Ruby was definitely sick. Jake played the role of worried nurse, bringing her soup from the dining hall which she couldn't eat.
"This is miserable."
"The health center says it's a campus-wide flu."
"That doesn't make me feel any better."
Kofi and Nina stopped by her dorm room. They brought class notes and homework assignments.
"You look terrible."
"Thanks, Nina. Very helpful."
Ruby was pale and shivering under three blankets. Her roommate had decamped to a friend's room to avoid infection.
"Anything you need?"
"A new immune system."
"We're fresh out."
They left her to sleep. Outside her dorm, Jake was pacing.
"She never gets sick."
"Everyone gets sick, Jake."
"Not Ruby. She has perfect attendance records going back to kindergarten."
"Maybe her body is forcing her to rest," Nina suggested.
"That's not how biology works."
"It's how stress works. The dojo fight, Yuna leaving, midterms. It adds up."
