Unintentionally Yours

CHAPTER 5

A surprise look slowly appears on his face as he quickly leans back to stand and cleared his throat. It was Haunth.

I felt my heart starts to beat abnormally as heat enveloped my face surely forming a rubescent halo around my face.

“S-sorry, I was just trying to check your temperature,” Haunth said as he picks some medicine from the medicine organizer.

“With your face?” I whispered as I sat slowly to my bed preventing my head from throbbing again and lean to the headboard.

I unconsciously placed my hand on my chest, feeling the abnormal beat of my heart. I stared at his back busy roaming his hands to the organizer. The room is silent aside from the sound of whatever he’s doing.

“What happened?”

I was startled by his sudden question, making me not answer his question right away.

“A soccer ball hit me on my head, I guess,” I said as I felt a slight twinge on my temple for the nth time.

He turned back to me holding a couple of cotton pads and a povidone-iodine and started walking in my direction.

“Miss Theresa asked me to look after you,” he said answering my confused face as to why was he holding those and sat on a chair beside my bed.

“Where did she go?”

“She said she has diarrhea,” Haunth said without throwing a look at me while pouring the povidone-iodine into the cotton pad.

“Don’t you have a class at this hour?”

A couple of hours had just passed after I was hit by the soccer ball, so, the class is still going.

“I have but I promised Miss Theresa to at least look after you after she’s done or you feel okay”

“Oh… I am fine. You can go,” I smiled at him lightly.

“You sure?”

I nod at him as a sign of assurance that I am fine. Even though I feel otherwise, my head is killing me, I don’t want him to miss his class just because of my stupid accident. I don’t want to ruin his grades… and our future.

He goes straight to the door the moment I nod but then stop midway.

“Nah. I guess, I’ll stay a bit longer” he said as he goes back to where I am.

“Are you sure? How about your class?”

“It’s fine I can handle it”

I unconsciously smiled at him causing him to be confused.

“What?”

“You care for me?” I said while smiling widely and wiggle my eyebrows up and down.

“I don’t break promises,” he said as he sat on the chair beside me without answering my question.

“What? Do you know what to do?”

I asked as he pours the povidone-iodine again into a new cotton pad. The cotton pad he used earlier dried fast within just a couple of minutes. So, he had to make another one.

My eyebrows knitted into a frown while watching him. I mean, I like him to take care of me but what if he doesn’t know what he’s doing and make my situation worse? I don’t want that. I don’t want to be away from him if it gets worse…

He looked at me and stand beside my bed. He lifts his hand touching my chin to lift my face up.

He stared at my eyes and lean closer to me asking “Don’t you trust me?”.

I felt like my heart stop beating as I answered him with a couple of blinks. His face is so close to the point I can feel his breath…

His face was encased by a slight wrinkling of his forehead for a second as he leans back to stand. What? Is that a frown or pain? Am I hallucinating?

“I trust you,” I said preventing my voice from a quiver.

He faintly smiled at me and said “Great” between his sigh.

“Don’t worry, you won’t hurt under my watch,” he whispered and cleared his throat.

I bit my lip trying not to smile as I heard his response. What does that mean?!

Shannel, calm yourself down. I looked at my hand trying to hide my face. Why did I braid my hair today? I can’t cover my face with my hair…

He once again leaned forward as he puts the povidone-iodine-covered cotton pad on my forehead. I pulled my face back in response to the sting I felt the moment the cotton pad touches my scar.

“Stay still, you have a small scar,” he said as he reaches out again for my face.

I almost forgot to breathe when he was patting my forehead with the cotton pad. I got the chance to stare at his face closer than I could imagine. Damn, the soccer ball should have hit me even harder. I didn’t expect it to be a blessing in disguise. My eyes darted into his thin lips making my face feel even fiery.

He stared back at me and stop from patting my forehead.

“What do you feel?”

“Ecstatic,” I said unconsciously and later bite my lips out of shame. Damn it, Shannel.

He avoided my gaze as he breathes deeply but a slight smile escaped from his sigh.

“Wait, did you just smile?!” I ask as a wider smile escapes from my lips.

“No, I don’t,” he said as he bit his lips. Once again, my eyes darted to his thin pink lips.

“What? Are you thirsty?” he slightly chokes on what he said the moment he saw me biting my lips causing me to nod mischievously. This guy still surprises me.

 He stared at me and turn his gaze and goes to the water dispenser.

“I mean, do you feel anything bad?” he said while pouring water into a paper cup.

“I’m fine besides my temple twinges a little, especially earlier after I woke up”

“Hmm… do you feel dizzy?” he asked while handing me the water.

“No… not really,” I said and drink some water.

“Okay, if you experienced nausea, dizziness, or even visual problems, go to the nearest hospital near your home for it to be checked,” he said as he tidies up the kits, he used

“Okay, doc,” I smiled looking at him.

“Here take this. Drink this and take a nap. You’ll feel better,” he said as he reaches out to my hand and putting a tablet in my palm.

I refrain from holding his hand back. Control yourself, Shannel Tate.

My hands were moist as I try to open the medicine causing my hands to shake. I manage to take it out and put it in my mouth and push it with water when my hand twinge causing me to spill the water all over my uniform.

“Damn it,” I said as I jump out of the bed from shock.

He quickly grabs some napkins and gives them to me. I hurriedly wipe off the water out of my uniform but it’s too late as it already soaked my uniform.

“Do you have an extra shirt?” he asked while looking at the wall.

