>>Clio
I shook my head and continued walking back.
Why would Rameen be running around in this kind of weather in the middle of the night?
I made it back to my apartment with trembling legs. I had no energy and I barely made it in and collapsed on the floor. My thighs were burning and I had to drag myself to the bathroom where I took off the clothes but I didn't have the energy to even throw them in the wash. I just grabbed a big shirt I already had in the bathroom, wore it, and crawled to my bed where I passed out.
***
>>Zhou-Lin
"I'm pretty sure now," I looked at my sister, "That girl is his mate."
"'What makes you so sure?" Xia-Lin asked as she brought an ice pack over to me and we both stood in front of the wall-sized window of the hotel room and stared out at the city, looking at the night view.
"There was a worry in his eyes when he barged into that room." I took the ice and placed it on my nose, "His eyes were full of concern when he went to glance out the window to look for her." We exchanged a glance, "It was the type of gaze he's never held for anyone else."
My chest felt queasy when I remembered that.
Xia-Lin sighed, "So?" She smoked from her jade smoking pipe, "Are you going to kill her?"
I thought about it, "Should I?" I smiled softly, "That would break Matthew enough to make him fall into despair."
Xia-Lin chuckled, "Then? You plan on coveting him?"
"Why not?" I let out a soft snicker myself, "But first I need to find this 'Cherelle Zima' and discover her true identity."
***
>>Mathhew
I went to work a little late. All the employees were already working when I passed by the open corridor but that didn't stop me from noticing an empty seat.
I stopped and stared at the spot. I was well aware of who it belonged to.
"Oh!" Bizy noticed and stood up from his seat and noticed where I was looking at, "The intern is sick..."
Oh? He's sick?
"I see," I replied to him but that wasn't the only place my eyes were on. Right by the empty seat was Chris's spot. She had her eyes glued to the screen but she looked disturbed. I contemplated whether to say anything or keep quiet about it.
...
I then walked to my office.
***
>Clio
I couldn't move, my body felt so lethargic, I was basically out of power and the fatigue had turned into a fever.
Hell...
I sent a text to Bizy and one to Nolan as well that I was sick. I had to inform the company why I was taking a leave but I told Nolan about it since he texted to ask me what I found at the party at Lux.
It was hard to write because my eyes kept watering and my vision wouldn't focus but I somehow managed and sent it.
This is what happened to me because I ran like crazy and swam like crazy for one day... I should really start putting in more exercise. I opened my eyes to look around but my vision was a little hazy.
Or maybe it was because I went there straight after work and had to pull some serious stunts to escape...
Oh God... I need some medicine, a painkiller, and some food too but I have no energy to even get up. I tried, but I couldn't even push myself up from the bed, my arms felt like jelly, they couldn't push anything!
'"io?"
And I collapsed back in bed...
"Lio?"
"Mom..." I said softly and closed my eyes, "My head hurts..." I felt so hot and uncomfortable even though I wasn't wearing any pants under the blanket. Breathing was a little difficult too but that's when I noticed something.
Someone was calling my name
"Clio?" My ears perked up as I recognized the voice.
"Nolan?" I felt someone came and sat down next to me and I opened my eyes but couldn't properly focus on him.
"So, you really are sick..."
"Nolan, is that really you?" I tried to sit up but couldn't. I was on the verge of falling unconscious since not only had I not eaten anything since yesterday, but I was dehydrated as well. Plus I didn't even take any medicine.
"Yeah, it's me." He replied, "The door wasn't locked." And I looked at him through blurry vision. My heart filling with glee that he came to see me after I texted him that I was sick. My mind was dizzy but I wanted to sit up for him.
I wanted to talk.
I felt so alone here, "I'm so glad you came." I smiled and I tear slipped down my cheek. Honestly, I hate being lonely. It wasn't that bad when I was in City D because I could go and see Nolan whenever I wanted but I find myself alone here a lot.
"Uh," He got off the bed, "Yea,"
"Nolan?" I blinked several times to remove the excess water from my eyes.
"Keep lying down." I was trying to get up but he pushed me back on the bed, "You need to recover. Did you take any medicine?"
"No..." I replied feebly but kept my eyes on him.
"Well," He looked at his phone, "Take a good rest and get back to work." He turned around and started walking away, "Sleep some more, you'll get better."
!!!
"Wait," I panicked, "Are you leaving?" The fear made me sit up and move but he didn't stop. I tried to get up, "Wait a minute."
"I can't," He reached the door, "I'm in a hurry."
"But!"
"Sorry," He opened the door, "I can't,"
"Please," I said as my heart raced, "Just stay for a little while!!" I tried to leave the bed.
"I'm really sorry Clio," And he left while I fell from the bed, face down while the door closed behind him
"Nolan...." I said this name, hoping he would come back, "Nolan?" But only disappointment came and I found no energy to get myself back on the bed. I just drifted back to sleep, or more like I fell unconscious on the floor with the blanket weirdly tied up around me.
***
"He looks dead," I heard someone say.
"Shhh," I heard someone else whisper, "Don't wake him up." The voices were pretty low.
Nolan? He came back for me! But there's another person too.
