Ibrahim stirred as he felt a cool sensation on his forehead. He gradually opened his eyes to find Ava tending to him with a damp cloth. His gaze met hers, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth, not just from the cloth but from her caring presence. Ibrahim felt like he was in the embrace of heaven, and Ava, with her attentive care, seemed like an angel tending to him.
Noticing Ibrahim's wakefulness, Ava couldn't hide her relief, "You woke up? Thank God. I called you so many times, but you didn't give a single response."
Ibrahim smiled despite the effects of the fever, "Getting worried for me, aren't you?"
Ava tried to deflect, "I .....um.....I was just... taking care of you."
Her attempt at nonchalance only fueled Ibrahim's amusement. He hadn't anticipated that Ava would care for him in such a way, and it struck him as a refreshing change.
Ava changed the damp cloth and shifted her attention to the thermometer. She checked Ibrahim's temperature with care, her brows furrowing slightly. "You need to take your medicine. It's 102.9°."
Closing his eyes once more, Ibrahim insisted, "I'm okay. A simple fever won't weaken me."
"Yes, you're strong, but taking medicine will make you feel better. Your temperature was higher earlier." Ava voiced her concern.
But Ibrahim didn't respond to Ava. He kept his eyes closed. "Won't you listen to me?" She questioned.
Ibrahim sighed and opened his eyes. He decided to playfully remind Ava of their shared moments. "Today, you're talking so freely though I kissed you last night, but however I remember you couldn't make eye contact me after the rooftop kiss. Interesting."
His words were laced with a mischievous charm that only seemed to add to Ava's vexation. She was taken aback and simultaneously angered by his comment, "I shouldn't have bothered taking care of you. Would've been better if you suffered through the day with your fever."
Ibrahim observed her as she stood from the floor and moved to sit on the corner of the bed. He found her anger cute and couldn't resist the charm of her fiery spirit.
Sitting on the sofa where he had slept, Ibrahim noticed the medicine and water bottle. He took the medicine and, after a moment, approached Ava. She was gazing at the window, which offered a view nothing but of the plain white wall of the next building.
Kneeling beside her, he gently held both of her hands and asked, "Did I make you angry?"
Ava looked at him and mockingly replied, "Nope, you don't just make me angry. You make me frustrated, surprised, and there's one beautiful quality you have – asking for permission right before doing something at the last moment, then blaming me for enjoying whatever you've done. Huh."
"Isn't he right? Don't you enjoy it?" Ibrahim asked.
Ava maintained her stance, "I don't enjoy."
Ibrahim shifted to sit beside her on the bed, his dark eyes searching hers as he inquired, "Then tell me, what do you feel when I kiss you?"
Ava felt momentarily dumbfounded by his question. Internally, she questioned why he was asking such things.
Pulling her hand from his grip, Ava hesitated before responding, "I feel... nothing."
But Ibrahim refused to accept her straightforward denial. "No, I can't believe that."
Ava averted her gaze, "There's nothing like that."
With a playful smirk, Ibrahim remarked, "You're a terrible liar, Ava. Your eyes say something different."
Ava denied again, "Stop making assumptions. It's just a kiss."
Ibrahim leaned in closer, his eyes searching hers, and whispered, "But it's not just a kiss for you, is it?"
Ava's heart raced, and she defensively replied, "It's nothing special. Just a moment."
"Moments matter, Ava. And I can see it matters to you. You can't deny there's something between us. Why are you so hesitant to admit it?" Ibrahim countered.
Ava didn't know what to say. It was clear to her that Ibrahim wouldn't accept like this. He would keep doing this. And Ava was thinking about the end.....where it would end - not their conversation, their relationship.
Ibrahim continued to look. Her tensed face. She was not looking at him. Her gaze were lowered as if she was thinking something else, "You're not good at hiding your feelings. You know, Ava?"
Ava sighed, "Ibrahim, it doesn't matter what I feel. We're not supposed to be... this. It complicates everything."
"Complications can be interesting, don't you think? Why resist what you might secretly enjoy?" Ibrahim responded.
Ava shot him a disapproving look, "You're impossible."
Ibrahim chuckled, "Impossible, yet you care for me, don't you?"
Ava again avoided his gaze, "I don't deny caring, but it doesn't mean..."
Ibrahim gently lifted her chin to meet his eyes. "Doesn't mean what? Ava, we're not living in a fairy tale. We can't always control our feelings."
Ava whispered, "But we can control our actions."
Ibrahim, leaning closer, teased, "True, but where's the fun in that?"
Ava tried to change the subject, "What about your fever? Shouldn't you rest?"
Ibrahim smirked again, "My fever can wait. Right now, I'm more interested in decoding your feelings."
Ava insisted, "I don't have feelings too."
Ibrahim pressed further, "Really? Does it make you uncomfortable when I touch you?"
Ava shook her head in denial. And it was true that she didn't find uncomfortable.
Ibrahim said, "Then, I think there's room for more."
And Ava looked at him with furrowed brows. She abruptly rose from the bed, attempting to create distance. However, Ibrahim firmly grasped her hand to prevent her escaping.
Shaking her head, Ava insisted, "No, there should be a limit. We've already kissed; we can't go further. We need to draw a line. Otherwise, Elara..."
Ibrahim raised an intrigued eyebrow, "Elara, huh? What's with him?"
Ava finally confessed, "Elara told me not to fall for you, and... and I promised him."
Now Ibrahim realised the source of Ava's inner conflict. He understood why she was looking so upset the previous day. Ava attempted to free her hand but Ibrahim didn't let her to do that.
He tightened his gripped and gently yanked her towards him. The sudden movement caught Ava off guard, and before she could react. Both lost their balance, and the duo landed onto the soft hotel bed in a tangled embrace.
Ava found herself unexpectedly atop Ibrahim, her eyes reflecting surprise. She tried to make some distance by placing her hand on his chest. And Ibrahim couldn't help but appreciate the genuine emotions on her face.
Ibrahim smiled and told, "You don't need anyone's permission for your feelings. Elara cares about you, and so do I."
Ava was unsure about how to react. She attempted to articulate her response but the atmosphere between them shifted. Ibrahim smoothly rolled with Ava and now he was hovering over Ava.
Ava felt the change as the weight of Ibrahim pressed against her. She looked up at him with more confused eyes. And Ibrahim looked down at her with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. His eyes held a mix of desire and playfulness.
Ava attempted to voice her reservations, "Listen, Ibrahim, we can't go too far. It's not appropriate."
But Ibrahim countered her concerns, "We both know there's nothing wrong. And deep down, you want this too."
In a daring move, Ibrahim leaned in and pressed a tender kiss on Ava's neck. The heat of his lips sent shivers down her spine. Her breath caught and she could feel the fever in his kisses, a fever that only seemed to intensify the connection between them...
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(To be continued in the next chapter.)
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