"Hey. How'd it go?" asked Jamie, bundled up on the couch, reading a romance novel. I closed the door with a slam.
"Blurg." I replied, setting my Billabong bag down with a bump. "Reading that trash?" I asked, motioning to the romance novel. "Passionate Fires?" I read, sticking my tongue out. "'a passionate romantic story... full of deception, intrigue, and danger...." I read on the back cover. "These people have no life. I mean, Barney has all this, but is he trashy? No. He's a perfect role model for kids in the 90's."
"He's fucked up." Jamie replied. "Besides, it's all we have around. I found it under Jessica's bed." Jamie said, her face mirroring mine as she took the book from me.
"Go figure. I bet she has a Fabio calendar under there, as well."
"Yep." Jamie giggled, then let out a moan. "God, my head hurts."
"Headache?" I asked, staring down at my spotty foster sister.
"Yeah..."
"Lemme get you a Panadol, and me a sledge hammer." I said, going to the kitchen to get the pills and a glass of water.
Poor kid, I thought sadly. Got chicken pox, and everyone in the house but me abandons her. At least it's starting to go away. I dug around the bag full of medication, looking for the familiar green and white box.
"Gotcha." I murmured when I spotted the box. Then I grabbed a Snoopy glass, and put it under the tap. Walking back to living room, I found Jamie sprawled lengthwise along the couch, grasping her head.
"Owwww..." she moaned.
"Here." I said down to the girl, shoving the glass and pills into her hands.
Jamie sat up, popped out a pill, shoved it into her mouth, and slurped the cool water.
"Well, that was fast recovery." I said in mock surprise.
Jamie grinned. "I'm practicing for when Mum gets home. I do have a headache, though." she told me, holding her pounding head. "Was I convincing?"
"Don't groan so melodramatically." was the answer. "Where's Jess?"
"Off with Skeet." Jamie told her with a wrinkled nose.
"Yuck! I don't know how she likes him!" I genuinely gagged. He was the type who had long stringy hair, had 4 different skateboards, and drove a beat up '86 Ford Falcon. Me and Jamie hated him, but Jessica was infatuated with him. Must be the bad boy appeal.
"He's such a dag." I went on.
"What?" asked Jamie in mock disbelief. "Why, with all those zits, greasy hair, split ends, buck teeth, and bad breath, how could any girl resist?!" she cried. "I have to let you know, Kristen. I can't keep it in any longer." Jamie leaned forward as if telling me a confidential secret. "I am in love with Skeet as well!" she whispered loudly.
I screamed in horror, and backed away from Jamie as if she had a disease. "How... How... How could you?!" I cried.
"I don't know! I just love those blood shot eyes, like he smoked some bong only minutes before.." Jam said, her eyes misty.
"But... but... but he's mine!" I yelled at her. With this, the two of us burst out laughing, tears making our vision blurry.
When the laughter abated, Jamie grinned, and said softly "I'm glad you've had the chicken pox, Kris."
"Well, thanks." I said sarcastically.
"No, you know what I mean. You're the only one who comes near enough to touch me. Everyone else hasn't had it." Jamie said a bit sadly.
My smile faded. It was true. For the past week, Jamie has been left alone, no one getting to close to her, except for me because I already had chicken pox. Jamie, a normally cheerful girl, had never been treated this way.
"Well, there's only one solution to it. With any opportunity, breathe on 'em, drink from their glass, and sneeze in their food."
Jamie laughed softly. "Ooo. Head still hurts."
"Ack, well, lassie, ye better keep ye yap shut, and get ye rest." I told Jamie, throwing a pillow at her.
"Aye." Jamie said, laying back, grabbing her 'passionate romance' book.