DETENTION OF THE HEART

A Kiss Almost Happened

Sandra’s POV

I was long gone, trapped deep inside my nightmares again. My body felt like it was on fire, boiling from the inside, and for a moment, I was convinced this might be my last day on earth. Somewhere in the distance, I started regaining consciousness. I could feel something cold pressed against my forehead…probably Angel taking care of me again.

I tried moving, but my body wouldn’t respond. Everything was numb.

Suddenly, I felt someone’s breath getting closer and closer. I could hear their heartbeat…quick, loud, and steady…almost as if the person was nervous.

I slowly forced my eyes open, expecting to see Angel.

But what I saw left me in complete shock.

Miss Talia was about to kiss me.

Wait, what!?

I screamed…inside my head, of course. My body was too weak to react. My mind was racing, trapped between confusion and curiosity. And to be honest, at that moment, the only thing I truly wanted was to pull her closer and kiss her. I wanted to know what her lips might taste like.

But I couldn’t move.

I just lay there, staring at her with my eyes wide open, frozen in place.

I was confused…Angel was supposed to be the one taking care of me, not Miss Talia. Why was she here? Why was she leaning so close? Why did I… why did I like it?

Her voice snapped me back to reality.

“You… you’re awake,” she stammered, quickly straightening up and trying to regain her composure. “How… how are you feeling?”

I blinked, still processing everything. My brows furrowed as I struggled to recall what was happening.

“I feel… hot… dizzy,” I murmured, my hand instinctively going to my forehead as I glanced around the room, realizing I wasn’t alone. “Where’s Angel?”

“She stepped out to get some things for you,” she explained, her voice unusually steady, as if she hadn’t just been seconds away from kissing me. “She asked me to watch over you while she was gone.”

“Oh…” I mumbled, trying to sit up. My body still ached, but she helped me carefully.

“Thank you,” I whispered, genuinely grateful.

“You don’t have to thank me,” she said softly, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face, her fingertips lingering just a moment too long. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”

Our eyes locked, and we both paused…longer than we should have.

There was something there. Something neither of us dared to say out loud.

Before we could exchange another word, we heard the front door swing open.

“Hey! I’m back!” Angel called from the entrance. “How’s she doing?”

Miss Talia immediately stepped back, pretending to fuss with the first aid kit.

“She’s awake now,” she said, her voice forced into a calmness that didn’t match her earlier expression. “The fever’s gone down a little.”

Angel rushed over to me, kneeling and wrapping her arms around me tightly. “God, I was so worried about you.”

I hugged her back, feeling her genuine relief, but as I rested my chin on her shoulder, my eyes flickered toward Miss Talia.

What… what was that?

I wasn’t just confused…I was curious.

“Thank you for watching her,” Angel said, turning to Miss Talia with a bright smile that masked something else underneath. “I really appreciate it.”

Miss Talia offered a small smile in return. “It’s no problem.”

But she didn’t look calm at all. She looked like someone who had narrowly escaped something dangerous.

As she was about to leave, Angel surprised us both.

“Hey, would you like to eat with us?” she offered casually. “As a thank..you for helping me out.”

Miss Talia hesitated but eventually nodded. “Sure, I’d love to.”

Angel helped me up from the floor and guided me to the dining table. She served the food while we sat across from each other, our glances occasionally betraying the quiet tension.

I caught Miss Talia stealing glances at me. I caught myself doing the same.

Angel’s POV

When I got home, I expected to see Sandra resting peacefully…but what I walked into was something entirely different.

Sandra and Miss Talia were staring at each other, their eyes saying more than their mouths ever would. The second Miss Talia noticed me, she quickly busied herself with the first aid box, pretending to pack it up as if I hadn’t just caught something… strange.

Something about the scene irritated me more than it should have.

I know I should have been grateful…Miss Talia took care of Sandra while I was gone…but instead, I felt this small, sharp pang of anger. I hated the feeling, but I’m Angel. I’m good at hiding things.

I smiled and invited Miss Talia to stay for dinner. I said it was a way of showing appreciation, but deep down, I wanted to see how they’d act in front of me. Would they still exchange those looks? Would they still pretend nothing happened?

We helped Sandra to the dining table and soon started eating. I served everyone’s plates and made casual conversation, but I was paying attention…closely.

And I saw it.

I saw their stolen glances.

Their awkward silences.

I cleared my throat and decided to stir the pot a little.

“You know, to be honest…” I started, leaning back in my chair. “I thought when I got back, I’d catch the two of you making out.”

Miss Talia choked on her food instantly.

Sandra panicked and passed her some water while I watched, fighting the urge to laugh.

“Are you okay?” Sandra asked, genuinely concerned.

Miss Talia coughed a few more times before managing to speak. “Um… yeah, I’m fine.”

I gave her a knowing smile but decided to drop it..at least for now.

We finished the meal peacefully, though the silence spoke volumes.

No one choked to death, thankfully.

But something had definitely changed.