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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The cold air hits me like a punch in the face as we step outside. I catch a glimpse of Ashley's face tightening in annoyance at the biting wind. We make our way through the busy streets of the unfamiliar town, dodging pedestrians and weaving through clusters of people. After five minutes of brisk walking, we finally reach the clinic. My breath catches as I step inside. To my surprise, the warmth inside the clinic is a welcome contrast to the cold outside.
Before we can take another step, a nurse greets us, her face tired but kind. We follow her down the hallway and into William's room. The moment we step inside, Ashley rushes to William's side. He looks a lot better now than when we left. His face is peaceful, his breathing steady as he sleeps.
I turn toward the nurse, my voice quiet. "Has he been awake?" I ask.
The nurse nods, a strand of her gray hair slipping loose from her bun. She brushes it aside before answering. "Yeah, for a little while." She offers a weak smile, clearly exhausted. "He was a bit confused when he woke up," she adds softly.
I nod, glancing back at Ashley. She's already seated in the chair beside William's bed, her eyes trained on his chest, watching the rise and fall of his breaths with intense focus. There's a sorrow in her eyes, a heaviness that makes my heart ache. Those blue eyes... I've always gotten lost in them. They're like an ocean—inviting on the surface with their light, tranquil blue. But the deeper you swim, the darker the water becomes, hiding terrifying creatures in the depths. I can barely imagine what kind of torture had made those horrifying creatures. The monsters that lived in the depths of Ashley. Ashley hides those depths well, usually masking her pain with a smile or a sharp comment. But right now, she's not hiding anything. Her raw emotions are laid bare, and it breaks my heart to see it.
She's like a dream, too beautiful and too real all at once. And even in this situation, I find myself admiring her. It's not just her beauty, though it's undeniable—there's something deeper that pulls me toward her. She's genuine, unlike anyone I've ever met. She doesn't hide behind pleasantries or masks like others. When Ashley speaks, she says things exactly as they are. That's what I like about her—everything. But that's the problem. I like everything about her, and yet I don't know why I love her so much.
I'm drawn to her like a fucking magnet, and it takes every ounce of my willpower just to act normal around her.
"Is she your girlfriend?" The nurse's low voice snaps me out of my thoughts. "What?" I ask, trying to refocus. "Is she your girlfriend?" she repeats, her smile widening as if she knows something I don't.
"I wish," I admit, making her chuckle softly. "She's... she's special to me, but I still don't know exactly what we are."
The nurse nods, her eyes lighting up as she smiles warmly. "I remember when I was your age," she says, her voice filled with nostalgia. "I'd just started working as a nurse when a man came in as a patient. He was kind and funny, and I'd never felt so free as I did when I was with him." Her eyes sparkle as she recounts her story, and for a moment, she's lost in the memory. "He sounds like a lovely person," I say. "He was," she replies with a soft sigh. "What I'm trying to say is... take your time. Do it right. But don't wait too long, or you might lose the chance." She gives me a small, knowing smile.
