831 - I Love You

6. Well, I am Here

I opened the food containers Wang Yong brought and placed them on the table before getting Ghost from the bed.

"I can get up, you don't need to help," Ghost avoided my hand, even in that condition, he was still proud.

I rolled my eyes while exhaling heavily so that he would notice my irritation. He did notice but didn't care. Slowly, he got out of the bed and walked towards the table before sitting on the chair equally slow. Still, he had his manner, he didn't touch the food until I gave in and sat opposite of him.

We ate in silence as I was never a man of nice words and he was... well he was Ghost. When we finished, he wanted to help to clean but of course I stopped him. I dragged him back to the bed, not listening his protest to go back to his room.

"You don't need to feel bad or responsible, it was my choice to do what I did," he said with a machine-like tone. I stopped cleaning the table to see his expression but it was blank. It was too difficult to read him.

"I know it was your choice, and likewise taking care of you is MY choice," I said determined, "so lie down before I force you to do so."

He looked at me with eyes wide open but didn't say anything rather he stood up again, making me angry.

"Where are you going?" I asked standing in front of him.

"I need my phone," he murmured while taking a step back. He didn't like it any to be close to me I guess.

"Sit," I commanded him before grabbing his bag from the floor and handed to him.

"Thank you," he answered without making an eye contact. While he was texting God knew who, I finished cleaning the table. Then I grabbed my bag to take my books and settled on the sofa to study.

A few minutes later, there was a movement and I saw Ghost sitting on the chair in front of the dining table. He followed my example; he took out his study materials and turned to look at me. "Come here, I will help you with math," he said.

"What?" I arched my eyebrows with suspicion as I was sure that I misheard him.

He sighed heavily with irritation, that much I could tell. "Are you coming or not?" he asked coldly.

As it was a very rare opportunity, I put my pride aside and joined him immediately at the table. He showed me a few questions to understand how bad I was, and yes, I was that bad. Still, he didn't comment on it, just murmured "from the beginning then."

For three hours, Ghost taught me math with an incredible patience and ability. He was so good at teaching that I could listened to his low-key smooth voice giving the key points for hours. Who would guess that I would enjoy studying? Not me!

However, when I was solving a problem, I noticed his hand tightened around the pen until his knuckles went white. I raised my gaze to his face, and saw his face was contorted with pain. He was biting his lower lip and panting which showed me that the painkillers lost their effect on him. I immediately rushed to the medicine bag and brought it with a glass of water to him. He swallowed the pills I gave him with water before I dragged him to the bed. He must have been so much pain because he didn't object.

Only then I noticed that he was still with my cardigan and grey school pants. How observant I am, right?! As I didn't waste time by going his room and find something for him to wear, I just grabbed a cotton T-shirt and shorts of mine. I wanted to strip the cardigan but he flinched.

"What are you doing?" he asked with a hint of terror in his voice.

"What the hell you are thinking?!" I showed him the T-shirt, "I am trying to make you comfortable, I am not a pervert you know!" OMG, he had a very active imagination!

"I..." he started but I cut him off with a warning glance, then unzipped the cardigan and took it off him carefully. Then, I helped him to wear the comfortable clothes which took five good minutes as he was shy as hell! He insisted on changing the pants by himself, but I had to step in anyway when he let out a grunt of pain.

"Thank you although I have no idea why you are so good to me now," he said drowsily when I tugged him under the blanket.

I looked at his tired face without uttering a word, his eyelids were heavy so I guessed the medicine was taking effect. Maybe it was because of the medicine, he was suddenly spilling what was on his mind.

I crouched down in front of the bed so that he could see me, "do you want me to call anyone from your family?" I asked hesitantly. His uncle was a jerk, that was for sure, but maybe he had another family member who was good to him. I also wondered about his mother and father but it could wait. 

He blinked slowly and I saw the pain in his eyes. "I have no one," four whispered words conveyed the sadness he felt.

My hand on the blanket clenched while a surge of mixed emotions rushed through me. I was sad, angry and disappointed at the same time.  Still, I gulped to send all those emotions back, forcing a smile, I said "you have me, not the best but still..."

He smiled indistinctively before drifting into sleep.

***

"Arrgghh..."

I woke up with a start hearing the wailing. With my sleepy eyes, I could barely see the wiggling figure of Ghost in the dark room. I got up from the sofa and grabbed a glass of water and the painkillers before sitting on the edge of the bed where he was convulsing with apparent pain.

"Ghost?" I shook him gently to wake him up. After I repeated the action a few times, finally he opened his bloodshot eyes, looking at me confused.

I helped him to sit up a bit and handed the medicine and the glass. Then, I tugged him back under the blanket.

"Thank you," his voice echoed in the silent room while he grabbed my hand with a sudden move. Maybe he thought he was dreaming or maybe he simply needed some warmth. No matter what was the reason, I didn't retract my hand from his tight grip. I moved his slender figure towards the wall with one hand to open myself a place to lie down next to him.

It was my first time sharing my bed with someone other than Wang Yong but I dare say it didn't bother me at all. Even when he unconsciously trapped my fingers in a painful grip, I was happy to be there in his weakest hour, offering my silent support to my newly-made friend whose life seemed so tough.