ROOM 7
Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Fever
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It started with a sneeze.
Jay was at the common table, reviewing notes for her economics final, when her nose twitched. She tried to hold it back. She failed. The sneeze echoed off the walls.
Keifer looked up from his book. "Bless you."
She sniffled. Wiped her nose. "Thanks."
She went back to her notes. Her head was heavy. Her eyes were scratchy. Her throat felt like sandpaper. She ignored it. She had three chapters to review. She didn't have time to be sick.
She sneezed again.
"Bless you," Yuri called from his bed.
She sneezed a third time.
"Bless you," Mica said from the kitchen.
Her nose was running. Her eyes were watering. Her head was pounding. She pressed her fingers to her temples.
Keifer stood up. Walked to her. Put his hand on her forehead.
She pushed it away. "I'm fine."
"You're burning up."
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine."
She tried to stand. The room tilted. She grabbed the table. Keifer's hand was on her arm.
"Jay."
She blinked. The room was spinning. His face was blurry.
"You're sick," he said.
"I have a final."
"You have a fever."
She shook her head. The room spun faster. Keifer's arms went around her. Her feet left the floor. He was carrying her. Across the room. Past Yuri. Past Mica. Past Care. Past Cole. Past Freya. Past Erdix. Past Ash. Past David. Past Felix. Past Ci N. Past Lyra. Past Alex.
He laid her on her bed. Pulled the blanket up. Put the shark beside her.
She tried to sit up. He pushed her back down.
"I have a final," she said.
"You have a fever."
"I have to study."
"You have to rest."
She grabbed his shirt. "Keifer."
He put his hand on her forehead. His palm was cool. His fingers were gentle.
"You're not going anywhere."
She wanted to argue. She wanted to tell him she was fine. She wanted to get up and go back to the table and finish her notes. Her body wouldn't move. Her eyes were closing. Her head was sinking into the pillow.
She heard his voice. Far away.
"She's burning up."
Mica's voice. "I'll get medicine."
Yuri's voice. "I'll get water."
Care's voice. "I'll get a cold compress."
Freya's voice. "I'll take her temperature."
Ci N's voice. "Page 290. Jay is sick. Probability of recovery within three days: 87.3 percent."
She wanted to tell him to stop calculating. Her mouth wouldn't open. Her eyes wouldn't open. The room was dark. The pillow was soft. Keifer's hand was in hers.
She slept.
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Part One: The Vigil
She woke to voices. Low. Careful. She didn't open her eyes. She listened.
"Has she moved?" Mica.
"No." Keifer.
"Has she eaten?" Mica.
"No."
"Has she drunk anything?"
"No."
The blanket was pulled up. A hand touched her forehead. Keifer's. She knew his hands.
"Still hot."
"She needs to drink. She needs to eat. She needs—"
"I know."
She felt him move away. She wanted to grab him. Her hand wouldn't move. Her eyes wouldn't open.
She heard water being poured. Felt a straw against her lips.
"Jay. Drink."
She opened her mouth. The water was cold. She swallowed. The straw was back. She swallowed again.
"Good." His voice was soft. "Again."
She drank. Her throat was raw. The water helped. She wanted more. Her mouth opened. The straw was there. She drank until the cup was empty.
"More?"
She shook her head. Her eyes were still closed. Her hand found his. She held it.
He didn't move.
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Part Two: The Day
The room moved around her.
Voices came and went. Mica brought soup. Yuri brought water. Care brought medicine. Freya took her temperature. Ci N calculated something. David left snacks by her bed. Ash sat with her. Lyra sat with her. Alex sat with Lyra.
Keifer didn't move.
She knew he was there. She could feel him. His hand in hers. His voice in her ear. His presence beside her.
"Jay. Wake up. You need to eat."
She opened her eyes. The room was blurry. His face was close.
"Soup," he said. "Mica made it."
She shook her head. Her stomach turned.
"You need to eat."
She shook her head again.
He lifted the bowl. Brought the spoon to her lips. "One bite."
She opened her mouth. The broth was warm. It slid down her throat. Her stomach didn't turn.
"Good. Again."
She ate. Slow. Spoon by spoon. He didn't rush. He didn't push. He just sat there, holding the bowl, waiting.
When the bowl was empty, she closed her eyes. His hand was in hers. His voice was in her ear.
"Sleep."
She slept.
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Part Three: The Night
She woke in the dark. The room was quiet. Sixteen people breathing. Her head was pounding. Her throat was raw. Her hand was empty.
She turned. Keifer was in the chair beside her bed. His head was back. His eyes were closed. His hand was on the blanket, inches from hers.
She reached for him. Her fingers touched his. He stirred. Opened his eyes.
"Jay."
"Water."
He reached for the cup. Put the straw to her lips. She drank. He held the cup steady. His hand was warm. His eyes were dark.
"Better?"
She nodded. Her throat still hurt. Her head still pounded. But the water helped.
He set the cup down. Took her hand. "Go back to sleep."
She shook her head. "Can't."
"Why not?"
She looked at his face. At the shadows under his eyes. At the lines she hadn't seen before. "You need to sleep."
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine. You've been sitting there all day."
"I've been sitting here all day."
"You haven't slept."
"I've slept."
"You haven't."
He touched her face. His palm was cool. "I'll sleep when you're better."
She grabbed his hand. "Keifer."
