her and not on the syringe that looked a foot long. She gritted her teeth as pressure, then pain, overcame her. It felt as if a vacuum cleaner were sucking out some of her insides. When it was over, the nurse gave her a perfunctory pat. “There. Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Yes, it was horrible
. “No problem,” she said as she blinked back tears.
“You’ll be tender in that spot for a little while, but you can get up and walk around once you get back to your floor.” The nurse settled Melissa in a wheelchair for the ride back to her room. “There’s a video game machine up there if you’re into Space Invaders.”
But Melissa didn’t want to socialize. She justwanted to return to her room and study. Regardless of her hospital visit, she was determined to make a good showing in the Brain Bowl drill next week. Besides, studying let her escape from worrying about her mysterious illness.
Jory called at lunchtime. “Where are you?” Melissa asked.
“Drove over to McDonald’s for lunch. I’m at the pay phone next door at the Seven-Eleven.”
The familiar image of that corner, a hangout for Lincoln students, sprang so sharply into Melissas mind that a lump came to her throat. “What’d you have to eat?” she asked, clearing her throat.
“The usual—Big Mac and large fries. You know my weakness for grease. Hold on—I have someone here who wants to say hi.”
Sounds of the phone being fumbled and passed came through the receiver. “Hi, Melissa.”
“Hi, Brad.” Her voice went soft when she heard his.
“Jory tells me you’re skipping school for a few days.”
“Jory exaggerates. I’ll be home in another day. I thought I’d experience firsthand the life of a laboratory rat. So far, it’s not much fun, but it’s given me a whole new respect for people who march for animal rights.”
Brad chuckled. “Hey, did I ever tell you I’m glad you made the Brain Bowl team?”
“Yes, but not nearly in enough detail. I left school a bit suddenly the other day.” She allowed the sarcasm to bleed into her inflection. “But you did predict at the country club we’d both make it. Are you psychic?”
“Just confident. And besides, didn’t I say I wanted you on the team with me?”
Her pulse quickened. “Yes, you did.”
“So hurry up and get out of that hospital. I wouldn’t mind a few private study sessions between the two of us.”
“I’ll tell my doctor to put a rush on my case.”
The phone passed back to Jory. “Well, I’ve gotta run. Chemistry lab next period, you know. Ugh. I hate it.”
“Don’t blow anything up.”
“Ha-ha! I’ll stop by to see you tonight. Do—uh—do you want me to bring a visitor?” Jory asked the question in a conspiratorial whisper.
“Don’t you dare drag Brad up here, Jory Delaney! Do you hear me?”
“Just asking … ” Jory huffed in mock innocence. “It’s not every day you can legitimately have a guy ogle you while you’re lying around in your nightgown. It could be kind of sexy.”
“Forget it.”
“I could bring the red harem gown … ”
“Jorry!”
“Suit yourself. See ya later.”
Melissa hung up with an amused shake of her head. Jory was incorrigible. Maybe that’s why I like her so much, Melissa thought. Lucky, carefree, Jory. With nothing more serious on her mind than a chemistry lab.
Michael popped his head around her door frame. “Up for some company?”
Delighted to see him, she lifted her arms for a hug. “I thought you were working this afternoon.”
“I’m between jobs. Also, I have class tonight, and I didn’t want to go an entire day without seeing you. Mom says she’ll be up this evening. How are they treating you?” The lightness left his voice.
She rubbed her hip gingerly. “I’ve had better times in my life. But the sooner I get all this testing done, the sooner I can get back to a normal life.”
He tugged affectionately on a hank of her hair. “You look pale.”
“Michael, there
Yes, it was horrible
. “No problem,” she said as she blinked back tears.
“You’ll be tender in that spot for a little while, but you can get up and walk around once you get back to your floor.” The nurse settled Melissa in a wheelchair for the ride back to her room. “There’s a video game machine up there if you’re into Space Invaders.”
But Melissa didn’t want to socialize. She justwanted to return to her room and study. Regardless of her hospital visit, she was determined to make a good showing in the Brain Bowl drill next week. Besides, studying let her escape from worrying about her mysterious illness.
Jory called at lunchtime. “Where are you?” Melissa asked.
“Drove over to McDonald’s for lunch. I’m at the pay phone next door at the Seven-Eleven.”
The familiar image of that corner, a hangout for Lincoln students, sprang so sharply into Melissas mind that a lump came to her throat. “What’d you have to eat?” she asked, clearing her throat.
“The usual—Big Mac and large fries. You know my weakness for grease. Hold on—I have someone here who wants to say hi.”
Sounds of the phone being fumbled and passed came through the receiver. “Hi, Melissa.”
“Hi, Brad.” Her voice went soft when she heard his.
“Jory tells me you’re skipping school for a few days.”
“Jory exaggerates. I’ll be home in another day. I thought I’d experience firsthand the life of a laboratory rat. So far, it’s not much fun, but it’s given me a whole new respect for people who march for animal rights.”
Brad chuckled. “Hey, did I ever tell you I’m glad you made the Brain Bowl team?”
“Yes, but not nearly in enough detail. I left school a bit suddenly the other day.” She allowed the sarcasm to bleed into her inflection. “But you did predict at the country club we’d both make it. Are you psychic?”
“Just confident. And besides, didn’t I say I wanted you on the team with me?”
Her pulse quickened. “Yes, you did.”
“So hurry up and get out of that hospital. I wouldn’t mind a few private study sessions between the two of us.”
“I’ll tell my doctor to put a rush on my case.”
The phone passed back to Jory. “Well, I’ve gotta run. Chemistry lab next period, you know. Ugh. I hate it.”
“Don’t blow anything up.”
“Ha-ha! I’ll stop by to see you tonight. Do—uh—do you want me to bring a visitor?” Jory asked the question in a conspiratorial whisper.
“Don’t you dare drag Brad up here, Jory Delaney! Do you hear me?”
“Just asking … ” Jory huffed in mock innocence. “It’s not every day you can legitimately have a guy ogle you while you’re lying around in your nightgown. It could be kind of sexy.”
“Forget it.”
“I could bring the red harem gown … ”
“Jorry!”
“Suit yourself. See ya later.”
Melissa hung up with an amused shake of her head. Jory was incorrigible. Maybe that’s why I like her so much, Melissa thought. Lucky, carefree, Jory. With nothing more serious on her mind than a chemistry lab.
Michael popped his head around her door frame. “Up for some company?”
Delighted to see him, she lifted her arms for a hug. “I thought you were working this afternoon.”
“I’m between jobs. Also, I have class tonight, and I didn’t want to go an entire day without seeing you. Mom says she’ll be up this evening. How are they treating you?” The lightness left his voice.
She rubbed her hip gingerly. “I’ve had better times in my life. But the sooner I get all this testing done, the sooner I can get back to a normal life.”
He tugged affectionately on a hank of her hair. “You look pale.”
“Michael, there
Similar Books
