Chapter 26 In sickness
>>Clio
OH NO! OH NO! OH NO!!!
I got up from the bed, almost knocking the bowl down to the ground and ruining good food but Rameen managed to catch it while I dashed towards the bathroom
“Hey!” She stood up in confusion to look at me but didn’t come after me.
Shit! Shit! Shit!!
What if he saw!? Oh Gosh! I’m sure he’ll see the clothes there!! I didn’t even have the energy to throw in the washing machine yesterday!
Oh, GOD! Am I done for?!?! Am I exposed!?!
My heart pounded in my chest as anxiety crawled up my spine. But just as I was about to grab the doorknob the bathroom door opened and Matthew stepped outside.
!!!
I froze there, then looked up at him. He had a bowl in his hands with fresh water and a washed towel.
“S-sir?!?” I was so confused at the moment that my mind went blank. Because everything aside, why would my boss be at my tiny apartment, giving me medicine and water and cooling me down??! Why is he holding a bowl of water with a towel in it as if he’s going to nurse me??
WHY!?!?
Just why!??!
Matthew quietly looked at me, unsure what to say but I noticed a look of amusement in his eyes, like something had caught his interest.
“Oh!” Rameen brought her hands to her face and I glanced at her, “I didn’t see anything.” And she turned around.
At first, I didn’t understand what she meant but then I noticed Matthew looking down at my legs and so I looked down as well.
…
That’s when I realized I wasn’t wearing any pants. My bare thighs and skin were out in freedom.
…
My cheeks flushed red as the embarrassment flooded in together and I pulled my shirt further down in shame
OH MY GOD!!!!!
I shot my head up to look at Matthew and only then did he move his head away. He was looking at my legs?!?!?
KILL ME!!!!
I ran past my boss, into the bathroom, and slammed the door shut behind me.
OH GOD!!!
I grabbed the sweatpants that I put in the wash but never washed them and wore them since that was my only choice at the moment.
That, or-
I looked under the sink and saw my female clothes and disguise
\-that
I grabbed all of that and threw it in the machine but just as I was closing the machine door, my world spun and it spun so violently that I couldn’t grasp the fact that it wasn’t that the world was spinning, it was me.
I lost balance and fell backward, crashing into the laundry basket. The panic had made me forget for a moment that I was sick and I shouldn’t be going around like this.
The crash was loud enough that the others heard and although I couldn’t focus on it, I heard the sound of footsteps running towards me. The next moment, the bathroom door flung open and Matthew stepped inside.
“Clio?” He seemed worried but I could be wrong because I wasn’t in my right mind.
Rameen was right behind him, “Are you okay?”
I looked at them with my head slightly spinning, “Yea…” I answered feebly and they both exchanged a glance.
“Yeah right.” Rameen shook her head at me and went back while Matthew stepped inside. I tried to focus on him but had no idea what he was going to do till the time he did it
!!!
He picked me up bridal style in his arms, “Okay,” It was effortless for him but my cheeks flushed at the action.
“Sir!?” I looked at him in horror and confusion, “I-I can walk!”
“Shh,” He silenced me and I zipped my mouth obediently. Then he began to walk out of the bathroom. I was stunned as he took me back to the bedroom, back to my bed. Being awfully gentle he placed me back on the bed while I could even utter another word. I was too stunned to say anything!
I just quietly looked at him. No matter how much the gears in my brain worked, I couldn’t make sense of why he was here in my tiny apartment.
“Sir,” I said softly, “Why-” But yet again I couldn’t finish my sentence as Rameen popped up in front of me.
“No whys!” She glared at me, “No buts!!” She placed the bowl of food in front of me with puffed cheeks, “You will eat first!!” She took my hand and handed me the spoon, “Now!!”
“Um, I,” I looked at the two people who stared at me with intense gazes, it was like they would eat me if I didn’t eat the porridge, their auras were domineering, “O-okay!” I gripped the spoon, “I’ll eat,” I wanted to say that I wasn’t really in the mood but I should eat!
I tried to pick up the spoon and even brought it up to my lips but before I could put it in my mouth my arm fell limp
!?!?!
The food on the spoon spilled on the blanket as my arm died and fell beside me as well. The unintentional action made me embarrassed, “I’m sorry!” It was quite shameful that at this age I can’t even eat properly. Moreover, I made a mess too.
I’m so ashamed of myself!! Oh My God! Oh shit! What is wrong with me!?!? I’m only making a fool out of myself!!!
I tried to reach for the spoon when a bigger hand grabbed it first
!!?!?
I looked up at Matthew who took the spoon.
“Um?” I wasn’t sure what to say
“It’s okay,” He said and sat down on the edge of the bed, next to me, “It’s because of the fever that you don’t have any energy.”
Rameen took some tissues and wiped the blanket clean.
“Yeah,” She smiled, “It’s okay, it can happen.” They both made me feel better and I felt a little less embarrassed.
“Sorry,” I looked away, still a little shy.
“It’s okay!” Rameen said, “I can feed you!” She grabbed the spoon from the boss and sat down on the bed too, right in front of Matthew, then took the bowl as well.
“Huh?” I was surprised at her statement but it didn’t bother me as much, “It’s fine,” I said, “I can eat on my own.”
“But you have no energy!!” She whined, “Say ahh!” She brought the spoon towards my mouth and I looked back at her in confusion.
She’s really going to feed me? I glanced at my Boss with my side eyes. Right in front of him?!?! It shouldn’t be, but why do I feel that’s embarrassing!?!?
By the Grace of God, right then, her phone began to ring and she paused. She put the spoon back in the bowl and answered the call.
“Hello?” Matthew and I stared at her, “What?!?” She stood up, “When?” She handed the bowl to the boss, “Oh shit…” She paced around the room and we watched her, “Alright…” Then she finished the call and looked at us, “I have to leave.” She began walking toward the door, “We got an emergency mock test coming up.”
“Your mother looked very worried about you,” Matthew said out of the blue and Rameen paused near the main door.
Chris is worried about her? Well, I guess it’s normal for a mother to worry about her daughter.
She glanced back at him and just rolled her eyes, “I’m not going back.” She stated and left the apartment, leaving the two of us alone.
She’s not going back? Where?
Matthew let out a sigh and turned to me, “Alright then,” He picked the spoon up and I looked at him, completely unaware of what he was doing. But when he brought the porridge-filled spoon next to my lips, “Eat,” My eyes went wide.
!!!
What?!?!?
I felt a blush creep across my cheeks, “S-sir?!?” My gaze dropped to the bed sheet as a knot of self-consciousness tightened in my chest, “I can eat myself…”
"Here," He held it out towards me, completely ignoring what I said and I hesitated, my fingers curling around the edge of the blanket as I felt super shy. I had no one feed me like that so it was really awkward for me! “I’m not hungry,” I said, but since the world had to be an ass to me, right at that moment, my stomach rumbled.
Loudly
So loudly, it sounded like two whales were mating.
…
My cheeks flushed even harder and I wanted to jump out of my window and kill myself. But that wasn’t the end of it, as I was hiding my face in embarrassment, I heard Matthew chuckle and his snickering made my face even redder.
He’s laughing at me????
Oh Lord, at this point, just take me!
Please!!!! Just take me!!!