𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐎𝐌

53| C I N Q U A N T A-T R E

ALESSANDRO'S POV

The world is blurry, everything seems calm and quiet.

I was about to shift on the bed when a weight on top of my chest stopped me. My vision now is clear, I looked down and found Akila breathing heavily as her head rested right underneath my neck. I swallowed hard, unsure what to do. I watched her chest rise and fall for longer than it should, something is wrong.

She took seven seconds between each inhale and exhale, and repeated the process over and over again. Her heart beats sound stable and normal but I'm certain there's something in her body, pressuring and weakening her lungs. Maybe it's her current position, maybe it's my legs connected with her, I don't know. I don't know what to do.

I have no idea whether she's asleep or not, and I can't move in case she is. Hell, it's a miracle if she's asleep and I can't, I can't risk waking her up.

Maybe she's dreaming, or having a nightmare. I sighed as quietly as I could while my thoughts didn't help my nerves.

Her right hand shakes, she dragged it downward until they touched my abs. My face suddenly flustered into heat and now was my time to breathe heavily.

After a minute or two, she moved again but this time, she lifted her head up, eyes closed, turned around and dropped her head on top of me once again. I smiled softly at her adorable figure in my arms and gently caressed my hand down her hair. We stayed like that for a while, thirty minutes, maybe an hour. I twirled her strands around my fingers as she would scooped her face closer to my neck.

A few images of yesterday would creep into my mind once here and then but eventually it would haunt me down. Akila doesn't know her parents are here, she doesn't know any of them are here. I never got the chance to tell her and I feel guilty, guilty that I let my needs for her win over what happened. I should have told her the second I laid an eye on her, I should have spoken the words before anything.

As if the world was punishing me, Akila slowly started to wake up. Her eyes blinked numerous times and her arms hung in the air as she stretched. I fixed my eyes on her, not allowing myself to miss this moment. A moment where she woke up next to me, on the same bed, in my arms.

"Good morning" she calmly said with a dimpled smile. Her sleepy voice might be the best thing I've ever heard. God. It is the best thing I've ever heard.

Her smile only grew wilder the longer she looked at me which made me feel things, things I don't think I will be able to take before my body explodes. She kept getting closer to my face until her lips brushed softly on my left cheek, leaving a cold kiss on my skin. How could something so cold make you go ten times hotter. 

"Good morning, love" I finally managed to find my voice again. "How did you sleep" I asked partly hoping she got any and partly hoping she wasn't having a nightmare. Her lips separated and her eyes widened. She jerked away from me as if I'm some sort of monster. She rose to her feet in a matter of milliseconds and looked at me terrified. A look I thought I would never see on Akila. And I hate it.

I hate it so much.

I made it on my knees and tried to touch her when she took a step back. My shoulders fell and I felt completely wrecked. What have I done.

I didn't know the answer to that question, I didn't know if I even did anything but I know I've upsetted her somehow. I wanted to apologize, I wanted to take her in my arms and beg for her forgiveness but she didn't let me. She kept a distance between us, she looked at me in a way and it felt like she's haunted by ghosts and demons.