live. I hear the click of t

ste the flirtation in Bri's voice. I can picture the way her eyes scan his fea

ize my mental tirade had gone on for ten minutes. That guy stood out there for ten minutes? "Persistent" is t

ld me about?" Her eyes sparkle with mischief before she takes in my form on the couch. It is then I am a

ks. The burning is now somehow stretching to my vocal cor

me with deep brown hair and tanned skin walks in. He has a smil

He seems too, "overly protective bad boy who could kill a man for looking at him the wrong way." My parental approv

an immediate rumble of paws on linoleum moments later and three crazed animals marching in to see the stranger proves my po

cal glance but say nothing. Of course she would find him drool worthy. A small c

om petting my dogs and makes eye contact with me. I d

r Bri shift in her seat on the couch. She leans close t

lushes as all of my blood simultaneously drains and fills

sn't acknowledge what my friend had said, and relief flows f

r not..."

I gave her a look that pled don't-you-dare-leave-me, but she seemed to

y front door. I make eye contact with the remaining person in the room. Something in me screams that

ng with me?

ing my question. I squint, making a face that could be described

My eyes search his for any sort of answer. Why does he want to know what moon phase I have?

in." His voice breaks off and

, but finding out what's wrong with me seems higher up on the list than worrying about how much pain I'm in. I

ore feeling, though. More like I have been dumped in gasoline and set on fire every time I attempt to move. Aaron reaches over me t

coil from touching him sent my body into another painful episode. I close my eyes to keep tears from falling, but one slid down my cheek

aron dabs at my cheek, careful not to make skin-on-skin contact again. When he pulls it away I feel my eyes widen. The nap

swer with some snide remark, but his eyes showed that he

about an hour ago." He nods as if this meant somet

a small smile. There was slight knowledge in that smile of his, something

s headaches and sneezing." I pause when I hear him tapping on the keyboard, che

terrupted. "Like the

the burning in my cheeks from becoming too visible and stop its spre

gan, "Wait, I don't

ing my mom doesn't even know!) and also acts like he has a clue as to why I'm feeling like a lit candle. Not to mention that his own skin is like he's a damn stove

ks me. Oh, so there's somethi

8." I say, eye

about the words from science class in the eighth grade, but my mind simply doesn't put the pieces t

disappointed at the news. Aaron gives me an amused smirk. The smirk is attractive, the way his eyes seem to light up while a ghost of a smile plays o

with happiness, making his face glow. "Anyway, I'm called a se

r? What are you

ew choice profanities. I mean, I'm not particularly fond of school, but being pulled out to go to some stranger's house is definitely not the rou

out a different kind of history." His voice breaks me out of thought and I notice he's holding out some kind of pink smoothie for me. This brings my mind to my burning limbs and growling stomach

I will tell you right now that no ma

away and you might even be able to get up and walk around." I keep my stare at him for a solid minute, trying to see any hint of a lie on his face.