she awoke with a start at 0230hrs. it was barely an hour before that she fell asleep.

this time, it wasn't a nightrage but something very real. as she took a deep breath, she clutched her chest as if it were going to split open any second. so started the morning of controlled breathing and minimum rest. she HAD to call in sick.

it wasn't that many hours ago that she was doing good...laughing and singing at the back of a van with her mates. he had kissed her then.

wait...could the pain be a foreboding signal? after all, she hadn't felt such misery caused by physical pain in quite a while. was it coming to her because she had too much fun the night before?

it couldn't have been the fun...for she swears she'd had more fun than that.

was it because he'd hugged her so tight? then kissed her goodnight?

she went to the doctor's. he felt about her rib cage and she gasped as he gently applied pressure just below her sternum.

he said she's suffering from an acute muscle strain, wrote her a two-day medical certificate, and sent her on her way.

she breathed a sigh of relief.