Chapter One
Beep...Beep…Beep…BEEP. I rolled over lazily and slapped the snooze on my alarm clock. I half-closed my eyes and then I caught glance of the time.
"Oh no!" I cried, jumping out of bed. I ran to the bathroom and quickly took a shower. I rushed back to my room and started rustling through my closet. I found my jeans skirt and a sweater, which I threw on. I quickly did my hair and make-up and then rushed downstairs.
"Morning, Dad."
"Good morning, Mary Anne." said Dad, who was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee, reading the paper. I sat down with a piece of toast and a banana.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah, although I overslept. Where's Dawn and Sharon?"
Dawn and Sharon are my step-mother and step-sister. My mom died when I was a baby and my dad raised me until I was twelve. Then Dawn's family moved to Stoneybrook, Connecticut, which is where we live. Dawn's mom and my dad had been high school sweethearts, which Dawn and I discovered one rainy afternoon. So we set them up and now they're married.
"Dawn just left because she needed to get to school early for something and Sharon had to leave for work early. Speaking of getting to school, you need to get moving if you don't want to be late."
I looked at my watch and then shoved the rest of my banana into my mouth. I grabbed a container of left-over salad for lunch and then ran out the door.
"Bye Dad!"
"Good-bye Mary Anne. See you this evening." I heard Dad call as I rushed down the front walk. I hurried through the cold all the way to school. I reached the school just as the bell rang and slipped into homeroom without going to my locker. Mr. Blake, my homeroom teacher, started calling role. I sat, trying to catch my breath. Dawn turned around from the seat in front of me.
"Mary Anne, are you okay?"
"Yeah. I just ran a little late this morning. Why?"
"Well, for starters, you have two different colors of eye shadow on, and your sweater is on backwards."
"Is it really?" I cried, a flush creeping up my cheeks. Dawn nodded.
"But it's not that noticeable. The only reason I know is because I bought the sweater for you."
"How bad are my eyes?" I asked, worried.
"Not that bad-one's a light purple, the other a light blue."
"I knew I was running late-"
"Okay girls. Time to focus on The Red Pony." Mr. Blake called out. Dawn turned around again and I rooted through my bag and found my copy of the book.
The day didn't get much better as it went on. I forgot my math homework at home, and I didn't have a gym shirt, so I had to wear an old smelly one from the box of spares in the P.E. office.
I sighed as I closed my locker and headed for the cafeteria with my salad. I sat down at my normal table and found Kristy Thomas and Claudia Kishi were already there.
"This is absolutely disgusting." Kristy said, poking the thing on her tray.
"What is it?" Claudia asked, peering at it.
"It's supposed to be Chicken Alfredo. But I think it's a shredded kickball covered with Elmer's' glue."
"Kristy, stop!" I cried. I have a very weak stomach and Kristy's descriptions of school lunches make me want to throw up.
"Okay, okay." Kristy said. I opened up my salad container and found that my salad had wilting leaves and the cherry tomatoes were starting to go bad. I sighed again.
"What's wrong Mary Anne?" asked Dawn, sitting down.
"I'm just having a bad day. First I oversleep, then I miss-match my clothes and makeup, I forgot my math book, and I didn't have a gym shirt. Now my lunch is wilting."
"I'll gladly trade you." Kristy said, offering me a fork of the un-identifiable substance. I glanced down at my salad and decided it wasn't so bad.
"No, but thanks." I started nibbling at my salad.
The rest of the lunch period went quickly and before I knew it, the bell had rung. I got up slowly and headed for the door. As a sea of people pushed me forward, I realized that I hadn't seen my boyfriend, Logan. Sometimes he eats with us, and sometimes he stays and eats with his guy friends. I glanced around, but couldn't see him. I just shrugged and let the mass of people guide me to my locker.
I forgot all about Logan until the end of the day. I headed towards my locker, thankful that the day was over. The afternoon hadn't been as bad as the morning, but it still wasn't great. I had tons of homework. I reached my locker and began doing the combination when I heard my name being called. I looked up and saw Kristy battling her way through people.
"Hi Kristy." I said, still working the lock.
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I thought you might like a hug." Kristy hugged me while I just stood there confused.
"Why would I need a hug? I mean, I know I've had a bad day, but it's not that bad."
"So you're not upset about Logan?"
"What? That he didn't eat with us?" I asked, gathering my books and stuffing them into my bag.
"No, that Logan's got some kind of flu bug. He's not even here today."
I stopped what I was doing and looked at Kristy.
"What?"
"Yeah. I heard Austin tell Mr. Zizmore that Logan has some kind of flu bug. I thought you'd know by now."
"I didn't. Poor Logan." I said, trying not to cry. I'm very sensitive and I don't like to see people hurting or sick.
"Are you going to be okay?" Kristy asked me.
"Yeah. Maybe I'll go visit him, if Mrs. Bruno says it's okay."
"That's a good idea. If you see him, tell him the whole BSC says we hope he feels better soon."
"Okay. 'Bye Kristy."
"'Bye. See you at 5:30!" Kristy turned and hurried off down the hall and I slammed my locker door shut. I walked outside and ducked my head against the cold as I hurried home.
Once I got home, I dumped my books on the table and went to the phone. I dialed Logan's number and waited. Mrs. Bruno picked up on the third ring.
