I'm Not In Love - Chapter Seven

Jamie laughed and screamed playfully as Nate picked her up from the back and spun her around with her feet off the ground. “Haha, it’s our ball now.” He shouted, grabbing the football from Jamie’s hands.

“That’s okay, because you’re still losing by three points!” Jamie yelled back playfully.

“That’s only because you got Carden.”

“Aw, don’t be salty! But remember, the pink team will prevail.” Jamie motioned to her team, Gabe, Mike, Sisky, and Alex. They took their team name too literal, and now were all clad in pink shirts, sweatbands, socks, etcetera, but Jamie was proud. Nate’s team consisted of William, Jack, Travis (from We the Kings), and Tony. They were putting up a good fight, but they were still losing.

All of the sudden, Jamie felt her stomach turning, and she couldn’t keep it in anymore. She ran away without saying anything, fearing that if she opened her mouth, she wouldn’t be able to control her stomach. She got past the buses and there were bushes around the border of the parking lot, and she figured they would suffice. Jamie bent over and tried to keep the hair out of her face as she puked in the bushes. She heard footsteps behind her and someone grabbed the hair out of her face and off of her neck.

“It’s okay,” Nate cooed as he rubbed her back. When she was done a minute later she stood back up straight and he could see the tears coming down her face. “It’s okay” he said again as he pulled her into a hug. “Let’s go get you some water.” He put his arm around her and guided her back toward the buses. Nate noticed that she was shaking, but he figured it was just because she was sick.

As they turned the corner around the buses, Sisky immediately ran up to them. “What happened? Are you okay?” he asked Jamie.

She silently nodded and looked up and Sisky saw the tears still flowing freely down her cheeks. Jamie let go of Nate and walked over to where her water bottle was. She drained the bottle, but it didn’t help the bitter aftertaste. “I’m going to get some stomach pills, and brush my teeth. Can you come with me, Nate?”

He put his arm back around her and walked her slowly to the Pink Spiders bus. As soon as they were out of earshot, Sisky turned to the others. “Apparently she puked in the bushes.”

“So, you’re saying she got sick?” William asked. “Is she pregnant?”

The idea hit Sisky for the first time and he made him angry. “Where’s Andy? Did he get her pregnant. I’ll punch him, I swear!!” Sisky yelled.

Tony put his hand on Sisky’s shoulder. “Dude, chill out. Maybe we should find out the story before you go off killing random band members.”
*****
Jamie climbed the steps up to the bus, and Nate followed her to the bathroom. He watched as she brushed her teeth and got a new bottle of water. She opened the medicine cabinet and pulled out a small bottle of pills labeled “Acid Reducers”. Nate believed the bottle, but Jamie new the truth. She stored the real medicine in her clothes, there were pills of Speed that Matt hid. Jamie knew these pills would make her feel better a lot quicker than any acid reducer.

“Jamie, what did you eat today?” Nate asked, trying to find the cause of her illness.

“Um, coffee. That’s about it” Jamie answered.

“All you had to eat and drink all day was coffee. No wonder you’re sick, you need nutrition. Let me take you to get something.”

“No, Nate, honestly, I’m feeling fine” she pleaded with him.

“Jamie, you need to eat, that’s what your body is telling you. Let’s go to the super market and pick out some real food. I saw one down the street.” A few minutes later, Jamie found herself walking around the fresh fruit and vegetable section at the Acme with Nate and Sisky. They were picking out foods to make her a healthy salad that would fill her up, but Jamie honestly wasn’t even hungry. When they got to the checkout, Nate insisted on paying, which made Jamie feel even worse about the situation. The men were gentlemen and carried the bags home, because of Jamie’s “fragile state”.

“So, Jamie,” Sisky started as they were walking home, “I’m just wondering, are you pregnant?”

“There’s no chance of that. I think I just have a little stomach flu or something.” They got back to the buses and decided to eat in the Cobra bus, mainly because it was cleaner. Sisky and Nate worked on cutting the vegetables and Jamie sat at the table and sipped out of her water bottle. Andy ran up the steps on the bus and frantically sat down next to Jamie.

“I came as soon as someone today me. Why didn’t you call me? Are you okay?” Andy asked quickly.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Nate and Sisky are making me a salad. I haven’t eaten all day.”

“How do you just not eat all day?”

“I guess I just forgot. I wasn’t really hungry. I’m still not that hungry.” Jamie answered back. At that moment, Nate brought over a bowl filled with lettuce, celery, carrots, and cucumbers. They watched as Jamie stirred a minimal amount of dressing on top and forked a bit into her mouth.

“We’ll leave you two alone” Nate said and lead Sisky off of the bus.

Andy and Jamie sat in silence for a minute as he watched her eat more of the salad. He moved closer to her, and she took it as a cue to put her fork down.

“Do you think…” she started, but Andy cut her off by kissing her. Jamie’s first reaction was to push him away. “What are you doing? I’m sick. You can’t afford to be sick too.”

Andy looked hurt and Jamie immediately felt bad. “Look, I didn’t mean for it to be so harsh. I would love to kiss you, but I don’t want you to catch anything.”

“Well, I just want you to feel better. You should finish the rest of your salad” he said as he pointed down to the table.

“I’m not hungry” Jamie said as she pushed it away.

“Do you want me to walk you back to your bus?” Andy asked.

“You do realize I’m not 12, right? I can walk places by myself. And when I’m hungry, I’ll eat. I’m already embarrassed enough that I’m sick, but everyone is making a big show out of it, and it’s not making me feel better.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You know what would make me feel better? If you made the effort to get to know Matt, Jon, and Bob better. I’m living with them now, and you have this picture in your mind of who they really are, but you don’t know them. You judged them by one encounter, and you never gave them a second chance.”

“I know, I’m just not a forgiving person” Andy said back and pushed her hair behind her ear.

“Please try, Andy. I really like you, but I feel like you’re judging me by who I hang out with.” She watched as he nodded shyly, and looked down. She lifted his head back up by putting a finger under his chin, so their eyes met. “Can you walk me back to the bus?” Jamie asked and smiled at him.

He smiled and got out of the booth and pulled Jamie up by her hands, and right into his arms. She laughed and kissed him. Before they left, Jamie reached into her pocket and pulled out a 20 and placed it on the table for Nate to cover the cost of the salad makings.

They were outside of the Pink Spiders bus and he pushed her gently against the side of the bus and passionately kissed her. “Goodnight” he said when they were done.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked. Andy smiled as Jamie took his hand and lead him into the bus.

“What about pajamas?” Andy asked jokingly.

“I don’t think you’ll need them” Jamie said as she turned around to face him. She winked and then turned back around. They were passing the bathroom when the door opened and a cloud of steam hit them. Matt walked out with only a towel around his waist.

Andy let out a sigh and stuck out his hand. “I think we need to start over. Truce?”

Matt nodded and shook Andy’s outstretched hand. “Agreed. Are you guys going to bed?” Jamie raised her eyebrows and Matt got the message. “Well, then goodnight, my little razorblade.” He leaned down to kiss Jamie on the cheek, but she stopped him. They walked past him and Matt stared longingly at Jamie. She looked so happy as Butcher kissed her and lifted her into the bunk.