CHANGED HIM

I close my eyes as another wave of pain passes through me. What is?happening?to me?

A loud scream rips its way from my mouth before I can think to stop it. What's worse, I'm home alone and no one is here to help me. It feels as if I'm on fire, every piece of my body singing in pain.

I begin to cough, feeling something thick and sticky flying out of my mouth. The smell of it is what really hit home; I know what I am coughing up. Blood.

Tears slide down my face from the pure agony my body is going through. I lift my hand to wipe away the mess?and immediately regret it. The burning shoots up my arm; it bites at my muscles, intensifying. I quickly make a mental note not to move before setting my arm back down into its original place.

My stomach screams at me in hunger, but I ignore it. I don't want to even begin to think how much that would hurt. This weekend is a three-day weekend. If I'm lucky, I will be over whatever this is by then. It started out with a simple headache at the beginning of the week, along with some uncontrollable sneezes. I figured that it was just a bug going around. People at my school had been sneezing, having runny noses, even a few coughing fits. The typical flu virus, but had everyone else gone through this sensation I am feeling right now?

Pity flows through me as I realize one of my friends had gone through the headaches. Did she have this burning pain that I have right now?

I quickly decide that I'm going to call Bri; the one I had blamed for the sickness. I lift my arm and grab my phone, attempting to ignore the pain and burning that shoots through my arm. Tears spring to my eyes rapidly and blur my vision. My fingers touch the keys that bring me to her name and I struggle to make my hand work well enough through the pain to press "call."

"Hello?" Her voice asks after an instant, "Katie?"

"Bri.." My voice trails off. It sounds so hoarse, like I haven't spoken in months, though I talked to her yesterday.

"Wow, you sound like shit." She says honestly, "Want me to come over?"

"No, I just have a few questions." I whisper. A cough shakes my body and I flinch in pain.

"I'm coming over." She says with finality. I know better than to argue with her, this is a woman who has come to my house simply because she wanted to. With no notice. In the middle of dinner. I'm sure she doesn't need much of a push to get here here. She never does. Me telling her not to come will do little to change her mind, anyway.

"Okay, just be careful." My voice is weak now, like it simply doesn't want to work. Meanwhile my mind is rampant with thoughts of what could be happening to me. I hear the line go dead and know she's coming over. I hear a knock at my door not ten seconds later. Bri lives farther than that from my house...

"Who is it?" I call out. Are my parents home? They're not due back until tonight.

"Someone that's here to help." A deep, masculine voice says through the door. My brow immediately furrows. The voice is completely unfamiliar, which is odd because I know just about everybody in my small town. Also, how did this person find out where I live? I mean, I'm not exactly "in town." Most people get lost just thinking about where I live. I hear the click of the door opening and my stomach twists. I didn't invite him in? Why is he coming in? I think of how helpless I am in my current position. I literally wouldn't be able to protect myself.

"Katie? I'm here. And who is this adorable guy out here?" I can practically taste the flirtation in Bri's voice. I can picture the way her eyes scan his features. I roll my eyes as I realize she is the one coming in, not Mr. Mystery.

"Come in Bri." I attempt to shout, even though she's probably already indoors. I glance at the clock and realize my mental tirade had gone on for ten minutes. That guy stood out there for ten minutes? "Persistent" is the first word that comes to mind. Persistent is usually followed by creepy, stalker, or something of the sort.

"He's cute. Who is he, anyway? I haven't seen him around. Is he a possible boyfriend that you haven't told me about?" Her eyes sparkle with mischief before she takes in my form on the couch. It is then I am aware of the sweat beading on my face and how my hair is practically soaked. Bri frowns at my condition.

"Hell if I know." I say a little louder and my voice cracks. The burning is now somehow stretching to my vocal cords, making talking a lot harder to talk than it should be.

Not three seconds later, a tall man, around two years older than me with deep brown hair and tanned skin walks in. He has a smile on his face that looks caring yet has a dangerous edge to it.

I see what my friend is saying, though. He is definitely attractive; I wouldn't put him under, "My type, " though. He seems too, "overly protective bad boy who could kill a man for looking at him the wrong way." My parental approval seeking mind wouldn't allow the mere thought. Plus he kind of just walked into my house uninvited. Who does that.

"Who are you?" I ask, trying my best to seem intimidating despite my condition. My dogs must have sensed the tension because an immediate rumble of paws on linoleum moments later and three crazed animals marching in to see the stranger proves my point. Immediately barks fill the room as a small smile spreads across the man's face and he bends down to begin to pet them.

"He's a dog person too? I think I'm in love.." Bri whispers. I send her a skeptical glance but say nothing. Of course she would find him drool worthy. A small curve of his lips tells me he heard the remark and I sink further into the couch.

"My name is Aaron Nanuk." He answers. He stands up from petting my dogs and makes eye contact with me. I do nothing to respond other than keep my gaze on him.

"You said you were here to help. Help with what?" I hear Bri shift in her seat on the couch. She leans close to me and drops her voice to an incredibly low whisper.

"Probably help with stealing your virginities." My face flushes as all of my blood simultaneously drains and fills my face completely. Please tell me he didn't hear that.

"You feel sick, do you not? Can you stand up?" His voice doesn't acknowledge what my friend had said, and relief flows freely through me. Yet the thought of moving made me flinch.

"I'd rather not..." I murmur.