Walking Heartthrob

Chapter 26 The Cold Never Bothered Me Anyway

They say 'Don't do the crime if you can't do the time'. Well, I was doing my time alright—since Monday morning.

The aftermath of the ball resulted in me having a doozy of a cold; I forgot to wrap up warmly when I decided to roam the grounds and visit Gwan's barn last night. The night had been pretty chilly (although I didn't even notice it with everything going on) and I so regretted not having worn my fur coat. Now I was sneezing non-stop in reparation for the mischief I caused.

I woke up latish on Monday morning, feeling stuffy-nosed and crabby. Ugh, and after such a wonderful dinner and night out with Daylen—shoot, I hope I didn't get him sick!

I quickly texted him asking if he was doing alright. He responded immediately but with a return question—he always was too sharp.

I'm fine, Lys, why do you ask?

Just wanted to know...

Want a ride to KCL? I scrunched my face. I didn't feel like going with all this sneezing but I couldn't tell him I was sick. Neither could I lie and say I already left for King's because he'd find out I'm not there when he arrived. But what choice did I have?

That's okay, I'm catching the bus.

This early?

Yeah, I can get some extra reading in.

Okay, where are you now? Dang it, why'd he have to ask all the wrong questions?

I'm on the bus already on the way to KCL.

Really? Then you won't mind if I drop by your room? My eyes widened just as I heard a knock on the door. Rats, did he figure it out?

"Lys?" He called. I lay very still in bed but then a tickle in my nose blew my cover. I tried to snuff it down but it was no use. That stupid sneeze had to come out. I hurriedly muffled it with a tissue. Achoo! Ugh. Hopefully, he didn't hear that—

"Already on the bus, eh?" Daylen entered my studio with a smirk on his face. I gasped and pulled my covers up, I was still in my pajamas!

"Daylen! How did you get in here?!" I squeaked.

"Picked the lock." He held up a pin. I frowned.

"You are a regular law-breaker!"

"And you are a terrible liar. Now why didn't you tell me you had a cold?"

"Who says I—" I could go no further because my traitorous nose went 'achoo' three times just then. This was so embarrassing, being sick in front of Daylen!

"Wasn't very hard to miss," Daylen said with a patronizing smile, approaching my bed. He knelt close to me and placed his hand on my forehead. I backed away, covering my mouth and nose.

"Daylen, what are you doing?! You might catch whatever I have!"

"I'm much more resilient than you think, Lys," he said with an amused eye-roll. "And I'm checking if you have a fever. Which you don't. That's good."

"Okay, then you can go now, take notes for me," I said, keeping the covers up to my chin.

"Who says I'm leaving?" He looked dubiously at me. "I'm staying to take care of you."

"No way you are! You have to go to King's, you have to attend classes, you have to—" A fit of coughing overtook me and turned my voice into a rasp. Argh, this was so frustrating!

"And you have to stop talking and rest your voice!" Daylen shook a stern finger at me. "Are all Americans as stubborn as you or is it just you?" I rolled my eyes since I couldn't talk.