Page 53 of Class Clown

“Yep. Great detective work.” I took out a tissue and blew my nose.

“I’m sleeping at the lodge until you’re better. I can’t afford to get sick. Too much to do.”

“No, you will not leave me alone in that cabin with Nico.” I shook my head firmly. “Either you stay, or you both go.” His jaw set. “Seriously, Cole. I don’t blame you for wanting to stay healthy. I’ll sequester myself behind my curtain and wipe down everything, but you can’t abandon me.”

“Do you have masks in the health center?”

“Yes. I’ll happily wear one.”

“Fine, wait here. I’ll go grab them, and the paperwork I was going to the lodge for.” He turned and began walking, but tossed over his shoulder. “Do not go in the cabin until you’re masked.”

He’d said nothing about sitting on the cabin steps while I waited, and my head felt a little swirly, so I shuffled my way down the gravel path, and plopped down on the wooden steps. I was honestly a little warm in the blanket, but then a chill swept through me and I groaned. Heat and chills together were not a good sign. This wasn’t going to be a quick sickness. I bent forward and leaned my head on my knees.

The back door cracked open and light spilled out onto the steps and pathway in front of me.

“Ruby?” Nico asked. I made a noise of agreement. “Why are you sitting on the stairs? It’s cold out and you’re sick.”

“Cole says I have to stay outside until he brings me a mask. He doesn’t want to get sick too.”

“That’s ridiculous. You’ve been sick all day and he didn’t complain.” His footsteps sounded on the wood next to me as he descended to stand on the path facing me. “Do you think it’s more than a simple head cold?”

“Yeah. Cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, headache, chills. Think I might be getting a fever.”

“Do you need medicine?”

I looked up and grinned. “Oh, I think I’ve had enough.” I put my face back down. “I just want to get in bed, but my dictator brother gave me orders, which I will obey.”

“Well, he didn’t give me orders. Come on.”

He stepped forward and gently wrapped a hand around my arm, over the blanket. With a slight tug he had me standing and directed me to turn. His hand moved to my back, nudging me up the stairs and through the door. I coughed and he rubbed a light circle against my shoulder before dropping his hand.

“What’s the worst part?” he asked.

“Knowing that a porcupine might be the only man who ever truly stays by my side,” I responded, feeling tears well up, as I reached my sheet curtain and pulled it aside. “Please tell Cole it’s your fault I’m in here unmasked.”

His answer was too quiet to understand, and I fell onto my bed, rolled to my side, and promptly fell asleep.

Chapter 14

Ruby’s Truth: There’s a chance that truth serum and cold medicine are manufactured at the same plant.

There are a lot of things a sick person will say to their caregiver. Some of them are kind, some are rude, some are strange, but none of them should be comments about the caregiver’s appearance.

Nico knelt next to the side of my bunk and held out a spoonful of blue liquid. His hair was disheveled for the first time I could recall, and I didn’t think he’d folded his shorts after washing them because they didn’t have that fresh-pressed look they always did.

“What’s wrong with you today?” I asked as I rolled my head toward him. “You’re usually giving young Elvis Presley a run for his money, but today you’re older Elvis after the descent had begun.”

His eyebrows rose but he only nudged the liquid closer. “Your fever is up and your cough sounds bad. Take this.”

I frowned and looked at the spoon. “What’s in that?”

“Medicine.”

“Elvis died from drugs. I think. Or maybe he ate a sandwich that was too big and it got lodged in his throat on a plane ride and the Heimlich maneuver hadn’t been invented yet.” Nico laid his free hand across my forehead to test my temperature. I liked how cool and steady it felt, and closed my eyes on a sigh. “That’s the most physical affection I’ve had in a while.”

His hand pressed closer. “You’re hot.”

I wiggled my eyebrows, eyes still closed. “So are you.”

---