L'Arte dell'Amore (Not Edited)

XXIV

Lavender's body ached from the positon she had slept in. The chills that laced her pale flesh was an accountant for the brutal temperature of her small flat.

Dragging herself off of the floor, Lavender coughed, vigorously. Her head was pounding, the anxiety bubbled up in her stomach again.

Lavender knew she wouldn't make it to work, or to lectures.

The presentations were tomorrow.

Once she had to clean the mess, Lavender's hands were shaking in her weak state. Her coughing only worsen, as well as her fatigue-state, because of the cleaning chemicals.

Lavender scrubbed violently in disgust from herself. Tears fell from her tired eyes. Lavender didn't want to go back to struggling.

She had enough already.

Carelessly scrubbing, her finger hit a jagged tile. The blood that surfaced the broken skin, made Lavender cry even harder. When the chemicals came in contact with the wound, an intake of breath was sounded throughout the dainty bathroom.

She quickly rinsed her finger, the water burning the cut even more. Lavender bit down on her lip hard enough to bruise the tender skin.

Soon Lavender had wrapped her finger and finished cleaning the mess.

Lavender wobbled to the kitchen, she nibbled some bread, and washed it down with tap water. Even though she knew, that she had things to do, like be at lecture, or even shower. She had curled up in her warm bed.

The sleep would do her good.

The sickness was caused solely by the stress she had suffered and the overworking. Lavender sniffled as she pressed the bunny into her chest. Even with the bright sun shining through the large window, her eyes were shut within minutes.

———

When lecture had started and Vincent saw no sight of Lavender, he began to worry. He would ask Victoria at the end of lecture. Though it would seem Victoria was just as worried, she hadn't gotten a good morning text or anything. She hoped Lavender was okay.

Once the lecture had been completed, the time felt dragged out along endless space. Vincent waited for the others to leave.

"Victoria. Where is Lavender?" Vincent inquired, trying to keep his voice from changing. Though it didn't stop the worry that seeped through his usually warm tone.

Victoria's instantly felt more worried, she hoped that her cousin would know where Lavender was.

"I don't know, I can call her." Victoria started as she pulled her phone out.

"Yes that would be fine." Vincent continued.

The line rang out, but after a couple calls, Lavender answered. Vincent watched as Victoria talked through the phone. His stomach felt hollow, but there was a gravitational need to hear Lavender's voice.

"Give me the phone." Vincent said as he reached for his cousin's phone.

"Here, give me a minute. Vincent wants to say something." Victoria had spoken into the phone.

A barely awake Lavender panicked. She had slept without a problem, and already felt better. Though she was nervous to speak to Vincent, she was also extremely happy. She wanted to hear his smooth voice. It calmed her.

"Lavy, you there?" Vincent asked as he held up his hand to his cousin. Asking for moment alone.

Victoria huffed and waited for a moment outside of his office. He had no class for this period, his planning hours.