May Sickness (Chapter 20)

Chapter 20

Nina heard the phone ringing from her room. Someone will answer it. She thought as she tossed in bed. The comfort of her warm bed was far more inviting than the thought of answering a phone. She dug into the blankets and closed her eyes.

Ring.The phone rang again.

“Oh my God!” She said as she sat up. “No one else can answer a phone, I guess.” Nina raised her arms and stretched, her back popping in the process. Most teenagers, including Nina, on a Sunday morning during the final stretch of summer, would be sleeping in, regardless of a ringing phone.

Ring.

“I'm coming!” She stumbled out of bed. Wearing her usual nightwear, a pair of pajama pants and a long shirt, she walked into the living room.

Ri...Nina picked the phone up midway through the ringing.

“Hello?” She said with a hint of agitation.

“Nina...” Roy voice answered, it was low, quiet, barely audible. “Did I wake you? I'm sorry, I'll call back.” His voice cracked.

“Roy, what's wrong?” She worried, he sounded upset.

“Nothing, I just... I just miss you so much.” He started to cry.

Roy sat in his bed, the only light in the room was that coming from his phone's L.E.D screen.

“It's okay Roy,” She stopped for a moment, “What's wrong? There's something your not telling me.”

Roy wiped his eyes with the palms of his hands, “I'm okay, I just wanted to hear your voice. I'm sorry I haven't called you in a while, I'm sorry.”

Something must have happened, I've never heard him like this.Nina thought as she rubbed her eyes, not yet fully await. “Roy, it's okay, don't worry about it. Please tell me what happened.”

Roy took a deep breath, I have to snap out of it. I don't to be upsetting Nina, he thought. “I'm sorry...”

Nina stopped him, “I said it's okay.”

“No I mean about calling you and doing this.”

“Calling and doing what?” She asked.

“Calling you and acting sad, being a general downer, I hope you'll forgive me. And I'm sorry for waiting you.” Roy answered, regretting calling and making Nina worry.

“It's nothing, I needed to wait up early anyway.”

“Is it okay if I call you tonight?”

“How dare you say that!” She laughed, “You call any time you want, I prefer talking to you than doing nothing. The only bad thing is there’s no kiss good night. Anyway, I'll be heading back to bed.”

“I'll call tonight.”

“It's a date.”

“Bye Nina, I love.”

“I love you too, but please, tell me what happened, but only when you want to, okay?”

“Okay.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

Roy closed the lid of the phone and placed it on the night stand. The room was completely dark, and he sat staring into it. It was a type of darkness most people's eyes could not adjust, he was one of those people. Roy had learned to supplement his vision with his powers, and no longer kept the lights on when he was in his room, which most of the time he was. Since his return from the hospital all he had done was sit in his room, in the darkness doing nothing. Rarely had he eaten, and that had been the first time he had called Nina that week.

The sound of his mother's foot steps went pass the door. Roy looked to see what she was doing. His mother stood in front of the door, hand hovering over the door handle. She had been doing that each day before she went to work, and each time it would end the same way. She walked away, down the stairs and out the door. Roy wondered what she was doing, but did not pry into the subject, instead of asking or even looking into her mind he assumed it had something to do with his injuries.

Roy rubbed his back, the cast on his hand snagged on one of the stitches that stretched across his back. It pulled his flesh and he squinted in pain. Damn it, now it hurts again. I hope I didn't upset her.He looked down, I can't tell her whathappened, I just can't. It won't do anyone any good. Only when she needs to know, or should know, will I tell her.Royran his fingers through his hair, it was greasy, he had not showered since his return home. I'm disgusting, I need to take a shower.His stomach growled, I should get something to eat.But even with those thoughts Roy stayed in bed, hungry, dirty, waiting for night fall to call Nina.