anadil's mother +oneshots and short stories

chapter 7

7. (hester's pov)

I watch Anadil's sickness get worse.

When we came back from the blue forest yesterday, Anadil went to sleep immediately. I tried to sleep as well, but I couldn't. I stayed up all night, worrying that Anadil would wake up and something bad would happen. (Why am I acting like this??) Finally, I dozed off.

I awake to Anadil coughing and gagging. I sit up immediately and go over to her bed.

"Ani? Drink water." I hand her the water bottle and sit next to her. She downs half the bottle. Suddenly, she covers her mouth. She gets off the bed and sits in front of the empty bucket and retches into it.

I hold her hair up but look away.

After a bit, she sits on the floor and leans her head against the side of the bed. She buries her hands in her hair.

"I hate everything," she groans.

Her temperature rises quickly. I dampen the cloth with cold water and rest it on her forehead. She sleeps most of the day away. I sit at the edge of her bed, doing the make-up work.

Dot bursts in the room. She's already somewhat aware of Ani's state- I just told her she was sick.

"How's she feeling!" Dot chirps.

I glance up at Anadil for the millionth time. Her face is paler and sunken in. The blanket is pulled up to her chin.

"Not good," I say, then go back to my work. "I went outside for a bit and saw Sophie's awful mockery of the Evil uniform. I hope she gets sent to the Doom Room again."

Dot scoffs. "Don't say that. The beast is missing anyway!"

"Why are you so chipper?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at her.

"Oh nothing.. I was just out with Kiko for a bit," I look up at her flushed pink face.

"Oh."

Dot whistles a tune (I groan) and closes the door of the room as she leaves again.

She doesn't close the door properly.

"I swear to god, Dot.." I murmur, getting up to close it. I'm about to close it when I see something outside of the door to the left- a note and a rose. I pick it up and read it.

Dear Anadil...

Missing you in class!

Vex

I crumble the note in my fist. I can feel my demon threatening to explode off my neck. Instead, I light my finger and burn the paper to ashes, watching the black dust fall to the ground. I see Dot outside the door, not too far ahead.

"Dot!" I call out. She turns around. I throw the rose at her.

"Give it to your prissy little Ever girlfriend," I yell.

"She's not my girlfriend!" she yells, but she skips away with the rose anyway.

Lady Lesso peers over Anadil, standing over the bed. She's asleep. Lady Lesso touches Anadil cheek with one finger. I lean against the doorframe, watching them both.

"She's still sick.." Lady Lesso's voice trails off. We've only missed two days of school, so I'm not too worried about that. I am worried about Ani though, as much as I hate to admit it.

She hasn't gotten any better. Lady Lesso procures a bottle from inside the pocket of her dress.

"Make her take this. You can go back to your classes tomorrow." Lady Lesso says. I nod at the teacher. She sits next to Anadil and shakes her a little.

Anadil gasps awake and sits up quickly.

Her red eyes dart around the room in confusion- and panic.

"It's okay. It's just me," Lady Lesso soothes.

Anadil hugs her knees to her chest.

"I don't feel good," she whispers, so quietly that I don't know how I heard it. I feel my insides churn- I hate seeing her so upset. Lady Lesso puts a hand on her cheek. Ani flinches before straightening herself.

"Take this," she says, pressing the bottle in her hand. Anadil purses her lips.

"Okay," she whispers. She wipes her face, her skin flushed pink with sickness.

"You'll be alright," I say, masking my worry in the gruffest voice possible. She gives me a wry smile.

She lies back down, shivering, and pulls the covers back up.

Lady Lesso sighs. She gets up and starts to leave- not before giving an almost-asleep Anadil a long look before shutting the door close.

I walk towards Anadil and sit on her bed next to where she's laying down.

"Where's Sophie? And Dot?" she whispers hoarsely.

I kick off my shoes, get up on the bed, and lean against the headboard.

"Sophie's spending a strange amount of time in the common room.. I don't believe she's studying, though. And Dot's probably with her dumb Ever girlfriend."

Ani raises an eyebrow. I smirk.

"Kiko."

Her mouth drops.

"Well. I guess they are pretty similar," she says.

I catch her gaze and hold it for what seems like an eternity- her red eyes seem to pierce through mine like a sword.

"Take your medicine," I say quickly. She sighs and pulls out the bottle Lady Lesso gave her.

She starts to sit up, and holds onto my shoulder for support. I swallow the knot in my throat. She pours the medicine into the bottle cap and downs it.

She shoots me a 'there. happy now?' look and lays back down.

I look at her for a long moment.

Slowly, I lower myself down the bed and lay down next to her.

I face her. She holds my gaze, blinking slowly and sleepily. Suddenly, my body takes control of me without my mind having any say.

I scoot up a little till I'm above her. I slowly wrap an arm around her waist and pull her to my chest. I hear her breath catch. I pull the blankets so they cover her.

I wait for her to say something. She doesn't. So neither do I. She stays a little stiff for a little bit until she finally relaxes.

I hold her until I hear the slow, deep breaths she takes when she's asleep.

I feel my eyes close to her rhythmic breathing and the fast beating of her heart against mine.