It had been a month since Michael asked me to marry him. We returned to school and it was of course difficult to keep our hands off each other.
It was after my English class and I was sitting in the library doing research for a paper due in History class. I was looking through the shelves trying to find books to cite for my paper when a wave of nausea took me by surprise. I dropped my books and ran to the bathroom.
After having my head hung over the toilet for twenty minutes, I splashed some cold water on my face and rinsed my mouth out. This was the second time today that I had felt sick so suddenly.
Walking out of the bathroom I bumped into my best friend Crystal. "Hey, are you okay? I saw you rush out of the library."
"Yeah, I'm okay. I just haven't been feeling well today." Out of the corner of my eye I saw my brother and a girl from the track team talking. I was about to ask Crystal who she was when I saw her run her fingers through his hair. I could tell she was flirting with him and it made my heart drop into my stomach.
Leaving Crystal standing in the hallway, I ran out to the parking lot and headed to my car. As soon as I shut the door I was balling my eyes out. I felt like I had stayed there for an hour just crying. I wiped my tears away and drove home deciding just to skip last period.
As soon as I parked in front of my grandparents house, I jumped out of my car and ran upstairs. I ignored my grandmother who was calling after me.
As soon as I closed the door of my room I stripped out of my skirt and short sleeve turtle neck and started to run myself a warm bath. Taking off my bra and panties I continued to think about Michael and the girl he was with. How could he do this to me? I thought he loved me. Why would he just stand there and let another girl touch him?
Slipping into the warm water I let all my tension go. The water seemed to soothe my sore body and it made me feel relaxed and less sick.
Suddenly I heard a knock on my bathroom door. "Rachel, sweetheart? Can I come in?"
"Yes, come in Grams." she opened the door and sat on a chair next to the tub. "Sorry I just stormed past you. I jut haven't been feeling well today."
"Honey, did something happen today to make you upset? You look like you have been crying."
I took a shaky breath and explained what happened at school to Grams. I felt like crying all over again and by the time we were done talking I was. Grams helped me out of the tub and into my robe. She laid me down and told me she would be right back. Five minutes later she came in with a cup of honey tea. I drank it slowly as she rubbed my back to comfort me.
Once I was finished with my tea I put it on my side table and turned to my grandmother "I think I just want to lay down for abit and close my eyes. I'm really tired."
"Okay, sweetheart. Just get some sleep and I'll call you when dinner is ready." Grams kissed me on the forehead, took the cup off of the side table and left me to sleep.
=======================
When I woke up I could hear my grandfather speaking loudly from the living room. He seemed to be very upset. I immediately got out of bed, put on a matching set of underwear and slipped into a pair of jeans and a white camisole. I pulled my hair into a pony tail and went down stairs to see what was going on.
"... I expect better from you. You have hurt Rachel deeply. You owe her an apology. I'm tired of boys now a days letting another person be on top of them when there is a woman who loves you and depends on you. What do you have to say for yourself young man?"
