Fever by Amy Meredith Read Free Book Online Page B

Luke’s hair and not Luke himself.
    ‘Now I want to make a motion,’ Seth cut in. ‘Can we not talk about hair products?’ He took a long, long drink of the ginger beer he’d ordered.
    Luke immediately raised his hand. ‘Seconded!’
    Jess pouted playfully. ‘Fine. No-fun motion passes. We’ll have to discuss something besides contagious diseases or beauty routines. What else is there?’
    Eve was finding it hard to think of anything to say. Why was it that the more you liked a guy, the more difficult it became to decide what to say? Back when she first met Luke, back when he annoyed the hell out of her, she’d had no problem finding words. Lots and lots of words.
    So that was another symptom. Trouble talking to Luke.
    Could I be in actual love with Luke? Eve wondered. Or has the romantic atmosphere, with the stars and the willow tree and the Jess-and-Seth love-fest, gone to my head?
    ‘Seth!’ Jess cried sharply, jerking Eve away from her thoughts. She looked over at him, and her heart pounded. Dots of sweat had appeared on Seth’s forehead, and tremors were running through his body. Earlier, she’d thought his eyes looked starry, but now she realized they looked feverish.
    ‘We need to get you to the clinic. My parents are both over there now, Mom doing doctor stuff, and my dad organizing,’ Eve said quickly, taking control of the situation.
    ‘Seth’s car is right outside,’ Jess said, her eyes locked on him.
    ‘He’s not OK to drive though,’ Luke told her. ‘We should—’
    Nikolai appeared at the table. ‘Everything all right?’ he asked. Then he saw Seth. ‘I’ll call an ambulance,’ he said, pulling his cell out of his pocket.
    The paramedics arrived in a few minutes, two rolling a gurney, one leading the way. Eve thought maybe they were from the CDC. Whoever they were, they were dressed in hazmat suits. God, those things were scary. The paramedics were probably nice, normal people. But with their faces obscured by the suits’ headgear, they could be some kind of alien creatures come to study human beings.
    ‘Let’s get you up here,’ one of the paramedics told Seth. Even the voice came out sounding inhuman.
    ‘I’m fine to walk,’ Seth protested. But he had slumped down in his chair. Eve wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to sit up unsupported, forget about walk.
    ‘Seth, let them,’ Jess said, her voice sounding thick.
    He looked at her, then nodded, allowing the paramedics to help him to the gurney. ‘I’m going with him,’ Jess called as they began to wheel him across the patio.
    ‘It’s not protocol to—’ one of the paramedics began.
    ‘I don’t care. I’m going with him.’ Eve had heard Jess use that tone before – not often, but enough to know that some way, somehow, her friend would, indeed, be going with Seth.
    ‘Jess, we can come too. Or at least meet you there,’ Eve said.
    ‘No. Then I’ll just be worrying about you guys too,’ Jess told them. ‘Please just go home and stay safe.’
    Luke and Eve exchanged a quick glance, then Luke nodded. ‘Call us if you change your mind,’ he called after Jess.
* * *
    Eve flipped over her pillow. The fresh side still felt too warm, and the thin sheet she was using as her only cover felt too heavy, like it was made of lead instead of Egyptian cotton with a very nice thread count.
    All she could think about was Seth being wheeled away by the team in their hazmat suits – that and Jess. Jess had kissed Seth so, so close to when his symptoms broke out. What if she got sick too? What if she died? Because some of the doctors on the news had predicted fatalities.
    Fatalities. Such an icy word. Eve didn’t want to think about a world without Jess in it, but now that the thought was in her mind, she couldn’t force it out. Fatalities, fatalities, fatalities . The word thrummed through her to the beat of her heart.
    She couldn’t just lie there and take it. She threw off the sheet and jumped out of bed. Now what?