New Friend

[Cfpanda]

Title: New Friend (Can't think of a better title)

Fandom/Orginal: Original

Summmary: Miles, a reserved college student, catches a cold. A fellow student, Katie, takes notice and insist on taking him home.

Authors Notes: Okay so I'm really nervous about this. This is my first story ever and I'm really not sure if it's any good. Any comments would be helpful. Constructive criticism very welcome. If anyone's interested in a second part, let me know. Also, I wrote this on my ipod, so the grammar might be bad and I'm not really sure if the formatting is right. Okay so here it goes...

Miles: Shy, reserved. Large brown eyes and dirty blond hair. Moderately tall (about 5'11") and scrawny with long arms and legs that almost look out of proportion.

Katie: Long dark brown curls and hazel eyes. Pixie like, short (5'1") and fragile looking. Friendly, likes to be liked by everyone, always smiling. Sits next to Miles in calculus.

My alarm blared at 6:00. I groaned and slapped the snooze button. My head ached and my sinuses were clogged. I didn't actually have to be up in till seven to get to class on time, but I tried to get up early everyday to exercise. Whenever I put it off in till after class, I procrastinated in till it was too late.

I slowly sat up and sniffled. My nose had started to run.

I should have known I was getting sick. The previous day, I had spent the entire afternoon clearly my throat and coughing weakly, trying to rid myself of the irritated, scratchy feeling.

A tickle flared in my right nostril. A brought my hand up to my face, and drew in a shuddery breath,

"Hah...hae'kitshoo!" I sneezed into my hand. I felt something warm and wet against my palm. Nasty. I grabbed a tissues and wiped my hand, sniffling thickly. As I stood, I tossed it into a trashcan and walked into my bathroom. My throat was still irritated and raw. I coughed weakly and winced.

I hated appearing sick in front of people, especially coughing and sneezing. So I was hoping some cold medicine would make me appear healthy enough to slip under the everyone's radar. I shuffled through my medicine cabinet. All I could find was some nearly expired Nyquil.

Damn! I suddenly remembered that I had a calculus midterm that morning. If I took medicine, I would get drowsy, and I wouldn't be able focus and I would bomb my exam. A bottle of water and sheer willpower would have to due for now. I rubbed my nose, which was still tickling, but not enough to make me sneeze. I splashed cool water on my face and went to get dressed. I fumbled around, pulling on the first clothes I grabbed, and gathering my stuff, coughing and sniffling all the time.

I stood in the middle of my tiny apartment fully dressed and holding my backpack. 'See, your fine,' I told myself,'Nobody will look twice at you.'

Just to contradict me, my nose started to tickle again. "Hae'kitsho!" I sneezed, uncovered, not even having time to bring my hand up. I sniffled forcefully and wiped my nose on my sleeve.

The coughing and sneezing continued on the ride over. I parked my beat-up Camray in the student lot and drew in a deep breath. This turned out to be a mistake. I launched into a coughing fit, deeper and more violent then the previous ones.

I stepped into the cool October air and dragged myself towards the main building. As I stepped into the heated hall, the sudden change in temperature made me cough all over again. I still had ten minutes to get to class. I stepped into a side hallway and looked around. Once I was sure no one was listening, I sniffled deeply, cleared my throat, and took a drink out of the water bottle I'd been sure to grab on my way out, letting the cool liquid sooth my burning throat. I shook myself one more time and walked into my classroom. I shuffled to my seat and tried not to make eye contact with anyone. Katie, the girl who sat in the desk next to mine, smiled at me, her dark curls framing her face.

"Hey Miles," she said, her voice perfectly sweet like it always was.

"Hey Katie," I said, or attempted to say. My voice came out in a rough almost-whisper. I flinched. I had forgotten to check my voice in the morning. I talked to so few people, it had just slipped my mind.

Katie's perky smile dropped.

"You okay?" she asked, her eyebrows knitting together with concern. I nodded frantically. Of course this was the moment the irritation in my throat flared and I coughed. I bent my head down and locked my hand over my mouth, trying to stifle the sound. It didn't let up for a full minute, and I had begun to feel light headed before it finally stopped.

"You sure? You don't sound too good."

My face flushed with embarrassment, but I was saved the humiliation of answering, because at that moment, the professor rapped on his desk and asked for everyone to quiet down. He passed out the test. I glanced over it quickly. The first half only took me fifteen minutes and the second, another half hour. Math had never been difficult for me, but the constant thought of keeping my sniffling and coughing quiet proved distracting. Katie glanced at me a few more times, but I carefully avoided eye contact. My head and sinuses where throbbing and I suddenly felt very tired. I flipped my test over and rested my head in my hand. Just to make matters worse, my nose began to itch intensely again. I folded my arms on the table and dropped my head into them. I scrubbed my nose forcefully, trying to sooth the itch. It was not affective. I tried squeezing the bridge of my nose. The tickle only increased. I held my breath and tried to fight it, but I couldn't win. I sat up slightly and pressed the back of my wrist to my nose.

"Hxggt!" I managed to stifle it, but it did nothing to stop the tickle. I brought up my hand and prepared to stifle again. "Hxt'ITSHOO!" I was only able to stifle it partially. The other part came out loud and wet in the silent room. I kept my hand over my nose. I could feel the same wetness I had felt before, and I had forgotten to grab tissues in the morning. Someone tapped my leg. I looked down. Katie was handing me a few tissues under the the table. I carefully took them and wipe my nose and hand. I sniffled and wiped my dripping nose again. I looked over at her and shyly nodded thank you. She smiled, mouthed 'Bless you' and then, hesitating slightly, reached down and squeezed my leg. The bell finally rang. I immediately stood and rushed out of the classroom. The second I stepped outside, I let out a sigh which quickly turned into yet another harsh coughing fit. Someone stood behind me.

