His Girl, My Boy - Anderperry

Chapter Five

Well, Neil at least. Todd woke up at two in a cold frenzy, drenched with a mixture of sweat and tears. Dream Todd had not been nice that night. Being heckled at for being queer, for letting his boy do that stuff, it all came crashing down like a wave on his chest.

"You're a dirty sinner, Todd. What would Mom do if she found out? Imagine Dad's reaction. Jeffery's too! Disgusted with you! The worst part is that you know what you're doing, Todd, that makes it worse. Sorry, dirty sinner."

Remembering all he had said to himself he couldn't help but let out a sob. He wanted to be stronger, but he couldn't. He cried himself to sleep in fifteen minutes, for he was too tired to continue.

Todd woke up disheveled and with an aching head. He desperately wanted to skip breakfast again, but was certain Nolan would find out this time, so he didn't. Sitting up just made his headache worse.

"Oh, shit. Toddy, you don't look so well, I'll get Nurse Grace, hang on!" As happy as he was to have Neil get the nurse, "Toddy" was all he could think about. Frantically he grabbed some boxers to put in, which messed up his head again. In his opinion, it was better than having the Nurse see him naked. He got back in bed just before she and Neil arrived.

"Now, Neil, Go to breakfast. I have Todd under care." She shooed the worried looking Neil out the door and closed in on Todd. "What seems to be the matter?"

"My head hurts... really badly," He mumbled, talking apparently made it worse.

"I'll get you a warm compress and tell your teachers you will be absent today. Who do you have?"

Groaning from the pain, Todd muttered, "Keating, McAllister, Hager, and- ohh..." Todd could barely finish his sentence. "W-Weir. Mr. Weir's history."

The nurse nodded, sticking her plump arm up to his face to feel his forehead. She smelled like baked apples, which helped Todd calm down. "Oh dear... you may have a fever. Yes, I'll ring your teachers and get someone down here to look after you today." She busied herself getting a thermometer.

"Watch me? I thought you did that?" He felt silly asking the question and winced a little.

"Well my office can only fit one bed, and we've got an eighth grader with the stomach flu there. So I'll grab a student for you sweetie."

Todd thought for a moment and decided on someone. "Charles Dalton, please."

The nurse nodded. "One moment dear, I'll get him." The comforting sound of the nurse's voice soothed Todd back into a lolling slumber.

That didn't last long.

"MR. TODD ANDERSON! I AM HERE TO WAIT ON YOU HAND AND FOOT TODAY!" Charlie put on a falsetto voice and squealed. "Todd, how did you know I wanted to get out of class today?"

Todd looked miserable. "Lucky guess? Quiet down, please." He whispered, Charlie realizing what he'd done.

"Shit, sorry. Can I sit at your desk to do my work? Prof. is making an on-duty nurse work. Tyranny."

Todd just stuck his thumb in the air. Soon enough the nurse brought in a tray with an apple, some crackers, two white pills, water, and the thermometer.

"Now I'm going to stick this under your tongue. You can eat and medicate after." Turning her attention to Charlie, "I expect you to do your work, make sure he rests and eats. I'll be bringing up lunch in a few hours for you both. Does that sound good?" Charlie nodded as she took the thermometer out of Todd's mouth. "No fever... you should be better by tomorrow. Eat up now!" She smiled and left. As soon as she did, Todd slumped on his pillow.

"You heard the woman, eat up! I'll be here if you need me Todd." Sure, Charlie wasn't his top pick, but he was on edge about Neil. Besides, what if he started talking about his girlfriend? Meeks was next, but Todd didn't want to have to burden him with the horrors of missing class, so Charlie would do. He chewed his apple slowly and ate three crackers, then looked at the medicine and sighed.

"What's wrong?" Charlie asked concerned, "You okay?"

He had signed, but Todd didn't want Charlie to know that- "I can't swallow pills." 'Idiot.'

He knew Charlie was trying not to laugh, it was obvious. "Okay, well, have you ever swallowed a cherry pit?"

"Yeah, on accident. Worst experience of my life."

"Well what if you just try to dissolve it in your mouth like hard candy?"

Todd was trying not to think for fear of his head blowing up, so he went and popped the pill on his tongue.

"Down the hatch, Todd-O!"

It was horrible. The earthy chemical taste made him feel instantly nauseous, so he swallowed the pill while and gulped down half of his glass of water.

"Knew it would work," Charlie said with a smug grin. As gross as it was, Todd found this method extremely helpful and repeated it.

"So disgusting, but it was worth it. I'm going to nap, wake me around ten?" Charlie nodded, and Todd fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.