Eventually, I stopped trying. Let her believe whatever made her feel better about herself. I no longer cared.


    “Jocely!” Benji growls, anger boiling in his voice.


    “It’s o…” I don’t get to finish.


    My stomach drops. All of a sudden, the world tilts violently and then everything goes ck.


    ***


    The sharp scent of antiseptic brings me back. I open my eyes but then immediately close them again


    when the lights blind me.


    When I open them for the second time, slowly this time, I realize where I am.


    A hospital.


    I sit up too fast, and nausea ms into me like a freight train. I bolt toward the bathroom, barely making it in time before my stomach empties itself into the toilet. I heave again and again, body trembling, until


    there’s nothing left.


    I copse against the cool tile, panting.


    What the hell is wrong with me? I’ve had an upset stomach for a week. None of the home remedies have


    helped, not even my mother’s tea. Hell, even the over–the–counter meds have done little to ease my upset


    stomach.


    Maybe it’s food poisoning? I did tell Lilly the café we went tost week looked sketchy but she insisted,


    saying it was a hidden gem.


    I scoff. Some hidden gem it was. Now I’m paying for trusting her blindly.


    “Sierra?”


    Hearing Benji’s voice, I open my eyes.


    “In here,” I croak and then quickly flush the toilet.


    He steps into the doorway, brow furrowed in concern. “What are you doing on the floor?”


    “I just threw up and don’t have the energy to get back up.”


    He smiles softly, then crouches to help me. “Let me help you.”


    He lifts me like I weigh nothing and gently guides me back to the room.


    “What happened? Are you the one that brought me here<b>?</b>” I ask.


    “What’s thest thing you remember?<b>” </b>


    I frown, trying to recall. “Jocely stirring up shit”


    “Well, you fainted and I brought you in.” He says gently. “They ran some tests. We were just waiting for you to wake up.”


    “Thank you, Benji,” I tell him as he helps me settle back onto the bed. “Not just for helping me out of the bathroom, but for bringing me here and staying.”


    He chuckles and then squeezes my hand. “Don’t worry, anything for you.”


    Now, before you all get the wrong idea and jump to conclusions, let me clear up something. Benji’s just a good friend. I’ve known since he joined my teamst year. Also… He’s gay. So don’t start wondering why I’m not interested in him.


    I take a shaky breath, still trying to calm my churning stomach.


    I’m just about toy back on the bed when the door opens and a middle–aged man in a white coat walks <ol><li><b>in</b>. </li></ol>


    “Hello, Sierra, I’m Doctor Tom,” he says warmly. “It’s good to see you awake.”


    I manage a weak smile. “Bet you say that to all your patients.”


    He and Benji chuckle. The room feels a little lighter.


    “So I’ve got your test results,” he says, his tone shifting


    “What’s wrong?” I ask, gnawing my lower lip. “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted Lilly with the whole hidden gem thing.”


    Heughs softly. “Unless Lilly is a man, I can guarantee she’s not responsible for this.”


    I pause, confused. My gaze flicks between him and Benji.


    “What do you mean? Isn’t it my stomach? Didn’t my resultse back positive for food poisoning?”


    “They dide back positive,” he says with a small smile. “But not for food poisoning.”


    My heart starts racing. A cold fear slithers through my chest.


    “Then… what is it? What’s wrong with me?” I whisper, terrified.


    He steps closer. “Nothing serious. You’repletely healthy.”


    I blink.


    <b>“</b><b>You </b>just have a bun cooking in your oven.”