She is beautiful. Never in my life have I seen a woman so gorgeous. I stare at her like I'm in a trance. I must be, because it's impossible to look away. Her red lips. Her soft closed eyes. He long blonde hair. Her hips. Her hands in the red sparkly...
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I glance up at the clock on the wall—3:00 AM. The ticking is almost hypnotic against the stillness of the room, but all I can focus on is William's shallow breathing. He hasn't improved, but he hasn't gotten worse either. I cling to that small fact, telling myself he'll pull through, that the fever will break. Yet, exhaustion pulls at me like an anchor, threatening to drag me under. My eyes burn from trying to stay awake, but I can't close them—not when William is like this.
"You need rest," Michael's voice breaks through the quiet, soft but firm. I can feel his gaze on me even though I don't look up.
"I can't," I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper. "I can't leave him, Michael."
"You're pushing yourself too hard," he says gently, his concern clear in his tone.
"I know," I admit, fighting back the lump in my throat. I blink rapidly, trying to hold back the tears that are threatening to fall. "But I can't. I have to be here, just in case... in case he doesn't make it through the night."
The words come out heavier than I expected, and my chest tightens with the weight of them. I bite down on my lip, the sharp sting distracting me from the overwhelming sense of helplessness.
Michael moves closer, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. The warmth of his touch makes me want to collapse into him, to let all of this tension out, but I can't. Not now. He presses a soft kiss to the top of my head, and for a moment, I allow myself to lean into him.
"He's going to be okay," he says quietly. "Since you insist, I'll wait until morning. As soon as the sun comes up, we'll go together. You can rest then."
I lift my head and look at him, his face set in a determined expression. His jaw is tight, but there's a gentleness in his eyes. He's not giving me a choice, and in that moment, I realize I need him to be strong for me because I don't know if I can do it by myself.
"Okay," I sigh, feeling the exhaustion washing over me like a wave. "Just until morning."
He nods, but the tension in his face remains. He's just as worried as I am, and that scares me. Michael never shows fear. If he's worried, then there's something to really be afraid of.
I glance back at William, his face pale against the pillow. His breathing is shallow, but steady. I can't tear my eyes away from him, even though the weight of my eyelids pulls at me harder with each passing second.
Michael squeezes my shoulder gently. "I'll wake you if anything changes. I promise."
I give him a weak smile, knowing he means it, but it's not enough to make me feel any less anxious. Still, I nod, leaning against the small chair. I curl up, keeping one hand on William's, needing that small connection to reassure myself that he's still here.
The room is quiet except for the rhythmic ticking of the clock and the sound of William's breathing. I keep my eyes on him, refusing to fully close them, even as they grow heavier with every passing minute. The darkness outside feels endless, and every tick of the clock feels like a countdown.