He moved silently around the room as I opened my eyes to see but this time, I felt even more dizzy.
Oh God... Am I going to die today? I feel so dry, like barren land that's got no chance of recovery.
"It looks like he hasn't eaten," It seemed like it was a female voice but I couldn't be sure since it was all whispers and my mind wasn't working.
"Go grab some porridge from across the street."
"Money?"
"Here," I tried to look up and through the blurred screen, I saw someone hand a credit card to someone else.
Hmmm?
The other person ran out while my eyelids closed again. Time seemed to blur as I drifted in and out of consciousness, The fever was casting a hazy filter over my senses but I still felt a strong pair of arms come around me, rearrange the blanket on me properly, pick me up effortlessly, and lay me down on the soft bed.
Ah~
Once my back hit the bed, I felt myself relax a little and drifted away again.
The sound of water being poured reached my ears and I tried to open my eyes again, but a moment later, a big presence was at my side, holding a glass of water.
Water...I managed to lift my head slightly but I couldn't focus. So the other person brought his hand down my neck and pulled me up gently. He made my head rest against his sturdy chest and then helped me sip from the glass, his touch was extremely gentle against my fevered skin.
The cool water provided some relief to my parched throat and I think I drank the whole glass, but I still didn't have any energy to look at him properly. He lowered the glass and then brought some medicine to my mouth, "Take it," He whispered and I lazily stuck out my tongue, he put it in my mouth and then gave me more water to swallow the pill.
It was bitter but I was able to take it.
He then lowered my head back on the bed without a word.
In the silence, he disappeared briefly, while I drifted back and forth from slumber. Returning with a damp cloth, he gently pressed it against my forehead, the coolness soothing against the fever that had taken hold.
OH~ That felt so nice.
The simple act of his care brought a strange sense of comfort, a feeling of being cared for, and an unconscious smile appeared on my face.
My eyes were still closed but I felt him sit down next to me on the bed. I felt his gaze on me so I tried to open my eyes but my eyelids were heavy.
"Feeling better?" He whispered and I felt his big hand come towards my cheek. His palm was really warm and he caressed my cheek with his thumb which felt really nice.
"Mmmmm," I replied and felt him get up to leave which made me panic and I grabbed his hand.
"Are you leaving?" I asked him with teary eyes, "Already?" They rolled to the side of my face.
I couldn't see his face properly, my eyes were too blurry but it looked like he was looking at me with a bewildered expression, "I can stay," He gently touched my cheek again with his hand, "If you want."
"Mmm!" I grabbed his hand that was on my cheek and leaned my face into it, "Stay," And my eyes began to close again, "Don't leave me alone." Most of my loneliness began to fly away as he kept gently stroking my skin and I even felt better physically. "Nolan," I called his name and his hand stopped moving.
...
There was silence for a few seconds and I noticed that I was drifting back into sleep, harder this time, it might be because of the medicine I took.
"Nolan?" I said again as my eyes closed.
"I'm not Nolan."
***
"Clio?"
I heard a voice calling out to me.
"Clio!"
It seemed awfully familiar. It was someone I knew
"Clio!!!" My world shook and I shot my eyes open
"HUH!?" I sat up with a jolt, panting as I looked straight ahead.
There was nothing straight ahead.
"Clio!" I heard the voice again and looked to my side as a girl retreated her hand after shaking me awake.
"Rameen?" I frowned at her and she smiled.
"You're finally up!" She was holding a bowl of porridge in her hand, "It's time to eat."
...
I stared at her for a while.
"What?" I raised my eyebrows at her. Something felt like a miss. I was missing something.
What happened here?
"It's time to eat." She said and opened the lid of the porridge bowl then stuck the spoon in while I kept staring at her, "Here," She moved the bowl towards me with both her hands, "You have to eat, you already took the medicine."
I did?
I gulped to lubricate my throat.
Now that I think about it, I think someone did give me medicine. I moved my head away to think but Rameen just moved the bowl with my face.
Someone gave me medicine and water. But, wasn't that Nolan?
I looked back at Rameen and she moved the bowl in an arc to bring it back to its original position
"Who-" I was going to ask her who gave me the medicine but she cut me off.
"Take it!" She protested before I got to ask anything, "My arms hurt!"
"Ah!" I took the bowl from her and rested it on top of my blanket-covered legs, "Thank you," I said softly and she beamed at me.
"No problem!" She gestured to me to eat with her hands, "Eat! Eat! Matthew already gave you the medicine, you have to eat so you can recover fast."
"Okay," I grabbed the spoon and scooped up some porridge then paused, "Wait," I looked back at her, "Matthew gave me the medicine?"
Rameen rested her elbows on the side of the bed and placed her cheeks in her palms, "Yup," She smiled, "We came together."
Something inside of me screamed in horror.
Matthew is here!?!? In my apartment?!?! He stayed here with me?!??!
"T-then, did he leave already?" My heart started to race as the panic rose.
"No," She shook her head, "He went to the bathroom to clean the towel."
My heart dropped and I shot my head towards the bathroom with my eyes wide open.
Oh no...
The dress and all my disguise is in the bathroom!!!