The shrill sound of laughter from what feels like the entire hall follows us as I go, and I look back up at the aisle where I was sitting to see Blakely grinning down at me like the Cheshire cat. That is, until Leo who had been packing up the desks, grabs his bag, Peyton’s, and mine, following us out. The last thing I see before the doors shut behind me is her screeching at Leo, and him not sparing her a glance, eyes focused solely on us.
I don’t make it back to my dorm before hurling everywhere. I do, however, make it to a window so that the vomit lands in the garden at least. Small mercies. I don’t know how long I stay slumped over the window with Peyton rubbing small circles on my back, but after what feels like hours I crumble to the floor, drained. My eyes begin to flutter closed as calloused fingers gently lift me until my head is fitted against a broad chest, and firm arms secure under my knees and band around my back, carrying me the rest of the way to my dorm.
I must fall asleep because the next thing I know I’m being gently laid down on the couch by Leo and Peyton is pushing a bucket beside me. I stay that way for the next few hours, flicking between throwing up the entirety of my stomach contents, and then some, and drifting off to sleep.
The next time I wake is with Peyton pushing the fallen hair from my face and asking me if I’m hungry. I am, but the thought of eating sets off the churning in my stomach again. When I don’t puke, I decide eating might be worth the risk and give a slight head nod. She moves away from me bringing back a glass of water and the juiciest looking burger I think I’ve ever seen.
When I sit up, I see that Leo is still here too, seated in the armchair watching some comedy. For some reason, I had Leo pegged as the kind of guy who likes psychological thrillers or something, with his whole silent type thing he has going on, but the quirk in my mouth shows just how much he’s enjoying watching Jack Black masquerade as schoolteacher.
I finish my burger in record time and before I even have a chance, Peyton is scooping up my plate and stacking it in the dishwasher, then seats herself beside me on the couch. I feel better as the movie continues, guessing that I expelled the bug right out of me. Each song that plays leaves Peyton to turn up the volume louder and louder until I feel like one of us would have to yell to hear the other, and while I laugh at her Leo just shakes his head like this is typical Peyton behavior.
The final music number has Peyton forcing me up from my spot to dance around as she sings obnoxiously loud. Her talent begins and ends with dancing, her off key notes reverberating the walls, but that doesn’t stop her. I dance around, twirling and laughing, when Peyton pulls me to a stop looking me dead in the eye and repeating the words of Jack Black. “Now, can I please have the attention of the class. Today’s assignment-”
“Kick some ass!” We shout before doubling over in laughter.
I’ve never felt more carefree than I do in this exact moment, and I don’t want it to end. Leo’s laughter rumbles all around us and I can’t help but look over my shoulder at him, a wide smile still plastered on my face. He’s looking at us, the movie forgotten, as he continues to chuckle, a soft small gracing that beautiful mouth of him. The first real smile I think I’ve seen from him, and it has my heart stuttering in my chest.
Peyton is quick to pull back my focus as she grabs my hand and twirls herself under my arm. She’s not a tall girl, I’d five-five, but she still has to duck to make it under my arm without damaging us both. The movie ends too soon, and with it the cheery mood does too.
My eyebrows pull together as I look between them both, the mood is somber and borderline hostile but for the life of me, I can’t figure out what’s changed in the two seconds that it took to turn off the tv. Peyton is pointedly not looking at me, keeping her gaze locked on her hands clasped in her lap. Leo on the other hand is slunk back in his chair, arms folded and scowling at the floor like it’s personally offended him. I continue to glance between them both before demanding that they just come out with whatever the fuck has happened now.
Peyton doesn’t speak, but Leo exhales a large breath before reaching into his back pocket and placing whatever is in his hand on the coffee table in front of me. It’s a little brown vial, and at first, I don’t understand why I’m looking at it. I pick it up, turning the little glass bottle over in my hands looking for the label. Ipecac. It sounds familiar but I can’t place what it is. I keep reading the label, thewarninglabel.
For emergency use to cause vomiting in poisoning. Before using, call physician, the Poison Control Center, or hospital emergency room immediately for advice. Keep out of reach of children.
“What the fuck is this?” I whisper. My stomach churns as my mind works in overdrive to sort through the information, putting it together like a puzzle. I already know, and I can barely control the bile that creeps up the back of my thought at the realization.
