A Weakened Heart: Juliette

chapter 31 - 33

Chapter 31

“Katrina!” I called out into the still house and got nothing in reply as

I watched Avan stagger up the stairs. “Katrina, where are you?”

“She’s not here,” he replied, pausing after a few steps to catch his breath. “Probably out looking for me. Give her about half an hour and she’ll turn up.”

He continued up the stairs in a drunken sort of manner and I went to help him. We finally made it up the stairs, I just had to take off my heels, and Avan went to the room he now occupied. I watched him collapse on the bed and groan.

“Think you can get me some aspirin and a glass of water?” he asked, turning his head to face me. “If it’s not a problem, that is.”

“Of course not,” I replied and went back downstairs into the kitchen.

I filled a glass with some tap water and had to rummage through some of the cabinets and drawers till I found the bottle of aspirin in a drawer. When I went back up to Avan’s room, he had taken off his shoes and shirt and was lying on his stomach. He didn’t even bother to look at me as I came in. His eyes were closed

 and for a moment there I thought he was...never mind.

“Avan,” I said softly, going to the side of the bed and he opened his eyes.

He struggled to sit up and I handed him the glass of water and a pill. He gulped it down and then lay down on the bed again.

“You should really call Katrina and let her know that you’re safe,” I said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“A little worrying has never hurt her,” he replied. “She’s been worrying and fussing over me for days. It’s getting a bit irritating now.”

“That’s Katrina for you,” I said with a laugh and reached over to feel Avan’s forehead and then my neck.

His high fever was still there. I was about to move my hand when Avan  placed his own hand on it.

“Your hand, it’s so cool that it makes my head-ache turn into a dull pain,” he whispered and I felt myself blush. “Don’t move it.”

“I won’t,” I said in a hush tune and shifted my body closer to his so my hand on his forehead would feel comfortable.

I don’t know for how long I kept my hand on him, but eventually he fell asleep. As I gazed down at his sleeping face, he looked so peaceful and relaxed. He looked as though he wasn’t suffering or had been in any sort of pain, but his still healing torso reminded me of everything that he had been through. Who ever thought that such wounds would leave him so weak?

I then heard as though his breath had caught in his throat and I looked down at him in alarm. His chest then rose again and I let out a sigh of relief. I really thought something bad had happened. I rested my head back against the bed-head and looked out the open window at the night sky. I felt Avan’s hand slip from mine and

I ran my fingers through his hair.

“Juliette?” came a hoarse voice and I looked down at Avan’s slightly opened eyes. “If I die tonight—”

“Don’t you dare say that!” I shouted at him, tightening my fingers in his hair.

“Don’t. You. Dare.”

He laughed softly and began to cough. I slid down next to him and pressed my body next to his.

“You’re not going to die, Avan,” I whispered. “Katrina said you wouldn’t.