Feeling Unwell

  Sophie’s head was pounding. Her throat was sore and uncomfortable, and she felt incredibly tired. A cool breeze entered through her open window, sending chills throughout her body. She knew immediately that she was sick, and that she should go to the doctor. But she had a volleyball competition coming up the following week, and there was no time to lie around and rest. She needed to get to volleyball practice.

  “Are you okay, dear?” Sophie’s mother asked as she stuck her head in the doorway and noticed Sophie’s flushed face. Sophie tried to downplay her symptoms, insisting that she was fine to go for volleyball practice. As Sophie struggled to her feet, a wave of dizziness swept over her, causing her to stumble backwards. She held onto her dresser for support and grudgingly resigned to taking the day off practice.

  After a quick trip to the clinic with her mother, Sophie found herself back in the comfort of her bed. The doctor had diagnosed her with a bad case of the flu and told her that she needed to rest for a few days. She was also prescribed an array of pills.

  Sophie was disappointed and frustrated. The competition was important to her and her teammates. They had been practising tirelessly for the past few months, and she did not want to lose momentum or fall behind. She felt like she was letting her team down and risking all her hard work.

  The next day, Sophie started to feel better. She still could not exercise, but she found that she had more time to do the other things she loved. She made herself a cup of hot lavender tea and huddled in bed with a good book. That evening, she watched one of her favourite movies. Sophie realised that she had been so focused on her volleyball competition that she had forgotten to enjoy the little things in life.

  Sophie religiously took her medicine and rested. As the week came to an end, she returned to volleyball practice feeling refreshed and energised. She felt better than ever before, and she knew that taking care of herself was just as important as winning the competition.

  Sophie also realised that every cloud has a silver lining. She had been so focused on her training that she had forgotten to enjoy life. Being sick had forced her to slow down and appreciate the simple things.

  “Ding dong!” the sound of the doorbell echoed through the house, jolting Jia Li out of her deep sleep. She wondered who could be at the door so early in the morning. Rubbing her eyes, Jia Li was greeted with a flurry of energy as her classmates and best friends, Xin Yi and Pei Xuan, burst through her door. “Surprise!” they shouted in unison.

  Jia Li had been absent from school all week. She had been grappling with a vicious cold that had confined her to bed for the majority of the time. Her doctor had prescribed bed rest, cough syrup, and myriads of pills and lozenges.

  Xin Yi and Pei Xuan had been concerned about her absence from school and decided to surprise her with a visit during the weekend. “We missed you!” they chimed. The girls grinned widely as they presented Jia Li with a basket full of fresh fruits and a bouquet of flowers. “We also brought your homework!” Xin Yi smirked. “There’s a mountain of it!” Seeing the look on Jia Li’s face, Pei Xuan could not help but giggle.

  Xin Yi handed Jia Li a stack of carefully handwritten notes. Jia Li could see that she had missed a lot in school that week! Patiently, her friends explained the new concepts to her, ensuring that she would not fall behind when she returned to school the following week.

  The girls spent the rest of the day catching up and chatting. Xin Yi and Pei Xuan shared stories of their week, and Jia Li listened intently, happy to be included in their conversations. They laughed and joked, enjoying each other’s company, always making sure that Jia Li was comfortable and had a good time despite feeling unwell.

  Jia Li felt a sense of warmth and comfort being surrounded by her two best friends. She felt better than she had all week, and realised that the surprise visit from her friends was exactly what she needed to lift her spirits.

  As Jia Li closed the door behind her friends that night, she felt grateful and content for their unexpected visit. She looked at the stack of homework her friends had brought her and smiled. With their help, she knew she could catch up quickly and be ready for school on Monday.