Prank Date [✔]

Part 19

I woke slowly, rising toward wakefulness like a diver surfacing from the bottom of the sea. With my eyes closed, I lay still and took stock of my body. My head felt heavy, but at least the piercing pressure behind my forehead had receded. Breathing was easier too; it no longer felt as if I were trying to swallow shards of glass. I had stopped sweating and then feeling as if I were freezing to death. My hands and feet were warm— especially the hand that was curled around someone else's.

Huh?

I blinked open sleep-encrusted eyes and stared at the unexpected sight before me.

Curled up in an armchair next to the bed was Jennie. Her head was tilted to one side, and the her hair hid half of her face. Her horn-rimmed glasses had slid down a little and sat crookedly on her nose. One of Jennie's arms was wrapped around her drawn-up knees; the other arm rested along the bed. Her right hand lay on top of my left hand, the thumb safely tucked against my palm.

The soft touch felt good against my hand, and I realized that no one had held my hand for quite some time.

I miss this.

If I had to, I could make do without sex for a long time, but just having my hand held by Jennie made me long for those little loving touches in my life again. I missed the brush of a hand over my forearm, the grazing of fingertips against each other, or a light kiss to my neck.

I stared at Jennie, taking in her sleep-softened features, and suppressed a sigh. I wish she was as open to a relationship with a woman as she wants Jin to believe. I shook my head, relieved when that didn't start the hammering pain again.

Be grateful for what you have. She's turning out to be a really good friend.

I had a lot of friends, and while most of them would have willingly played nurse if I had called them, having Jennie take care of me felt special. When I had first met Jennie just four weeks before, I wouldn't have believed that the stand-offish Jennie would drop everything and rush over to make vegetable soup and apply cooling compresses.

Jennie sighed in her sleep. Her fingers tightened around mine.

Seems she's not so stand-offish anymore. With a smile, I rubbed my fingertips over her thumb.

"Hmm?" Jennie opened her eyes and sat up. She groaned, rotated her head, and reached up with her left hand to massage her neck. Only then did she seem to realize that her right hand was otherwise occupied. She glanced back and forth between our joined hands and my face. Hastily, she let go, straightened her glasses, and combed the fingers of both hands through her hair.

"Um ... good morning. How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Better," I said, relieved to find my voice sounding stronger, even if it was still a bit raspy. I pulled myself up to lean against the headboard. "Thank you for staying with me all night. You didn't have to, you know?"