“I forgot to bring one,” I said as I pinch my uniform away from my body preventing my undergarments to be soaked too.

He sighed sharply causing me to look at him. He pulled off his uniform sweater and reaches it out to me. The sweater has a v-neckline but I have no choice since I don’t have an extra shirt. It’s not that a low v-neckline though.

“Here, use this,” he said still not looking at me.

I grab his sweater and said, “Thank you”.

He then smiled uncomfortably and waved his goodbye. I look at myself in the mirror and my undergarments are already showing as my uniform became see-through because of the water. That’s probably why he doesn’t look at me.

I watch him completely get out of the room. When I positively checked that he’s totally gone, I squeal as I embedded my face on my pillow. I once again felt a slight burning sensation on my face.

“Tsk”

I froze as I heard an uttering tsk beside my right curtain.

May iba bang estudyante rito? Tinitigan kong mabuti ang kurtina para sana makita if may iba pa bang tao ngunit masyadong makapal ang kurtina para makita ko.

“Uhm, may tao ba riyan?” I asked.

Nobody responded. What? Don’t tell me may multo rito?

Dahan-dahan kong iniurong ang kurtina para silipin kung mayroon bang ibang tao rito sa clinic maliban sa akin.

The moment I move aside the curtain, I was welcomed by a tired ash-colored eye. His eyebrow is not raised as usual and his lips are pitched red. He was slumped down the clinic bed laying sideways facing me.

“Sett?”

“Tate,”  he greeted weakly.

“Are you okay? You never look better than before,” I titter trying to annoy him.

“Very funny, Tate. Ha. Ha…” he whispered enough for me to hear.

He stared at me and later closed his eyes and cleared his throat.

Gusto ko sana siya tawanan kaso mukhang masama talaga nararamdaman niya. Dahan-dahan akong tumayo para hindi ako mahilo at may pag-iingat na lumapit kay Sett.

Now I get it, that’s why ganoon ang note ni Ruth. Nandito pala si Sett. My number one enemy. Pero parang hindi naman ako ang hindi makakauwi nang buhay? Naghihingalo na ata itong lalaking ‘to eh.

Dahan- dahan kong kinapa ang noo ni Sett at agad ko ring nabawi ang kamay ko dahil sa sobrang init niya.

“Oh my fudge, ang taas ng lagnat mo, Sett!” I freaked out.

“Calm yourself, Tate. I’m okay. Don’t worry” he said while looking at me intently.

I smiled at him restraining myself from laughing. I’m not that worried though. He’s a big guy, he can cope with that. I just don’t want him to die under my watch that is why I am freaking out.

“Why are you smiling?” he asked.

I stopped myself from smiling and give a glare at him instead.

“What?” he asked.

“Stop calling me Tate”

“What happened to you?” he asks as he sits up from his bed still looking at me.

My hands instinctively cover my uniform realizing that my bra’s clearly distinct from my uniform. Fudge, nakakahiya.

“Wala. Bahala ka riyan” I said as I stand up preparing myself to go back to my bed until he grabbed my wrist causing me to look back at him.

His palm was as hot as a fire almost burning my skin.

“What?” I asked with one of my eyebrows raised.

“Go, change your clothes quickly. You might get cold,” he said as he lays back on his bed.

I go straight to the bathroom and change my clothes right away. Buti nalang at mayroon akong nakitang plastic bag sa medicine cabinet at d’on ko inilagay ang basa kong blouse.

Wala parin si Ms. Theresa paglabas ko. Grabe naman diarrhea n’on. Napadako ang tingin ko sa kawawang si Sett na nakatagilid parin na nakahiga.

“Sett? Uminom kana ba ng gamot?” 

Tanong ko ngunit hindi ito sumagot. Nakatulog na siguro. Dumiretso ako sa medicine organizer na kaninang pinagkuhaan ng gamot ni Haunth. Teka, hindi ba siya nakita ni Haunth kanina?

 Kinuha ko ang paracetamol sa medicine organizer at maingat na kumuha ng tubig. Inilapag ko ang gamot at tubig sa maliit na lamesa katabi ng hinihigaan ni Sett. Muli kong kinapa ang noo ni Sett at ganoon parin ang init niya.

Muli ako dumiretso sa mga gamit sa clinic para sana maghanap ng towel at basin ngunit wala naman akong nakita kaya dumiretso ako sa maliit na banyo ng clinic at binasa nalang ang panyo ko. Sayang naman itong panyo ko para ipahid lang sa panget na balat ni Sett. Bahala na nga. Kawawa naman. Alam pa naman ng karamihan na mortal enemy ko siya at kapag namatay ‘to rito ay paniguradong ako ang prime suspect.

Kumuha ako ng upuan at inilagay sa tabi ng kama ni Sett. Itinupi ko ang panyo at dahan-dahang ipinunas sa mukha ni Sett.

He’s still sleeping. His bloodshot lips earlier turned into an even more red color. Damn, he must be really sick. Nasaan na ba kasi si Miss Theresa?

I didn’t notice that he has a long eyelash and a little thicker brow than Haunth. His face is more angular making him look more attractive. He indeed is attractive but I guarantee his attitude is otherwise.

He looks so soft when he’s sleeping. He should sleep more often.

I smiled at that thought releasing a soft laugh from my lips.

He slowly opened his eyes, as he releases a smirk at the same time his eyebrow lifts.

I hold my breath realizing how close I am to the beast who has been resting seconds ago, slowly awakened and positions his predatory posture ready to attack his prey.