The vial. The vomiting. Blakely’s grin as I left class. Blakely watching me this morning. The coffee.The coffee.Thatbitchpoisoned me! She didn’t leave until I finished my mug, she fucked waited to watch to make sure she was successful. She’s a fucking psycho!
Neither of them speaks, and what could they say? There are no words for this. My mind is racing as I jump to my feet and stomp into the kitchen, startling both Peyton and Leo in the process and rip the coffee machine straight off the bench. It smashes as I shove it into the bin and breath starts coming out in short sharp pants. Oh god. I close my eyes and push my fists against them in an attempt to stop myself from screaming. I didn’t realise Leo followed me into the kitchen, but when his fingertips graze my shoulder, I freak the fuck out, whirling my anger on him.
“This is your fault!” My voice cracks as I scream at him, shoving a finger into his chest. He’s vibrating with anger, obviously not liking the accusation, but still manages to shock the shit out of me when he says, “I know”, in that low husky voice of his.
“Are you satisfied yet? I push over one boy for being an asshole and I get fucking poisoned! Is that justifiable to you? Do you feel good about yourself now?” I continue my onslaught, hurling my accusations at him while I back away, putting as much distance between us as I can.
He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’tdoanything, just stands there taking the acid pouring from my mouth and that sends me to the borderline of my sanity. I launch the empty vial at him. Regret pulses through me the instant it sails from my fingertips. I am not this person. I will not be this person. I step forward as if I can will the vial back to me, but it’s too late to stop this from happening.
Leo catches it inches from him face and slams his hand down on the kitchen island with an open palm, shattering it. Everything stops. He and I just stare at each other, open expressions. I know he can see the guilt swirling over my face because he closes his eyes in response, releasing a slow breath. Peyton lets out a whimper and our eyes swing to her, having forgotten she was even here, to see her staring with wide horrified eyes, a hand covering her mouth.
I go to move to her, but Leo beats me to it, making it to her in four steps and wrapping his arms around her, gently telling her that it’s okay, that we are okay. I keep my eyes downcast, the guilt of my actions eating away at me. What the fuck is wrong with me? Instead, as Leo comforts Peyton, I clean up the vial. I notice spots of blood around the edges of the broken glass. It's then that I look up and see the blood dripping down Leo’s fingers.
My throat tightens as the shame starts to overwhelm me, but instead I move into the bathroom and pull out my emergency first aid and set it up on the couch. I’ll fix this first before I wallow in my own self-pity. Peyton notices my concern as I draw closer to them and extracts herself from Leo, before stepping into me and engulfing me in a tight hug that threatens to break the dam of control I have on my emotions. I return it full force, muttering an apology. She tells me to shut up, not needing or wanting one at my outburst, and continues to hold me tightly.
Pulling back, I grab Leo’s hand gently and guide him to the couch. He wordlessly obeys, letting himself be dragged and lowered to the couch, moving a little when I squeeze in beside him. There’s lots of room on either side of us that should mean I don’t need to be this close, but unfortunately short girls also come with short limbs and if I were to sit a safe distance away, I wouldn’t be able to comfortably reach his hand.
Grabbing out an antiseptic wipe to clean off the excess blood from the back of his hand, before turning it over to see the deep gash oozing blood in the center of his palm. I choke on a sob as I see the consequence of my actions and tears burn in my eyes.
“I’m so sorry. I, I didn’t-”
“Shhh,” he soothes, running his thumb to catch a stray tear, “not you too.”
I swallow to hold back the sobs wanting to burst free and nod, continuing to work. I clean the cut before lightly lathering a cream over the wound. It’s not deep enough to need stitches, but it will probably sting for a few days. My fingers continue to rub over his palm lightly, enjoying the rough feel of his skin. I’m thinking he must be ticklish because anytime my finger touches where his hand meets his wrist, his fingers curl a fraction, and his hand jolts a little. I test it out a few more times, getting the same reaction, before sifting through the kit for gauze and bandages.
The gauze is covered in saline when Leo starts in on how he doesn’t need his hand bandaged but I’m not hearing it. If only to appease my own guilty actions, I need to do this, and I’m thankful for the small courtesy he’s giving me by letting me right this wrong. I level him with a dark look, telling him to shut up with my eyes, before placing the gauze gently on the cut. He smiles at me, giving me the same soft headshake, he does Peyton, before letting me continue my work.
Leo leaves a few hours later to get to his afternoon classes, but Peyton and I stay in my room until dance.
Chapter Eight