Page 45 of SnowBound

“Ellie, you’re a lifesaver. I’ve dreamed about this soup all day.”

Cross-legged on my bed, I pushed the fluffy blanket away and dug into the chicken noodles delicacy.

“Mmm-hmm, this is so good,” I said between mouthfuls. “You want some?”

My friend raised a hand between us. “No, thanks. I might be super germ-resistant, but I won’t tempt fate.” She paused to study me. “I know I already asked, but you never answered. You sure it’s viral?”

I shrugged. “Yeah. What else could it be? I heard the girls in room four-zero-six, had been down for almost a week. It’s been half of that, so don’t panic just yet.”

She shook her head. “Fine. If you say so.” She peeled her jeans down her long legs and slid them into a pair of sweatpants before turning around. “Up for a movie? There’s a new Amanda Stephenson blockbuster that has just come out. I heard it’s pretty great. And swoony. The actor is a British hunk with corded forearms, a nice set of abs, and dark stubble. I’m certain you’ll heal just by watching him. I saw the trailer… There’s an ocean skinny-dipping scene. Drop-dead-gorgeous.” She stretched the S and fanned herself. “Trust me.”

I scooted to the side and placed a pillow behind my back before tapping the mattress beside me. “C’mon over, I slept all day. I’m due for some steamy rom-com action. And I love scruffy hunks.”

My roommate tilted her head back and let out a loud laugh before fetching a beer can from the mini fridge we shared. “That’s my girl. Want one?”

A chill passed through me. “Ugh, no. Thanks. It’ll be a miracle if I can keep this soup down for more than an hour or two.”

Our dorm room wasn’t big and included two of everything. Single beds, desks, and closets. Ellie and I each had a side that mirrored the other. The beds framed the door, and our desks lined the large rectangular window on the opposite wall. In between them were a small refrigerator and a microwave. Powder-blue walls, wooden trims, and a navy carpeted floor, it was nothing fancy, but it was ours to share.

Side by side, we watched the movie on her laptop until my eyelids pained to stay open, and I couldn’t fight the sleepiness anymore and had to lower myself on my bed. Soon I fell into a deep slumber. And dreamed about the guy with the scruffy jaw who wasn’t British but could sing like a god.

The next morning, I woke up early, feeling rested. And a whole lot better. My first class wasn’t before nine, so I decided to shower before getting ready. The hot water helped relax my shoulders and upper back. Yeah, the virus seemed to have decided living in my body wasn’t fun enough and left. Or so I believed.

Three girls from my floor entered the common bathroom, and one of them wore an overpowering coconut scent that triggered my nausea. Abandoning my shower caddy and stuff on the floor, I rushed to a stall just in time and heaved, my mostly empty stomach protesting.

My eyes watered. I wanted to go back to class. I loved it. Even the boring lessons were still entertaining when you were studying what you’d dreamed of since you were just a child with big ambitions and the sky had no limit. My hands shook with tremors. I felt hot and sweaty. How would I survive six hours of class in this state?

A knock on the door startled me. “Hey, are you okay?” a girl asked.

I wiped my mouth with toilet paper and moved to my feet. “Sure. All good.”

I inhaled, rolled my shoulders back, and exited the stall, only to come face to face with her.

I forced my lips into a tiny curve and rounded her to get to the sinks.

“Are you pregnant?” she asked from behind me. I blinked, tipped my chin up, and met her gaze in the mirror.

“What?”

“Are you pregnant?”

“Huh, no. It’s the flu. Or something else. It’s been running around campus. I’m its latest victim.”

She furrowed her eyebrows and crossed her arms over her chest. “You sure?”

“Yes,” I said with as much conviction and attitude as I could muster.

“If you say so…” She gave me a slow once-over. Why wouldn’t she let it go? I was sick, not about to be a mother. I hated when people couldn’t mind their own business. And meddled in mine instead. “Last semester, my roommate barfed for nothing, and she was three months pregnant. Her jackass of a boyfriend ran away, and she was left dealing with everything by herself. You remind me of her.”

“Well, I’m not her.”

She shrugged. “Believe whatever you want.” She pivoted on her heels, motioning to her friends. “Come on, girls, we’ll be late if we don’t hurry up. I’m working all day at the free clinic.”

The three of them left me in the bathroom by myself, not offering me another glance.

“Me? Pregnant? Yeah, right,” I said out loud once the door clicked after them.

After I brushed my teeth and applied a little makeup, I felt more like myself than I had in days.