Andrew (Sleeping Beauty, No. 1 Modern Prince Series)

Chapter 8 - Sleeping Handsome

PHOEBE

When I started working at this hospital, a bit more than three months ago, I was surprised at the amount of publicity that one of the patients generated. A young man, whose name has not been disclosed to the press or even the staff, was brought by ambulance in an unconscious state.

The doctors were puzzled at the results of the tests they performed. The man was not wounded, or even ill. Most of them had never seen a man with such a perfect health condition. His family has taken turns to watch him sleeping. I've heard the nurses calling him by a cute name, the Sleeping Handsome.

His situation soon made the news and social media. Even bets were put in place on when he will wake up. Fan fiction works were written. Now, people seem to have gotten tired of waiting for news. A few reporters hang by the hospital fence, but further, no one seems interested in the man that only sleeps.

I've been working on a financial report since this morning. All my colleagues have gone home, and I'm still working on it. Now I understand why they hired me with so much urgency. The situation is a mess. If nothing is done soon, the hospital can go bankrupt. I decide to take a walk and get me something to eat. The cafeteria is closed already, so a buffet from the vending machine will have to do.

I head to the floor under mine where I know there is one. Disappointment fills me when I find it out of service. I decide to look further and get lost. All the hallways look the same, and usually I stay on my floor. Today is the first time that I venture outside my office. I approach the nurse station, but it's unmanned. While waiting for someone to appear, I look at the patient register on the wall. Among the names, I see S.H. Kings... Sleeping Handsome.

I shouldn't go there. I don't even care about the whole situation, but curiosity, tiredness and maybe the need for an adventure is getting to me. I gather all my courage, and while running the little cow charm in my chain between my fingers, I open the door of the Sleeping Handsome room.

He is indeed handsome. Even laying on that uncomfortable-looking bed, he looks as if he is sleeping peacefully. I get closer to watch him up close and see the beautiful way in which his eyelashes spread. His strong cheekbones look blushed. The only clue about the time that has passed is that his black hair has grown out of control and he has a short beard.

If you ignore the fact that he is connected to all sorts of monitors and that he is wearing a light blue gown, he looks like a prince from a fairy tale. A fairy tale... didn't that princess wake up from a kiss?

"I'm an idiot," I say to no one. "I'm tired, and I'm finding illogical solutions to problems that are not even my own,"

I turn with the intention of finding a nurse that can guide me to the vending machine. But what if... It's a silly thought. What is the guarantee that I'm the right one to do it? I will feel like a total fool if it doesn't work. Although, no one is around. If it doesn't work, no one will know that I was even in his room.

I look into my purse, grab a small box with mints and chew one quickly. I exhale in my hand to check that my breath is decent enough, then bend down and kiss the man. A million thoughts, memories, and feelings run through my head and seem to spark through my body. About a boy with braces, laughing on the floor after falling from a chair. About a young man, smart and handsome, looking at his reflection in a mirror. Of saying goodbye to the love of my life.

"Andrew..." is the only word I can say before a knot forms in my throat.

My suspicions are confirmed when I see the tattoo on his arm. The one that he proudly showed me via email and that I never replied to. My hand goes immediately to my cow charm as I take a few steps back. Nothing is happening. I turn around to leave so I don't embarrass myself further. I hear a cough before I can touch the door handle.

I look back and find Andrew sitting on the bed while looking at his surroundings.

"Excuse me, can I bother you for some water? My throat is killing me," he says.

I press the button on the wall to call for a nurse to bring him some water. A minute later, the big circus starts again. I get pushed out of the room by a medical crew. I manage to find the elevators, and I head home.

It is already in the news by the time I get home. The hospital called for an emergency press conference, and one of the directors is standing proudly in front of the cameras.

"What were the sleeping man's first words?" one of the reporters asks.

"He asked: where is she? He says that a woman kissed him. Everything is confusing for him at the moment. There is a significant possibility that he imagined it,"

My heart sank at those words. He doesn't even know that it was me.

I returned to the hospital a few days later. After the kissing incident, I woke up feeling ill. I stayed in bed as much as possible but didn't rest. Plenty of what ifs ran through my head. To my bad luck, I return right when Andrew is leaving the hospital in the company of who I assume are his parents. I lock eyes with him for a second. I will just go to my office and shield myself from everything.

"Phoebe!"

I turn around to find Andrew behind me. I stayed glued to my spot while he walks at a hurried pace towards me. He holds me in his arms, and I let my guard down, feeling how the hot tears run down my cheeks.

"You broke the curse," he says while he cleans my tears with his thumbs. "I couldn't fall in love with anyone because I've been in love with you since we first met,"

"You turned into a beautiful butterfly," I say smiling.

"Nah, I'm still the same dork," he says, laughing.

Andrew cups my face and kisses me, and then I felt what his heart feels. It's never abandoned me, the love I feel for this beautiful soul. Let this be the beginning of our happy-ever-after.

THE END