Chapter - 6

Monday morning.

"Is there any information on the game we submitted?", I inquired Chuck who was working on some file.

"Nope. And Hey! Why didn't you show up at the mixer yesterday?", he asked back at me.

"I didn't feel like going."

"That's weird. Are you sick or something?"

"I'm fine."

"Every girl who came to the mixer looked hot, man. You should have seen them. You missed everything, Bud. Among them, I liked Chloe the blonde girl and Sarah was cute..."

While he was talking, I got a message.

I checked, It's from Elena.

<<Good morning 😃 

I smiled to myself and responded to her.

>>Morning ☺️

I put back my phone into my pocket interrogated Chuck, "What were you saying?"

"Who's that?", raised a question while raising one of his eyebrows.

"Who?"

"The person who sent you a message. Who is it? You just smiled at a message? Ha! I can't believe it. Who's that? One of your nightstands? Is she's cute?"

"She's my friend. We studied same high school. We met recently. Is that enough?"

I lied. 

"Oh... Anyway, about the mixer, the girls asked about you a lot. They were upset knowing that you didn't show up and some left because of that. So Don't forget to come for the next one okay?"

I nodded. 

After some time, 

Carol pleaded, "Hey Nick, my boyfriend asked me on a date."

"And what is it to do with me?"

"You know him well better than me. I'm totally confused about how my hair should be. Should I get a perm or should I straighten it?"

"I'm not a girl.", I rolled my eyes at her and went back to work.

"Nick..."

"I got work to do."

Devlin came and said, "You know about him then why are you still asking him? Come with me."

She left along with Devlin.

'Is it that tough to get ready for a date nowadays?' ,I thought.

Tuesday morning.

I got a message from Elena. She sent me a funny meme. I replied by sending a laughing emoji.

Elena <<What are you doing?😃

Nick >>Working. What about you?

<<I just got off work for a break. Did I disturb you?🤪

>Nah. I'm just sitting in front of the screen scouring for a good background.

<<Background? Background for a what?🤔

>>It's for illustration work.

<<Cool. It'll be fun to work in a gaming company right?😃

>>Yes, but not all the time. 

<<Really?

>>Yes. And What will your work be like?

<<It's full of data and files. 😩 So boring.

>>Hahaha. Do you like emojis?

<<Why?

>>You add to every sentence you send.

<<😅... My break is over. Gotta go. Bye👋🏻

>>Okay. Bye.

I placed my phone on the desk and continued browsing for the background.

Wednesday afternoon.

"Bud! Did you hear that? The game we sent got authorized. They said it passed the testing level."

"That's great!"

"And to celebrate that we're having a dinner party tonight!"

"I'm not going."

"Why?"

"I got plans."

I'm not in the mood to attend dinner parties.

I got a message. Chuck was staring at me so I didn't see the message. Another message came. He understood that I didn't see it because of him so he moved to his place. Before leaving he told, "You getting a lot of messages nowadays."

After he left, I took my phone to see. 

Like I guessed, it's Elena. 

I opened her chat. 

Elena <<Hey Nick! What are you doing?

>>Still in work. What about you? 

<<On the way to my place. 

>>So soon?

<<Yes, I got consent to leave early. 

>>Why? What happened?

<<Headache.😞

>>Did you take the medicine? 

<<Yes. 

>>Okay then. Take rest. 

<<☺️✌🏻

I finished my work and am on my way to my place. 

Wednesday night.

<<Hey Nick are you home yet?

>>No but I'm on my way. What is it?

<<You know where my house is. Can you buy some medicine for me?

>>Is it your headache?

<<Yeah. I couldn't even move freely from where I'm seated.

>>Okay then I'll be there with the medicine. 

<<Thank you Nickkkk.

>>Nope it's fine.✌🏻

I bought the medicine for her headache and went to her place and messaged her.

>>Im at the door.

<<Come in. The pin code is 5121295 .

>>Okay.

As I entered the house, it looked dim. I looked around for her. 

"I'm in here." She shouted with a shaking way.

I walked in the direction of her voice. She was lying on the bed. A cloth was placed on her forehead. Her complexion was all red. I took the cloth from her forehead and touched her head to check the temperature. 

"It's burning. You got a high fever."

"Am I?"

"Wait."

"Where are you going?"

"To buy medicine for fever."

"I have a tablet for fever. It's in the living room... besides the television. Can you..."

"It's Okay. I'll bring it to you."

Before giving the medicine I asked, "Did you ate dinner yet?"

"Yes."

"What did you ate?"

