30 Days Marrying You

chapter 28

(A/N: that's along one , have fun )

That night flew by dreamlessly and then it was morning when Jessica heard the door clicked open.

"Xavier ?" Jessica's voice was barely a whisper.

Indeed, it was Xavier , sitting with his hands cupping his face on the sofa. He looked up as Jessica said his name but said nothing as she approached him.

Jessica's heart had begun to pound. The silence felt still, almost oppressive. Xavier' eyes followed her as she reached the armrest of the sofa and stopped there, her hands tightly clutching the leather frame.
She studied his face, doubting.
To love is to lose. That was last thing he'd said to her before he left.

She inched closer to sit down on the sofa next to him, partly so that they would be on the same level and partly to disguise the fact that her knees were shaking. "Xavier , where have you been?"

"Just here and there..." Xavier answered vaguely.

She could tell that there were secrets at the back of his light eyes, could feel his hesitation. She wanted to reach her hand out, but she kept herself still, kept her voice steady.

"You weren't home last night. And the night before..." she trailed off but he was silent. "Xavier ?"

She touched his arm but pulled back immediately as if the touch burned her. "Hey, your body is hot. Do you have a fever?" Concern coloured her voice.

"I don't know. But when I want to sleep last night, somehow my head felt heavy. And when I woke up this morning, my body was hot. And when I tried to walk, I felt dizzy. But, then I thought I would be okay later."

Xavier closed his eyes. He had been feeling unwell since yesterday. Maybe it was because he was out in the cold with only his shirt on for the whole day yesterday.
Maybe it was because he had been thinking too much. He didn't know. The only thing he knew was that he was so badly in need to lie down.

He could feel a gentle hand touched his forehead.
"The dramatic sounds are strange. This is bad. Totally bad. You are really sick," Jessica said, now forgetting their hostility.

"I've got to go to work." Xavier tried to stand up but he was staggering.

"Hey, mister! You are a sick person. You've got to rest properly." Jessica supported his body and led him to the bedroom, to the bed.
For a moment, Xavier seemed to comply obediently as she laid him down on the bed.

"But I've work." He sat up straight but Jessica pushed him down on the bed again.

"No! Lie down! You are a sick person!"

Xavier cringed in pain as he was forcefully pushed. "Then, why are you pushing me? Shouldn't you treat me properly? Ain't I a sick person?"

"Opsss, sorry," Jessica apologized, realizing her mistake. "Oh, right! I thought I saw some nuts in the cabinet. I heard it is good to boost your immunity."

"But, I'm allergic to nuts." Xavier tried to grab her hand, but Jessica already went off to the kitchen, missing the important fact. And when she came back bringing the nuts with her, reaching her hand to feed him, he couldn't refuse it.

At first, Xavier was conscious of nothing. Then there was darkness, and within the darkness, a burning pain. It was as if he'd swallowed fire, and it choked him and burned his throat. He gasped desperately for air, for a breath that could cool the fire, and his eyes flew open.

"Huh?"

He was on a boat, rocking through the water. He could see an old grandpa rowing the boat in front of him. He was wearing a straw hat and humming an old song cheerfully.