Fighting For Normal

The persistent barking of my Samoyed, Bernard, along with the loud beeping of my alarm clock, pulled me out of my dreams. I slowly opened one eye, noticing the sunlight streaming through the crack in my curtains, creating a cozy glow on the teal wall. I had already pressed snooze once. With a groan, I reached for my phone on the nightstand next to my bed and turned off the alarm. My body felt sore, a dull ache throbbed in my left thigh, and I was hit with an unusual tiredness even after a full night’s sleep. I snuggled deeper into my coral comforter, wishing I could drift back into sleep.

As I was just about to fall back asleep, my bedroom door swung open with a loud crash, which made Bernard bark again. "Hey Sleeping Beauty, we’re gonna be late!" Stetson shouted, his backpack hanging off one shoulder and his keys spinning around on his finger. I caught a quick look at his messy blonde hair, curls flopping over his forehead as he looked at me with worry.

I usually wake up before him. Why didn’t anyone wake me up?

His voice faded a bit. "Sloane, you alright?" he asked, his bright blue eyes scanning my face.

I struggled to respond. My throat felt as rough as the shag carpet under my feet. In just a couple of steps, he was by my bed, his hand resting on my forehead, cool against my hot skin. "You’re burning up!"

"Should I call Dad or Pops?" he asked, his expression serious.

Finally, I managed to croak out, "No, they’re already at work." I glanced at the window above my desk, where the morning sun was pouring in.

"Do you want me to stay?" He sat on the edge of my bed, the mattress sinking a little under him.

As much as I wanted that… "No. You have that physics test today, remember?" I forced a weak smile, trying to make him feel better.

He paused for a moment, glancing at the full-length mirror on the door before looking back at me. "Alright. I'll inform Ms. Troyer that you're out and grab your assignments." He hesitated again. "Just call or text if you need anything, alright?"

I nodded as he slowly walked out, leaving the door wide open. Bernard, noticing I was upset, came over and laid his head on my lap, his fluffy white fur feeling nice against my skin.

The house was strangely silent when I finally woke up. Feeling a bit confused, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand. No way! School's almost done! A rush of confusion hit me again. I quickly checked my screen and saw some messages from friends and a few missed calls from Dad and Pops, but I could deal with those later. My fever was gone, but there was still a dull pain in my thigh, a constant reminder of what had made me sick. I didn’t feel fully rested, but the strong urge to get up pushed me out of bed.

The smooth oak floor felt great under my bare feet as I walked down the hallway to the kitchen. Bernard was curled up on his bed, happily chewing on a bone. I filled the kettle with water and placed it on the stove to heat up, then grabbed a chamomile and lavender tea bag from the cupboard. The steam rising from the mug smelled amazing and promised to calm my frayed nerves.

With the mug in hand, I made my way to the family room and sank into the comfy sofa with a deep sigh. Since Dad and Pops were still at work and Stetson was probably heading to his part-time job, I figured it was the perfect time for a Gilmore Girls binge.

However, even the quick banter between Lorelai and Rory couldn't keep me entertained for long. After a few episodes, I turned off the TV, feeling restless. My fingers automatically reached for my phone, scrolling through the endless stream of perfect lives on social media.

A moment later, Bernard let out a sharp bark that echoed through the room. I glanced up to see Pops and Uncle Jake walking in from the mudroom, and it was a sight I was glad to see. Pops, with his perfectly styled ash-blonde crew cut, was carrying two pizza boxes. Uncle Jake, his face lit up with a big smile, had two smaller boxes in his hands.

They set their delicious haul down on the coffee table: one buffalo chicken pizza, which is my absolute favorite, a deluxe pizza, and two boxes of cheesy stuffed bread. The timing couldn't have been better, as my stomach let out a grateful growl.

Pops went back to the kitchen while Uncle Jake, full of his usual energy, picked me up and plopped me onto the sofa, settling me on his lap like I was still a little kid. "How's my girl doing?" he asked, his bright blue eyes crinkling with warmth.

"Like I just fought a bear and lost," I mumbled, burying my face in his shoulder and breathing in the comforting mix of his cologne and the mouthwatering scent of pepperoni and fresh dough. "But that pizza smells amazing."

Uncle Jake isn't really my uncle, but he might as well be. He’s been best friends with my dads since high school, and he and his son live just down the street, so they feel like family.

Pops came back with a stack of paper napkins and plates. Even though I was still feeling tired and my appetite had been off lately, the smell of buffalo chicken pizza was too tempting to ignore. I paused for a second, then carefully picked a small slice and a piece of cheesy stuffed bread, enjoying the warmth that came from the box.

"Thanks, Pops," I said with my mouth full of cheesy bread. He playfully messed up my hair, his green eyes sparkling with joy.

After polishing off a good amount of pizza – maybe even more than I should have, especially since I claimed I wasn't that hungry – I figured it was time to escape to my room, with Bernard following closely behind. I made a quick pit stop in the bathroom to wipe off the grease and crumbs from my face and brush my teeth, then I was all set for some art therapy. Once I was back in my room, I grabbed my sketchbook and pencils, my eyes landing on the portrait of Bernard I had started earlier. I decided to add a vibrant background filled with wildflowers.

