The eyes of eons. [Slow Editing]

Chapter 15

      Alex walked me through the foyer holding me like I would fall any moment. I couldn’t help feeling shivers from the warmth of his touch. As much as it broke my heart to have his arm around me, I enjoyed it silently. He could give me only this moment. 

     While waiting for the elevator, he carefully studied me. “Do not go to your room right away.”

     “Why not?” I looked into his face too.

     “Your...your cheeks are red. You’ll wake up with a fever tomorrow.”

     I touched my face with my palms and indeed, all of it was on fire. “I’ll make myself a cup of tea and take some pills.”

     “I’ll make you some tea myself,” he murmured.

     We reached the seventh floor and entered the apartment. Quickly, I scanned the living room hoping to find no one, but...The TV was working. On the sofa with a glass of whisky sat Victor. I noticed Nick spread relaxed on the armchair. Ah, yes - the alpha squad! Calmly, I walked farther and placed myself on the sofa. As if I haven’t passed by, both of them continued watching impassively the movie. I focused my eyes on the screen and started following whatever was going on there. It was a comedy and in a couple of minutes I caught myself smiling at some moments. At least my mind was far away from my problems.

     The time progressed and although, I finally began relaxing, the room started to feel hotter and hotter. I touched my forehead and even to my fingers it seemed hotter than usual. 

     Before Alexandre finished preparing the tea for me, I got up and went to my bathroom. In the medicine cabinet I got the last set of cold pills, and closed the cabinet facing the mirror. Unwillingly my eyes shoot up checking my own reflection.  Oh, dear...I was a tomato red with watery eyes. I didn’t want to get sick, especially not now, when I needed to remove myself from Alex permanently. Immediately, I popped two capsules into my mouth and run to the kitchen to let them down with water. 

     The tea cup was steaming on the table, but Alex wasn’t in the living room. He went to change his clothes and I haven’t got a chance to thank him for his efforts. I grabbed a bottle of water from the pantry, and took my tea with me to my room. I placed it on my desk and took three huge sips from the bottle. Liquid of a room temperature seemed like iced water in my inflated mouth. Coughing I exchanged the bottle on the cup and sat on the chair. My head started spinning. I hugged the cup with my palms as if it was the only thing that could keep me upright and drew it to my lips. The realization that it was prepared by Alexandre made me want to kiss the handle. I smelled the steam which had a lemon scent in it and let a small amount of tea into my mouth. The hot water burned my tongue and I put the cup back on the table regretting that I had to let go of it. 

     I took my legs up with me on the seat and pressed my forehead to my knees. In this fetus position I froze. My thoughts deserted me giving some time to rest, maybe I just switched of, or lost consciousness, or my mind got overloaded and at last exploded releasing me in such a way. The sense of a reality failed me and the next moment when I forced my eyes to open I was laying on the floor. Through absolute soundlessness in my ears, I distinguished a slight calamity in the room. The next second somebody’s hands started lifting me up. Then I recognized a bed underneath me and a low buzz around. No, no, no!!!! It wasn’t supposed to happened, I should have gone to sleep and the next day wake up healthy and pack up my things and leave. My vision was clouded. With my feeble hands I tried to reject any help not understanding who was in front of me.

     I blinked several times and while dragging a pillow to my head, I managed to recover some health and focus my eyes on the objects around. The picture made me dreadfully embarrassed, all three men were hovering over me: Victor was standing in the doorway anxiously staring at me, Nick was muttering something, I think he was suggesting to call an ambulance and Alexandre stood by the bed motionless.