Every step was a reminder that we were now more than mere characters in a forbidden story. We knew each other on a deeper level, where barriers faded away, and complicity was woven through laughter and confidences.
As we approached the school, the reality began to blur the magic of the moment. Alex resumed his role as a teacher, and I, as his student. However, the gleam of complicity persisted, and upon reaching the clinic, Mrs. Lyndon greeted us with an astonishment she could barely conceal.
I had forgotten that Mrs. Lyndon volunteered to work at the clinic from time to time and provide her services as a nurse.
“I’ll take care of the young lady,” Lyndon said to the arriving nurse. “You can go take your break.”
Lyndon indicated for me to take a seat while Alex stood slightly apart.
“Let’s see what we have here,” Lyndon said as she gently took my hand and carefully removed the improvised bandage. “Good Lord, dear! How did you get this wound?”
“I tried to move a mirror, tripped, and fell on it,” I lied, feeling embarrassed.
“Did you cut yourself anywhere else?” she asked.
“No, it was just the palm of my hand.”
“Alright, I’ll make sure to clean the wound thoroughly and give you a proper bandage,” she said, turning to Alex, “Evans, why are you accompanying Miss Johnson?”
“Miss Johnson was on her way to the infirmary when we met in the hallway, and I noticed her wound,” Alex began to explain. “It seemed quite serious, and I decided to accompany her in case the loss of blood made her feel lightheaded.”
“You did well,” Lyndon affirmed and turned to me to proceed with dressing the wound. “The fall must have been quite dramatic to result in a wound this large and deep.”
“I was very clumsy,” I added with my head bowed.
“It’s better for you to go back to your room and rest, Miss Johnson,” Lyndon ordered, finishing the bandaging. “You shouldn’t exert yourself to prevent further bleeding. I’ll make sure to send a nurse in the afternoon to change your bandage.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Lyndon,” I said, sitting up. “I’m really sorry for causing you this trouble.”
“It’s been no trouble at all, Miss Johnson,” she responded, showing a slight smile, something unusual for her. “I did it with pleasure. After teaching, the infirmary is what I enjoy the most.”
“Don’t worry, Miss Johnson!” Alex interjected in a very respectful tone. “I’ll take care of informing your teachers about what happened so they can excuse you from today’s lessons.”
“Yes, Evans, please do that. I’ll accompany her to her room and make sure to collect the remains of the mirror.”
At that moment, my internal world went into panic, and without Mrs. Lyndon noticing, I glanced at Alex, who remained calm. That made me think that maybe he had everything figured out. And indeed he did.
Alex bid farewell and left the clinic ahead of me, while I deliberately took shorter steps. When we finally reached the room, I discovered a shattered mirror with small drops of blood on the floor. Mrs. Lyndon quickly put on gloves and proceeded to collect the mirror shards.
“You must rest, Miss Johnson. I’ll arrange for something light for you to eat, but you should stay in bed,” Lyndon ordered, ready to leave the room.
I thanked her once again, and once alone in the room, I laid down on the bed. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I felt very tired, and at times, I fell into a deep reverie, only to wake up again.
I don’t know how long I was like that, but when I finally felt that I was falling asleep, I began to perceive a strange sensation throughout my body.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and found Alex sitting beside the bed, looking at me.
“How long have you been here?” I asked, gradually sitting up.
“Just a few minutes,” he replied, approaching me. “I had to make sure you’d be okay, and I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Thank you,” I whispered softly. “Thank you for your care, for your concern…”
Alex didn’t say anything; he simply gave me his sweetest smile, and that was enough.
A cold breeze was creeping in through the window, and I asked him to close it.
“Do you not have classes today?” I asked as he closed the window. It was embarrassing for me to ask him to stay with me while looking him in the face, so this was my chance. “Can you stay with me a bit longer?”
“Of course,” he replied, turning toward me. “But on the condition that you get some sleep.”
“And what will you do?” I asked.
“I’ll watch over your sleep,” he said, caressing my face. “I just discovered that I love seeing you sleep.”
“I don’t want to sleep,” I said, trying to resist.
“My angel! You must sleep, you must recover soon.”
Once again, I surrendered to him. We both laid on the bed, and his embrace was the warmest of blankets. I fell into a deep sleep in the warmth of his chest. When I opened my eyes again, Alex was no longer by my side, and I felt a gentle touch on the door. I sat up slowly and saw through the window that it was starting to get dark.
“Amelie, are you there?” asked a familiar voice.
I hurried to open the door, and there were Lisa, Melanie, and a nurse.
“The nurse is here to take care of you,” said Lisa entering the room, followed by Melanie and the nurse. “How did this happen?”
“With a mirror, but don’t worry, I’m fine.”
I extended my hand to let the nurse do her job, while Melanie observed every detail of the room in total silence.
“As soon as the nurse finishes, will you join us for dinner?” Lisa asked affectionately. “We catch up and share a meal.”
“Yes, of course,” I replied, trying to hide the pain caused by the nurse’s treatment. “It will be great to spend time with you, girls.”
Once the nurse finished the bandaging, I thanked her again and assured her that I would be careful during dinner.
Lisa, Melanie, and I left the room, and while we had dinner, I noticed that Melanie hardly spoke. For a moment, I thought that maybe my presence might bother her. Still, I had a quite enjoyable time, and several classmates approached to ask how I was feeling.
Christopher also came up to me, and we talked for a few minutes. He told me he would be leaving his studies at the school to take over the family business with his father. Despite knowing that I might only hear from him by phone or letters, I was very happy to see him determined to prepare himself for the future responsibility of the family business.
He took the opportunity to say goodbye, and I wished him the best of luck on this new path he was about to embark on.
After saying goodbye to Christopher, I returned to my room under the pretext of needing to rest and sat by the window for a while, hoping that Alex could arrive.
Sleep overcame me, I closed the window, and laid down to sleep.
Today, I attended classes after getting another treatment. Everyone asked about my wound. I was in the Art History class with Alex, and we hardly exchanged glances. I immediately knew he was being cautious.
When all my classes were over, I hurried back to the room and found Alex. We talked for a good while, and he explained that he was very busy making some "arrangements," but he didn't give me more details. He just said that he would surprise me in a few days.
No matter how much I tried to get more details, he wouldn't reveal anything more. So, I have resigned myself to wait.
Alex just left. He asked me to rest, and that's exactly what I'll do. I feel happy, peaceful, and hopeful for all the good things that are about to come.
YOU ARE READING
Oasis Path©(English Version)BOOK 1 OASIS SAGA
Teen FictionAmelie Johnson begins a new life at Lawrence College of the Arts. Her stay in that place begins to take her down unexpected paths and she soon discovers that her entire life has been wrapped in half-truths. As if that were not enough, she must deal...