While I was busy filling in the colorful petals around my fluffy inspiration, a gentle knock caught me off guard. I paused for a moment, curious about who it could be, and put my pencils aside. "Come in!"

The door swung open, and there stood Chandler, holding a bottle of Wild Cherry Pepsi – my all-time favorite – along with my homework packet. "Stetson's taking a shower," he said with a cheeky grin. "Thought I’d drop this off and keep you company."

So, look who’s playing the hero! I joked, feeling my heart skip a beat when I saw him. He even remembered my go-to soda. Alright, Sloane, keep it together. I usually did pretty well in school, but a little extra help never hurt. Plus, any chance to hang out with Chandler was definitely a win.

I patted the spot next to me on the bed, and he plopped down, spreading out the homework packet on the coral comforter. Algebra II, US Government, Physics. "Which one do you want to start with?" he asked, his bright blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Let’s just get Algebra out of the way," I said with a dramatic sigh. "Unless you have a better plan for how we should tackle this?" I added with a playful wink, hoping he’d catch my hint.

A slow smile crept onto his face as he leaned in closer, his shoulder brushing against mine. "I might have a few tricks up my sleeve," he whispered, his eyes holding mine for just a moment too long. I felt my cheeks heat up, and I quickly started shuffling the papers, wishing he wouldn’t notice how he affected me.

We actually made some really impressive progress, flying through Algebra II and getting a good start on Physics. However, I could definitely feel myself getting tired. My eyelids were so heavy, and I found myself having to read the same sentence over and over to understand it. I guess those hours of sleep didn’t help as much as I hoped. But I was still set on pushing through.

As we were working through a really tough problem about velocity and acceleration – or maybe it was acceleration and velocity? I squinted at the page, the numbers starting to blur together when Uncle Jake popped his head in the door. "Hey, Chandler, just wanted to let you know I'm heading out," he said.

"Alright, thanks, Dad. I'm going to stick around and help Sloane with her homework," Chandler replied, barely glancing up from the equation he was jotting down on a piece of scrap paper. "I'll crash in the guest room when we're finished."

Uncle Jake shot me a knowing wink - what was that all about? - and then he walked down the hall. I suppressed a yawn, trying to concentrate on the numbers that seemed to be dancing in front of me. Come on, Sloane, you can do this...

"Are you alright?" Chandler asked, worry etched on his face. "You seem really worn out."

"I'm good," I fibbed, forcing a grin. "Just a bit tired." Okay, maybe a lot more than just a bit.

"Don't overdo it," he said gently, his eyes searching mine. "We can always wrap this up tomorrow."

"No, it's fine," I insisted, even though my eyelids were screaming for a break. "I really want to finish this." Plus, I thought, I actually enjoy having him here, his shoulder brushing against mine, his scent a nice blend of earthy and fresh… Focus, Sloane!

He paused for a moment, then agreed. "Alright, but if you start dozing off, I'm calling it a night."

I nodded, trying to ignore the flutter in my chest at his concern. We went back to the physics problems, but my focus was gone. I stared blankly at the page, hoping the numbers would make sense, but my thoughts kept wandering. To Chandler's hand on the paper, his fingers long and delicate. To the way his brow furrowed in concentration while solving a problem. To how his eyes crinkled when he smiled…

Physics finally gave in to our teamwork, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t guess on a few answers. Next up was US Government, which was a relief because it meant more reading and less math. Still, even with the new subject, my eyelids were losing the fight against sleep. I leaned my elbows on the textbook, resting my chin in my hands, trying hard to stay awake.

"You know you're not going to win this fight," Chandler said with a chuckle, his voice deep and warm, sending a chill down my spine.

"I know," I replied, my words slurred with drowsiness. "But I’m determined to get through this… or at least not totally bomb it."

He reached over and gently lifted my chin, making me look at him. "Hey," he said softly, his thumb brushing along my jawline. "It’s okay to let go sometimes. You’ve had a long day."

My heart raced in my chest. He was so near… I could feel the heat of his hand on my skin, and his cologne wrapped around me, making my head spin. "I… I just want to finish this," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

He looked at me for a second, his bright blue eyes probing into mine. After a deep breath, he relaxed in his seat. "Alright," he said, a smirk playing on his lips. "But no more trying to be a hero. If you doze off, I'm packing it in for the night."

I felt my cheeks heat up, a mix of embarrassment and something else fluttering in my stomach. "I’m not going to fall asleep on you," I shot back, though I wasn’t completely sure if I was convincing him or myself.

He just smiled, that slow, breathtaking smile that always made me forget what I was about to say. "Sure you won’t," he teased, his eyes sparkling.

We turned our attention back to the textbook, but the words blurred in front of me. I could sense Chandler’s gaze on me, and I realized I was losing the battle on two fronts: one against sleep and the other against the overwhelming awareness of him being so close. Eventually, I surrendered, letting my eyes flutter shut. The last thing I remembered before drifting off was Chandler’s hand gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, his touch sending a warmth through me like a soft sigh.