Free The Fire Starter by Misty Wright, Summer Sauteur Page A

wiped the sweat that had collected on his forehead. I also noticed his hand shaking a bit. "I'm sorry. It might take a while to finish this. You can go ahead and rest now."
    I didn't move. "No, I want the revisions now if there are any." I didn't want to meet with him again. The sooner this is over, the better. I'm pretty confident with what I had done anyway. Spencer looked at me, but his eyes looked lifeless. I noticed that even his neck was sweaty, and he was shaking visibly now. "Are you okay?" I asked, though I made sure that he wouldn't mistake my concern as forgiveness.
    "Yes," he answered weakly. He looked paler than usual and he seemed to be unable to keep himself straight. "I'll just leave it on your chair tomorrow, okay?" he finished with a weak, almost lifeless smile.
    I hesitated, but he looked so terrible that I had to step in. I put a hand on his forehead and sure enough, he was hot with fever. He was shivering too. I panicked when I realized how high his fever must be. "You're not okay!"
    "Call Evan," he attempted to stand up, but instead he collapsed on his chair and lost consciousness, his head landing on his hand on the table.
    "Spencer!" I shouted for help, but since it was already late, we were the only people in the cafeteria.
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    I didn't know where Evan's room was. All I know was that it was opposite Reid's room, and since Reid was the president, he must be at the first room in the East Wing; that must mean Evan was the occupant at room number two. I took my chances and knocked as urgently as I could. There was noise inside and I knocked again, this time louder. I might have woken up a few of the other boys on the nearby rooms, but I didn't care. The image of Spencer unconscious in the cafeteria kept reappearing in my head.
    "Evan, please open up!"
    Evan finally opened up and I barely had time to register the naked upper torso and the wet hair before I blurted out that his brother was unconscious. "Please, let's go!"
    He didn't need any persuading. Though he wasn't as panicked as I expected him to be, he did seem concerned. We both ran to the cafeteria where I asked the attendant to check on Spencer while I ran for help. He was just as I had left him. "Spencer," I called, shaking him gently, but to no avail.
    "Spence?" Evan tried, but still no answer. He didn't hesitate to put Spencer's arm around his shoulders and dragged him up. "Kayleigh, I need your help."
    Spencer was taller than Evan, and Evan's body also seemed thinner than his older brother's, so it was impossible for him to be able to carry him on his own. I helped, putting one of Spencer's burning arms around me. The challenge was climbing up the stairs with Spencer's weight dragging us down, but we were both determined to save him. We might not be okay, but I didn't want anything bad to happen to him.
    "We have to call a doctor," I suggested as Evan struggled to open his door. Thank God his room was just at the top of the stairs.
    "There's no need," Evan answered, surprisingly calm. He had finally opened the door and we dragged Spencer in, where he collapsed on Evan's bed with a grunt.
    Spencer's eyes opened slightly. "Evan--"
    "It's okay Spence. You're in my room," Evan replied, holding his hand, rubbing the back of his palm affectionately. I swear Spencer's fever was so high that where Evan's hand touched him, it seemed to emit a mist or smoke.
    "Please, his fever's dangerously high. Evan, we need help," I demanded, hating that Evan could be calm at this point. "Can't you see, he's--"
    "Is that you Kayleigh?" Spencer's weak voice tried to say more, but he was shaking feverishly.
    "Yes, it's me," I answered, forgetting to hate him for a moment. "You're going to be okay, Spence," I came nearer and brushed the hairs covering his forehead, wiping at the beads of sweat there. He raised a shaking hand and touched mine, interlocking our fingers together. He lowered our hands on his side and he let out a heavy sigh, a sigh of discomfort.