"Miles," Katie said. This was the first time shed ever spoken to me outside of class.

I looked up at her. The confusion must have registered on my face, because she launched into an explanation.

"You were coughing so much and you really didn't seem too well. And then you just rushed out if the classroom so fast. I thought you had gotten sick."

I nodded. My nose was starting to itch again. I gave it a quick rub.

"You look pretty bad, maybe you should go home."

I nodded again. The tickle overwhelmed me and I sneezed into the crook of my arm. "Het'SHOO! Hat'SHOO!"

"Bless you," she said, hovering next to me.

I leaned against the wall and slid down. Katie sat next to me. We sat in silence for a few minutes. Suddenly, she reached out and touched the back of her hand to my forehead. I jerked back in surprise.

"I knew it, you feel warm."

I just looked at her. My family wasn't very touchy and seeing a person who was almost a stranger feel so comfortable touching me was weird.

"Sorry, I'm freaking you out, aren't I?" she said laughing slightly, "I'm the oldest of six and I did a lot of babysitting. So when ever I see someone sick, I sort of go into 'Mommy mode'."

Despite feeling awful, I smiled at her. She really was cute. Like a little pixie.

"So come on, I'll take you home."

I started to say something about my car, but she cut me off, "I'll drive you tomorrow."

I awkwardly followed her to her car, a dark blue mini Cooper. I had figured out something new about Katie. She never shut up. But in a good way. I had only ever hung out with her in class so, of course, she wasn't talking then. It kind of worked for us. She never stopped talking and I never started. She didn't even seem to care whether or not I was listening to her. I sniffled and coughed deeply as I settled into the front seat. Between my instruction on how to get to my apartment, she continued to talk about everything possible.

"Het'SHOO! Hat'SHOO! HET'SHOO!" I sneezed suddenly. I had barely pulled my arm up in time. "Sorry..." I whispered, my voice even rougher than before. I sniffled thickly.

"Bless you. That's alright." she said, as she reached out and rubbed my shoulder. "This your building?" I nodded and she parked.

"Thanks," I said, even though it burned my throat. "For the ride."

"I'll come up with you," she said "If that's okay."

I just nodded. I hoped she knew I wasn't talking because it hurt my throat and embarrassed me, not because I didn't like her.

"Which floor?" she asked, turning back towards me.

"Third," I said, already breathless. Katie walked very fast and I had to rush to keep up. Between the second and third floors I had to stop. My chest felt tight and I couldn't breath through my nose. I went into another nasty coughing fit. Katie rubbed my back and babbled on.

The muscles in my chest were getting sore and I fought back another groan. I sat on the bottom step, leaned back, and rubbed the spot between my eyebrows where my head was really starting to pound. Katie reached and squeezed my hand. I thought she was going to let go but she didn't. Nobody had ever grabbed my hand like that before.

Just to kill the moment, the tickle flared in my nose again. I lifted my opposite arm and leaned away from her. "HA'SHOO!...HET'SHOO!".

"Bless you,"

I sniffled and wiped my nose on my sleeve, feeling childish.

"Sorry, that was gross," I muttered.

"That's alright. You can't help it." I rubbed my eyes, which were beginning to feel like sandpaper.

"Come on," she said, pulling me by the hand.

"Which one?"

"304," I dug through my pocket to mind my keys.

"Your building is freezing. Don't you have heat?"

"Heat never works when it's cold. It only works when you don't need it." I told her, laughing a little.

She smiled and laughed. I stopped for a second. She must have been right about being warm. Usually I had no idea how to make conversation.

I sat on my couch. I was really starting to realize how cold it was in here. It usually didn't bother me. I usually just kept my jacket on. At the worst in winter, I had to sleep fully clothed under every blanket I owned. But right now, it was only October and I was shivering.

I coughed again.

"Do you have any blankets?" Katie asked. I shook myself. I thought she'd left.

"Umm...one of the closets, I think..." I said, sniffling and wiping my nose. She grabbed a blanket and handed it to me. There was an awkward silence.

"Well, I guess I will see you around." she said, smiling down at me.

"Bye," I said, leaning back into the couch with a sigh, "Thanks, for driving me and stuff," I cleared my throat. My voice was getting even quieter.

"No problem,"

She was moving towards the door. As soon as I heard the door click shut, I brought my arm up my face.

"HET'mmptf!" I tried to muffle the noise. I laid back on the couch rubbed my hands over my face. My sinuses where throbbing in time with my head. I yank the blanket halfway over myself, rolled over, and drifted off quickly.

So how was that?

[jezebel215]

it was sweet :-)

[Lexi]

"Your building is freezing. Don't you have heat?" "Heat never works when it's cold. It only works when you don't need it." I told her, laughing a little. She smiled and laughed. I stopped for a second. She must have been right about being warm. Usually I had no idea how to make conversation.

Loved that part, it was so cute!

as far as criticism goes it was pretty good but I think the beginning had a bit too much description but I did that in my first story too.

I'd absolutely love if you continued

[Gypsy]

I love this! Miles sounds adorable. I like the way you characterized his shyness and awkward...ness. And Katie reminds me of a sweet girl I know who I love to pieces. I have this thing about only liking stories if I like the characters, and you made them cute and realistic. Continue please~

[sneezytwilight]

Aww This is adorable! You have to continue this...Please?