Chapter 9
1703 Words
I couldn’t sleep.
I mean, how could I? Knowing that someone is sleeping on my bed while he’s injured. I didn’t get the chance to ask him because, at first, he was tired. Second, this is the first time we saw each other again after almost a week without communication. Third, I don’t want to be insensitive and annoy him out of the blue when we weren’t even on good terms after separating before.
He just disappeared and appeared out of nowhere.
I let out a sigh then placed my chin on my palm. I couldn’t do anything but to watch him sleep peacefully. At least, he looks gentle and carefree, unlike when he’s awake. He looks like a beast that can hunt and kill its prey.
My eyes travelled down to his knuckles. His blood dried but it was still swollen. I have to do something to ease his pain. He’s asleep so I guess he won’t wake up while I am treating him.
I stood up and gathered the materials I needed. After collecting a bucket, towel, alcohol and bandages, I quickly went back to my room and sat on the edge of the bed. I tied up my hair then picked up his hand slowly, yet, carefully, to place them above my lap. Myles' body and face are fine. Only his fist is bloated.
It’s like he punched a hard object. A metal or something?
I shook my head, then began to do my thing. I have to clean up these blood stains on his arm before applying alcohol so the bacteria won’t penetrate into his flesh. I look at him from time to time to make sure he’s still slumbering. I don’t want to interrupt his sleep since it looks like he hasn’t taken a rest yet.
Judging by the look of the circles under his eyes,
“Hmm…”
I stopped shortly, looking at his face. My heart was beating loudly but I was glad that he was still resting. He just moved a little, scooping closer to my waist. I sighed in relief, then continued on with what I was doing.
After a minute of getting rid of his blood stains, I quickly poured the alcohol and poured it on a cotton ball. I have to be careful because this might sting a bit.
“What have you done to yourself while you’re away?” I mumbled, tapping his fist with the cotton balls I was using.
“Punch a wall.”
“Oh, how stupid of you to do-”
I paused, eyes widening when I realized something. I swallowed before slowly turning around to see Myles was already awake. His dark, grim, soulless eyes were seeping. I froze when I noticed how his eyes went down to check what was going on.
“I see, you’re taking care of me.” he murmured, the side of his lips curved a little.
I blinked, unable to say anything. Myles remained silent and just stared back at me. The moment our eyes locked, my heart quickened and my breathing became shallow. His face was closed, the tip of his nose was almost touching. Even though he was sleepy and tired, his attraction did not waver. His bedraggled hair and beat-up expression made him even hotter.
Wait, why am I complimenting him?
“What did you say? You punched a wall?”
I have to change the topic because the idea of me taking care of him is outside of my league. I am doing this because I know about what happened to his hand. It’s like anytime now it could fall off. Not that it’s cut off. It looks really puffed.
“Yeah.” he grunted, then moved his head. I bit my tongue when he rested them on my lap.
“But why?” I asked, curious as to why he had to do that?
He shrugged his shoulders then crooked his head. He didn’t answer my question instantly, as he just looked at me straight in the eyes. I was out of breath because of how intense his stares were. I made a cough then looked away, unable to keep in contact.
“Someone hurt me.”
He suddenly grabbed my hand, making my throat dry. I watched how he let my fingers get intertwined with his. He pulled my forefinger gently then carefully pointed the tip of it at his chest.
“In here.”
My heart was in my throat as I watched how his pupils dilated.
Thunderstruck is an understatement to describe what I look like right now. What does he mean by that? And why is he looking at me like that, as if I did something? I moved my jaw before biting my lower lip.
“I’m still mad at you and I am just doing this because I feel bad for what you did.” I shook my head, grabbing his hand, but I accidentally pulled it with force.
“Damn, you really love torturing me, huh?”
Wow, coming from someone who’s manipulating me?
“Shut up. Don’t flip the table here, Myles. After that, you can get back to our home and leave me alone. My life was peaceful when you’re not here.”
“Hmm, okay.”
My heart skipped when he agreed with my condition. I furrowed my eyebrows and just carried on cleaning his cuts and wounds. However, I could see from the corners of my eyes that he was watching me the whole time. It was making me uncomfortable so I hurriedly finished it. I stood up, looking away when I was done.
“You can now go.”
I was about to walk away when I heard him say something that made me stop from my tracks.
“You really do hate me, huh?”
I licked my lower lip, taking a peek from my shoulder. Myles sat down at the edge of the bed, stretching his long and powerful legs. He clasped his hands together, not minding the wound that I had just wrapped a bandage in. This man doesn’t know what pain is.
“Then what should I feel about you, Myles? Love? Passion? Support?” I can’t help but to be sarcastic.
I just realized that I had become worried about nothing. Especially, for someone who has a plan to ruin me. I am no masochist and definitely will never fall for someone like him.
He’s a lunatic and a manipulative bastard.
“I’m just…tired, okay?” I massaged my head because a headache suddenly attacked me.
“I just want to take a rest.”
I was about to walk away, to get some fresh air, when I felt my head spinning and my body giving up. I placed my hand on the table, catching myself.
“Are you okay?” I heard him ask and I just waved my hand in dismiss.
“Yeah, don’t mind me. You can go now and leave me alone.”
I probably need some fresh air or something because I suddenly couldn’t breathe. I inhaled sharply and was about to proceed when my legs wobbled. I almost lost my balance, and was about to drop on the floor when I felt a hand catch me.
“I got you.”
I coughed, then looked at Myles, who’s eyes looked kind of worried while looking down at me.
“What are you doing? I said you can go now…” I whispered weakly. I tried to slap his hands that were holding me but he didn’t let me. Instead, he carried me even with a bruised and swollen fist, then took me back to my bed.
“I can’t leave you alone, Melanie, when you’re looking weak like this. What did you do while I was gone?”
I couldn’t answer his question. It’s like as if something snapped inside me to act as a menace towards him earlier and to feel like that. I shut my eyes tightly, then did the breathing method.
“Answer me, Melanie.”
I remained silent for a whole minute before gaining the courage to admit something.
“I didn’t sleep.”
“Why?”
“Because…” I breathed in some air, looking away.
“I was waiting for you the whole time.”
Myles went silent when I dropped those words. I touch my forehead to massage it because my headache is getting the best of me. I cursed mentally thinking about why I suddenly felt so weak when a hand place on the nook of my neck.
“You have a fever. You pushed yourself too much.” he groaned, then caressed the side of my arm.
Myles stood up then ran outside to get some materials. He came back a little breathless while holding a bunch of towels and a bucket of hot water. He sat on the edge and began to wipe my whole body.
I opened my mouth to breathe properly because I could feel my lungs tightening. I tried opening my eyes to see the ceiling but everything was a blur and spinning. I groaned in torment. This is not a headache anymore. This is a migraine that’s attacking me.
“F*ck. It’s like your body snapping after forgetting to take care of yourself.” I heard him mumble.
I didn’t say anything. I keep my eyes close while trying to close them because the pain won’t just go away. Myles is right. I haven’t eaten properly for the past few days. I forget what sleeping is and overwork myself with my hobbies.
All of it just to forget about him. Because I thought it was our last time seeing each other and I was mentally preparing myself while also mad at the same time.
Why am I leaving myself for him when his only intention is to f**k me and throw me away?
“I’m sorry, Melanie.”
My heart beat pounded and my ears rang when I heard him drop those unexpected words. Out of all the people who will apologize to me…
I didn’t anticipate Myles.
Maybe I know the reason why I am letting myself.
- Writer