He looked at her. She looked at him. The room was dark. The room was quiet. The room was full of people who were something to each other.
"Sleep," she said. "Please."
He was quiet for a moment. Then he stood. Walked around the bed. Lay down beside her. His arm went around her. Her head went on his chest. The shark was on her other side.
"You're still sick," he said.
"You're still awake."
He kissed her forehead. "I'm awake."
She closed her eyes. His heartbeat was under her ear. His hand was in her hair. His chest was rising and falling.
"Keifer."
"Yeah."
"I love you."
His arm tightened. "I love you."
She slept.
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Part Four: The Morning
She woke to sunlight and warmth.
Her head was clear. Her throat was sore. Her nose was stuffy. But the pounding was gone. The room wasn't spinning. She was going to be okay.
Keifer was beside her. His arm was around her. His face was buried in her hair. He was sleeping.
She didn't move. She lay there, watching the light move across the ceiling, listening to him breathe.
His chest rose and fell. His hand was on her back. His legs were tangled with hers.
She should get up. People would be waking soon. Yuri would yell. Freya would take photos. The whole room would see.
She didn't get up.
His breathing changed. Slowed. Deepened. He was waking.
"Jay?"
His voice was rough. Sleepy.
"Morning," she said.
He pulled her closer. "How are you feeling?"
"Better."
"You're still warm."
"I'm better."
He lifted his head. Looked at her. His eyes were clear. The shadows were gone. His face was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.
"You scared me," he said.
She touched his face. "I'm fine."
"You weren't fine. You were burning up. You couldn't stand. You couldn't—" He stopped.
She waited.
"I thought—" He stopped again.
She pulled him closer. Her forehead was against his. Her hand was on his face.
"I'm here," she said. "I'm not going anywhere."
He kissed her. Soft. Gentle. The way he'd been wanting to kiss her for days.
From across the room, Yuri's voice: "ARE THEY—"
"Don't," Lyra whispered.
"BUT THEY'RE—"
"Yuri. Don't."
"But—"
"Don't."
The room was quiet.
Jay and Keifer lay in her bed, in the morning light, and let the world wait.
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Part Five: The Recovery
The day passed slowly.
Jay stayed in bed. Keifer stayed beside her. Mica brought soup. Yuri brought water. Care brought medicine. Freya took her temperature. Ci N calculated something. David left snacks by her bed. Ash sat with her. Lyra sat with her. Alex sat with Lyra.
By evening, she was sitting up. By night, she was eating solid food. By the next morning, she was walking.
Keifer walked beside her. His hand was in hers. His eyes were on her face.
"You're staring," she said.
"I'm observing."
"Same thing."
"It's not the same thing."
She stopped. Looked at him. "What's different?"
He touched her face. His fingers traced her cheekbone. "You're here. You're standing. You're talking. You're—" He stopped.
She waited. "I'm what?"
He smiled. "You're okay."
She grabbed his shirt. Pulled him down. Kissed him.
Yuri's voice from the couch: "THEY'RE KISSING AGAIN."
Ci N's voice: "Page 291. Kiss recorded. Probability of more kisses: 100 percent."
Jay pulled back. Looked at Keifer. "I'm going to kill him."
Keifer smiled. "I'll help."
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Part Six: The Night
The room was quiet that night.
Lyra was on the couch. Alex beside her. Her head was on his shoulder. His arm was around her. She was sleeping. He was watching her breathe.
Ci N was on his bed. Notebook open. Pen in hand.
"Page 292. Jay recovered. Keifer slept. Probability of future illnesses: 34.2 percent. Probability of Keifer staying beside her: 100 percent."
Rakki watched him. "You calculated the probability of her getting sick again?"
He nodded. "I calculate everything."
She closed his notebook. "You need to sleep."
He looked at her. "I'm not tired."
"You've been calculating all day."
He looked at Jay's bed. She was lying down. Keifer was beside her. The shark was between them.
"She's okay," he said.
Rakki looked at them. "She's okay."
He picked up his fox. Held it. "Good."
She kissed his cheek. He closed his eyes.
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Across the room, Jay lay in her bed. The shark was beside her. Keifer was beside her. His arm was around her. Her head was on his chest.
"You stayed," she said.
"I stayed."
"All day."
"All day."
"You didn't sleep."
"I slept."
"When?"
He kissed her forehead. "When you were better."
She looked up at him. "I scared you."
He was quiet for a moment. "I thought about the crash. The plane. The waiting. I thought about Lyra. I thought about—" He stopped.
She waited.
"I thought about losing you."
She touched his face. "You didn't lose me."
He covered her hand with his. "I know."
She pulled him closer. Her forehead was against his. Her hand was on his face.
"I'm here," she said. "I'm not going anywhere."
He kissed her. She kissed him back.
From across the room, Ci N's voice: "Page 293. Goodnight recorded. Probability of more goodnights: 100 percent."
"Ci N," Jay said.
"I'm sleeping."
"You're talking."
"I'm sleeping and talking. My brain works at one hundred sixty percent. I can do both."
"Ci N."
"Goodnight, Mother. Goodnight, Father."
She smiled into Keifer's chest. "Goodnight, Ci N."
The room was quiet. Sixteen people. Sixteen people who were something to each other. Something that didn't need a name.
Jay closed her eyes. Keifer was beside her. The shark was beside her. She was okay. He was okay. They were okay.
She slept.
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End of Chapter Thirty-Seven