"Hello?"
"Mrs. Bruno, its Mary Anne."
"Hello dear. How are you doing?"
"I'm good thanks. How are you?"
"I'm doing fine. Did you want to speak with Logan?"
"Well, actually, I heard at school that he has a flu bug."
"Yes, it's true. A rather nasty one, too."
"Would it be okay if I came to visit him? I wouldn't have to stay long."
"Are you sure you want to, Mary Anne? He's still contagious."
"I'm sure."
"Well, then I'm sure Logan would love to see you Mary Anne."
"Thank you. Is it okay if I come around 4:45?"
"Sure. I'll call you if something happens and you shouldn't come, okay?"
"Okay. Thanks Mrs. Bruno."
"No problem. Good-bye Mary Anne."
"'Bye."
I hung up the phone at went to the kitchen, where I made myself a snack. Then I sat down at the kitchen table and began my homework. I managed to finish about half of it by 4:30. I cleaned up my snack and then took all my books upstairs. Then I went and found my jacket, and headed out to Logan's house.
The walk to the Brunos' isn't that long so I reached the door promptly at 4:45. I rang the bell and waited. Kerry, Logan's younger sister, opened the door a moment later.
"Hi Mary Anne!"
"Hi Kerry." I said, trying not to let on that my mood wasn't that good.
"Are you here to see Logan?"
"Yep. Can I come in?"
"Sure." Kerry opened the door all the way and let me in. Mrs. Bruno appeared after the door had been closed.
"Hi Mary Anne."
"Hello."
"Logan's very excited to see you."
"I'm looking forward to seeing him, too." I said politely. Meanwhile, my heart was pounding. I wasn't sure what to expect when I saw Logan. Mrs. Bruno had said the flu bug was a nasty one. How nasty was nasty? Would Logan look really bad or not so bad? I really hoped I wouldn't cry. I knew the last thing Logan needed on his mind was a weepy girlfriend.
"Well, you can go on up. Austin Bentley is here, too. He brought Logan his homework."
"Okay. Thank you."
Mrs. Bruno disappeared to the kitchen and I headed up the stairs. At the top of the stairs, I turned left and went to the second door, which was closed. I knocked on it and waited. A moment later, Austin opened the door.
"Oh, hi Mary Anne." Austin said, looking somewhat surprised.
"Hi."
"Come on in." Austin held the door open for me.
"Thanks."
I went in the room and everything hit me at once. There was Logan, lying in bed, half propped up by pillows. His eyes were glazed, his face red and sweaty. He smiled weakly at me. I glanced around his room and saw a washcloth in a basin of water and a thermometer sitting on his night table. I tried to absorb it all while trying not to cry.
"Hi Logan." I said quietly.
"Hi Mary Anne." Logan's voice was raspy and his words jagged.
"Well, I guess I'll be going. Feel better soon Logan. 'Bye Mary Anne." Austin said, grabbing his backpack.
"'Bye Austin."
"Thanks for the homework. 'Bye." Logan said, talking softly. Austin left and closed the door behind him. I turned towards Logan, who was looking at the wall. He sighed.
"How're you feeling?" I asked, sitting in the chair by his desk.
"Lousy, but thanks for asking." Logan said, and I knew he was trying to get me to smile. I did and then so did he.
"I'm sorry. You must be miserable."
"Yeah, but I don't think it's as bad as it looks."
"Oh. How did you catch this bug?" I asked.
"I don't know. I was fine when I went to bed last night but this morning I woke up around five and I could barely move with feeling dizzy."
"Wow. Hopefully it doesn't last too much longer."
"It shouldn't. My mom talked to the doctor and he said that things like this are usually twenty-four hour things. I already feel better than this morning."
"That's good. What have you done all day? I know that when I'm sick, I'm always really bored."
"I haven't really been awake much today. I slept a lot."
"Well, sleep's okay. It's your body's way of getting better."
"I know. Mary Anne…" Logan's voice trailed off.
"Yes?"
"I saw your face when you came in and I know you. Promise me something."
"What?"
"Promise me you won't worry about me. I'm going to be fine."
"Okay. I promise." It amazed me about how perceptive Logan could be.
"Thank you."
"You know, seeing you makes me think that my day wasn't all that bad."
"What do you mean?"
"I had a really bad day-I forgot stuff, I grabbed the wrong things, my make-up was different this morning, my sweater was backwards, I was almost late. You get the general idea. But seeing how miserable you look makes me feel lucky that I was even able to get out of bed this morning."
"I'm glad I could put things into perspective, even if it means I have to suffer like this."
"Logan, I'm not saying that I'm glad you feel this way, but thank you for the reminder of how lucky I am. Now, I hate to say this, but I've got to go. It's almost 5:30."
"I know Mary Anne. I was just teasing you."
I stood up and put my coat back on.
"'Bye Logan. I hope you feel better soon, oh and Kristy said to tell you the whole BSC says they hope you get better soon too."
"Thanks Mary Anne."
"No problem. 'Bye."
"'Bye."
I went to the door and just before I closed it, I glanced back at Logan, who was staring at the wall again. It took every ounce of willpower that I had to keep from crying. I just went outside and ran to Claudia's house for the BSC meeting.