In an Alternate Universe

Of the flu and Blackbirds

It was the weather. Karissa was sure of it. This past week the weather has change from hot to cold and sunny to rainy. Now, the black-haired woman is all bundled up in thick blankets, with a high temperature, a mind-splitting headache, and mucus dripping from her nose all due to a bad flu. Yes. Karissa blames the weather. She has been absent for a good two school days now. Her mother hearing nothing of her assurance that she can go to class and insisting that she stay in bed rather than spreading her virus over the school. Hence, here she was, holding her tablet, while watching the stream of an anime she had watched for numerous times. The lead was a cutie, she argued to herself. Her eyes were red and tired and watery, clearly pleading her to stop watching and rest. ‘Just one more episode and then I"ll rest.’ Karissa told herself when her phone started ringing. Sighing tiredly, she answered her phone, clicking accept without even looking who it was. She thought it was just Gem or her mum checking how she was feeling. “Hell-” Before she can even finish the word a strong, cold voice answered, “You birch tree.” Karissa"s eyes widened and she unconsciously sat up straight, cold sweat running down her forehead. With a shaky breath, she uttered, “H-hi S-scarlet… F-funny you should be calling. S-shouldn"t you be in class?” “Heh. I should be asking you the same question. You see, I accidentally passed by your class today and bumped into, that overly-smiling man, Zack was it and told me you didn’t attend school for two days now. Care to explain?” the caller said, their voice slow and cold like blade scratching an ice. Karissa is a scaredy-cat. Everyone who knows her can tell you that without a moment"s hesitation. And right now, she"s terrified. Terrified of the caller that is her best friend for almost a decade, Scarlet Legazpi. She is a cold and quiet person. The polar opposite of Karissa. She is frank, and straight to the point. She gives zero care of how you may feel as long as she tells the truth and what"s on her mind. If that wasn"t enough what she looks like can give you chills. People say that she would be a very attractive woman if only she push her bangs out of her face, erase her resting b***h face and add color to her black and white clothes other than red. “Ahh… I… The truth is I caught the bug. And it turned to a very bad flu.” Karissa said quietly in between coughs. The other line suddenly became quiet when Scarlet said, “What?” “B-but I’m getting better. You don"t need to worry.” Karissa said panicking. “Better? Better?! Are you really going to lie to me about your health right now?!” Scarlet"s voice started raising. “Eh no of course not Scar!” Karissa answered. She hears a harsh sigh and a few soft cusses from the other line when Scarlet begins to talk once more, “Rest then.” “But I am.” “No you’re not. I"ve known you long enough that you"re watching Ouran High School Host Club when you’re sick instead of resting. And don"t dare tell me you"re not. I can hear Tamaki"s voice in the background. Now, drink plenty of water. Some juices-not the sweetened ones, Have you eaten? No sweets. It"ll hurt your throat. Don"t forget to drink your medicine. And get some rest as much as you can.” Scarlet was still going on and on and Karissa just keeping quiet. Most people think that her best friend is a cold, uncaring and insensitive human being but Karissa knows. She knows how her best friend cares so much of the people she loves. How she"ll do everything in her power to protect them. How she would try her best to make them laugh and pull them out of their sadness with her lame puns and jokes. She knows how much love her cold-hearted friend has. In her dark room, Karissa lets a soft smile grace her lips as she listens to her friend blabber on the things she needs to do to get better. A quiet “Hello, Issa… You still there?” got her out of her thoughts as she answered softly, “Yes. Don"t worry, I"ll do what you said. My eyes are already giving out on me. I will get better. Don’t worry too much, okay?” With another sigh, Scarlet ended the call with “Just get better, okay? I"ll try visiting there later this afternoon if time permits me, if not, then I"ll visit tomorrow. I"ll bring your favorite fruits, so rest okay. Bye.” With a click, silence enveloped the room once more and with a huge yawn Karissa took her most needed rest.

The next day, true to her promise, as always, Scarlet went to her house around mid-morning, with a huge basket filled with red, juicy apples, huge, ripe mangoes, bananas, and dark purple grapes. Karissa’s mother who has known her for too long and has even considered her family, embraced her and took the basket from her hands and said, “ She"s in her room. I"ll call you girls in time for snacks later. You should go see her.” Finally shooing her off of her kitchen. Scarlet made her way up the stairs and to the last room on the right, not even bothering to knock on the door as she entered the room. Karissa was slightly dozing off curled up in her thick, fluffy blanket when she was awakened by a loud thud from her door. Still a bit drowsy, she rubbed her eyes and yawned, sitting up weakly, scratching her head when a cold voice whispered in her ear. “Wakey, wakey sleeping beauty.” Eyes widening she turned and jumped slightly to the side of her bed and shrieked. “Aaaaaahhhhh! What the heck Scarlet!” The taller girl looked unfazed as she crossed her arms in her chest. “I woke you up. It doesn’t matter how. Waking you up the normal way won"t work. You sleep like the dead.” “Makes sense. Good morning Scar…” Karissa said mumbling the first two words before greeting her with a soft smile and a loud cough afterwards. “You look terrible.” The tall girl said looking at her best friend. “I try.” The raven haired girl said with a cheeky smile earning a huff from the long-haired woman who turned to look at the messy room before her. She sighed and began tidying up the room and opened the windows to let some fresh air in. Scarlet then went to Karissa"s side, fixing her pillows and tucking her in her blanket before sitting down beside her. Karissa yawned and leaned to her bestfriend"s warmth, smiling softly, closing her eyes drifting of to sleep.

“Aaachooo!” The young man sneezed loudly followed by a series of coughing as he sunk down on the park"s bench. The girl beside him stared at him with worry and concern. “Are you sure you’re okay love?” The raven haired girl asked while cupping his cheek. “I"m fine love. This is just a little cold. I"ll be good as new tomorrow. Besides I promised you I"ll take you to Madam Tussaud"s.” The blond man assured her with a smile before releasing another dreadful cough. “Well, it can wait. We could postpone it until you"re better.” The young woman said worriedly. “And you"re too warm. You might have a fever. Let"s just get you home.” “A gentleman never goes back on his word.” The man replied with a sneeze. “Please love. You are too sick to go anywhere right now. If it is just a little cold then you"ll be fine tomorrow. And then we can go to the museum. You need rest. Lots of it. I"m extremely worried about you.” The young lady said pleadingly while rubbing the man"s cheeks comfortingly. “Okay. Okay. I"ll do as you wish. I"ll text my siblings to pick me up.” He conceded, fishing out his phone and sent a quick text to his siblings before leaning unto her shoulder, closing his eyes. “But I"m too weak to stand. Can we stay here and wait for them?” He murmured softly. “Of course.” The raven-haired girl said with a soft smile as she kissed his forehead, before softly singing The Beatles" Blackbirds. The blond man sighed contentedly as he took her hand and intertwined it with his, as he slowly drifted of to sleep.

A few hours later, Karissa woke up to the sound of Blackbirds softly playing on the stereo. Beside her was Scarlet reading Game of Thrones who acknowledged her awakening and asked what she was feeling. Telling her bestfriend that she was slightly better, Scarlet went to the table and took a plate of fruits in which they shared with a couple of stories from school that made them laugh. The rest of the day went with shared stories and Scarlet reading Game of Thrones out loud. When the time came for Scarlet to go, the tall girl once again gave a long speech on taking care of herself and with a kiss in the forehead to bid goodbye. As Karissa heard the door close, she remembered her dream and sighed sadly telling herself quietly, “ He isn"t part of my life anymore.”