"Cup noodles."

"Where is it?"

I saw an empty cup beside the lamp while asking her. 

"Is it this one?"

She nodded.

"It's expired!!"

"What!"

"Let's go to the hospital."

"No. It's okay. I'll take the medicine."

"You ate expired food. What if you end up having food poison. Let's go to the hospital."

"No. I don't want to."

"It's okay. You don't have to be scared."

"I don't want to go. I don't want your help. Get out of my house."

I left the house and went to buy some medicine for preventing food poison. I came to the house and knocked on her room door saying, "I bought medicine for you. Can I come in?"

There was no response.

"Ok, I'm coming in."

She wasn't in her bed. I heard a vomiting sound from another door. I knocked on the door asking, "Hey, are you okay?"

"Why are you still here?" ,She yelled from behind the door.

"I bought medicine."

"I don't want it."

"Open the door."

"No."

"Open or I'll open it."

"Don't."

I opened it.

She was sitting on the floor of the bathroom beside the toilet. After seeing me, she hid with embarrassment.

"Are you done?", I asked.

"I think so."

I lifted her up to stand.

"You stink."

After hearing that from me she pushed me back and because of the force she fell back but before that, I held her by the waist. 

"I-Im sorry. I..."

She broke the embraces and stood saying, "I'm gonna take a shower."

I came out. 

I placed the hot water and porridge and tablets on the table. 

She came out of the shower and sat on the bed looking at what I did.

"You don't have to do this.", she mumbled.

"Did you forget what you said?"

She looked confused.

"We're friends and Friends should look out for each other. Drink this first." 

I gave her hot water. 

She finished eating the porridge and took the tablet.

"It's 12 already. How will you get home?"

"I'll take the cab."

"If you don't mind, You can stay here. It's not like we haven't been in the same room."

"I need clothes for tomorrow."

"You can get early and go to your place. It's not like it's far away."

"Okay. I'll then borrow the couch."

She nodded and gave me pillows and sheets.

After some moment, 

"Hey Nick, are you awake?"

"Do you need something?"

"No. I'm ok. I-Im sorry for yelling at you back then."

"It's okay. Sleep."

"Hmm."

After some time,

"Elena?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Take a day off tomorrow and take rest at home. Don't push yourself by working."

"Okay."

"Good night."

"Good night, Nick."

Thursday morning.

"Why are you glowing?"

"What?"

"Your face. It's glowing. Did you last night...? Are you doing it on weekdays too? Bud Be careful. And You have to work out more since you're using a lot of Stamina these days?"

I remained silent.

"I already had a doubt yesterday. If you're ditching a party for something else then it must be more important. By looking at you... Was she good?"

I couldn't stand his nagging. Before I started to say it, his phone rang. 

It's the girl from the 3rd floor. He laughed and left to his place to speak to her.

I messaged Elena, 

>>How are you feeling now?

<<Embarrassed.

I smiled and called her. 

"Hello..."

"Hello."

"Where are you?"

"At home."

"Are you still vomiting"

"No. It stopped."

"Good. Then what about the temperature"

"It's back to normal."

I looked at the time. It's 11.

"What did you ate?"

"Ramen."

"Instant food again?"

"I don't feel like cooking."

"Then order some food. Or should I order something for you?"

"It's Okay. I'll do it."

"Okay. Drink hot water and take medicine and rest."

"Hmm."

"I gotta go. Bye."

"Bye. Hey Nick..."

"What is it?"

"Have a good day!"

I laughed. "Thank you."

Call ended.

"Is that your girlfriend?" Carol asked.

"From when you're standing here?"

"Um... From... While you were asking... What did you eat? I guess. You take care of your girlfriend so well. So it's true that guys have two faces. Huh?"

"What do you want?"

"To get this done." She handed me an illustration sketch. 

"And why are you doing this. Where's Sebastian?"

(Sebastian - Carol's assistant)

"He's on leave today."

"Ok. I'll take care of this."

While I'm leaving, "Introduce her on someday." chuckled while saying it.

I checked the illustrations and took them to Buck for a review, "Sir, I bought the illustration sketchings for you to examine sir. If you reviewed this, we can continue with the visual concepts. Sir."

"Okay. I'll look into it. By the way, What happened to your date?"

"Sir?"

"You quickly finished the work to meet her right? How did it go?"

"S-Sir... I-It's..."

Buck laughed, "I can understand by your expression. It went well right. You may leave now." 

Why everyone thinks I date her? She's just my friend after all. I think something is wrong with everyone. Hmph!