malinger
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Mark stumbled downstairs, emitting a weak moan as he did. He leaned against a wall to steady his steps. His parents were glued to the TV, and did not immediately notice. Mark could understand that, since they were watching the latest story about Cosmic Girl, the world’s only real super hero. Still, it would be nice to get more of a reaction.
His mom was the first to notice his current state. She abandoned the news and dashed over to him. Without a word, her hand was on his forehead.
“Hm, you’re warm.” She said. “How do you feel?”
“Not great.” Mark said. “I don’t think I can go to school.”
Mom tilted his head up and turned it from side to side. Her eyes seemed to bore into him using whatever powers mothers got. He could feel a bead of sweat run down his back.
“Seems like it.” She concluded. “You’re staying home today.”
“Sure he’s not faking it?” Dad said. The news had gone to commercial and he was finally paying attention.
“I’m sure.” Mom said. “Why would he be faking it anyway?”
Dad pointed at the TV with his thumb. “That super girl is having her little meet and greet today. If I was a teenage boy, I’d make any excuse to see her in person.” Mom glared at him. “What? I’m just saying, she’s a pretty girl, and you and I both know how boys his age get around pretty girls.”
Mark groaned, for multiple reasons. “I wouldn’t go even if I could, Dad.” He said. His voice croaked and he barely formed the words loud enough to be heard.
“Alright, I’m just saying.” Dad said. “But I guess you do look pretty miserable.”
“That’s right. And that’s why he’s staying home.” Mom said. Her face creased in worry. “I should stay home too.”
“I’ll be okay, Mom. I can at least put a can of soup in for, you know, eating and…stuff.” His eyes drooped and his head fell forward, but it snapped up quickly. “You and Dad can go do work stuff.”
“You sure? Do you want us to call Becky?”
Another bead of sweat ran down his back as Mom mentioned their next door neighbor.
“She’ll be at school.”
Dad placed a hand on Mom’s shoulder. “Why don’t we let him have some time alone? He’s 17, he can handle this much.”
“Are you sure?” Mom asked. “I don’t mind calling out.”
It took almost half an hour before Mom reluctantly agreed to leave Mark alone and go to work. And even then, it was obvious she was a hair’s breadth away from calling out from work. But, she did leave. And once Dad left, Mark was officially home alone. He trudged up to his room and waited until he was sure that his parents were gone.
Then he straightened up and wiped his face clean of the stuff he had used to make himself look pale, and slipped the tiny device he had used to warm his skin off. He sat at his computer and put his headset on before logging into his special voice carrier.
“About time you got on. I was worried you wouldn’t make it.” The voice on the other end said.
“Sorry, Becky, but it wasn’t easy fooling my parents. I had to make a whole new thing just to fake a fever.”
“That’s nice, but what’d I tell you about the names? Man for a guy as smart as you, you really do slip up a lot there.”
“Right, right. Not like anyone’s eavesdropping on this line. But fine. You ready for this stupid little media stunt, Cosmic Girl?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be. How about you?”
Mark cracked his knuckles, pulled up numerous programs for a wide variety of purposes and got ready to do his thing.
“Oh yeah. Let’s do this.”
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Could I have made this just a normal teen playing hooky? Yes, yes I could. But that's been done to death and is super boring. So I did this instead. Is it more interesting? I think so, but that's just me.
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