The Fever Night

Liora’s POV

When I woke up, it was with the utmost shock.

I was in Sebastian’s bed and he had his arms around me. How did this happen? Did we..?

I felt around my body. No, I was still clothed. But still…

‘Do you always wake up this early?’ Sebastian’s voice rumbled in my ears. It was deep and smooth; the type of morning voice that made women go weak in the knees.

Unfortunately, I was one of those women.

‘Good morning,’ I could feel the heat in my cheeks.

He looked at me, and I couldn’t help but stare back, the way his eyes swooped over my whole body.

Like I was edible.

At that moment I felt like I was going into something dangerous. His hands tightened around my waist, pulling me closer until we could feel each other’s breath. I didn’t try to stop him, because I didn’t want to. I wanted to know what his lips would taste like against mine; I wanted to feel my knees go weak just like the way the women in those books felt, moaning into his mouth as our kiss deepened.

But we didn’t kiss. He pulled away, leaving me feeling like a fool. I understood why. I wasn’t his type, of course. He had told me that before; he didn’t have anything to do with girls like me. That’s why he chose Vivienne, always.

And to think I had been foolish enough to think that maybe his warming up to me was probably a sign he might like me.

How could I have been so delusional to think he might like me- even just a bit?

I stood up and walked away. The sooner I stopped the delusions and knew my place, the better. Once I had gotten my mind clear, I had my bath and got ready for another day.

Sebastian was trying to stand up when I got to the room. He didn’t notice when I stood by, watching him.

‘Let me help,’ I moved forward.

‘I don’t need your help,’ he grumbled.

‘You can’t stand on your own,’ I insisted. ‘Let me just…’

‘I don’t need your help,’ he snapped.

The anger in his tone made me jerk. I moved back, trying to calm myself.

After another failed attempt, he fell to the bed.

‘I don’t like needing people,’ he finally said in a low tone. ‘Dependence makes me feel weak. I just…’

I didn’t say anything to make him feel better. There was nothing to say.

‘I’ll go get your breakfast,’ I turned to leave.

‘Liora,’ he called out, making me pause and turn to him. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘Yeah,’ was all I could respond. Today didn’t seem like a good day.

As I entered the kitchen, I saw none other than Vivienne. She was giving the maids some orders in setting up breakfast.

‘Uhh…hi,’ I tried to speak to her.

She ignored me, and after the maids finished setting up the tray, she ordered one of them to carry it.

I noticed something that needed me to speak up.

‘Sebastian is allergic to mangoes,’ I told her.

This made her stop and finally look at me.

‘And you are..?’ she arched a perfectly lined brow.

I turned to the maid. ‘Get those mangoes off.’

‘Who do you think you are to give orders concerning my fiancée’s meal?’

‘Look, Vivienne…’

She moved closer to me. ‘You’re just a wife by name. Sebastian doesn’t love you; he never will. You’re just unnecessary baggage that he will soon leave once you’ve completed your purpose. Capice?’

She got no reply, and I left the kitchen. Later on, I went to Sebastian’s bedroom to check on him. Vivienne was there with him, chattering excitedly about something.

‘Excuse me,’ I stood by the ajar door.

‘What do you want?’ Vivienne glared at me.

‘I just came to see how Sebastian’s doing…’ I eased myself into the room.

‘He’s better now that I’m with him,’ she sneered.

‘So why weren’t you with him the other days?’ The question left my mouth faster than my brain could process.

‘You slut!’

‘Vivienne!’ Sebastian’s voice drowned hers.

‘Are you fucking her Sebastian?’ She turned to him. ‘I know you are…’

‘Leave!’

That word brought silence, Vivienne’s face filled with shock.

‘Are you asking me to leave?’ Her voice shook. ‘Because of this low-life?’

He didn’t answer but his look said it all. Vivienne rushed past me in tears, her cries echoing all over the hallway.

The atmosphere grew tense. Sebastian sighed and lay back down on the bed. I also kept silent, not wanting to contribute to the tension.

As I took the tray from him, I noticed the cut-up mangoes he had brushed to the side of the plate.

For the rest of the day, everything seemed normal; usual routines and conversations between us.

Before I went to bed, I checked in on Sebastian, only to find him shivering violently. I rushed towards him and touched his body. It was burning; his whole body was scorching hot.

‘Sebastian,’ I whispered with urgency.

He didn’t reply but I knew he could hear me. I dashed to the kitchen, got a cool bowl of water and a towel, and went back to the bedroom, using the wet towel to damp his head and neck.

The bout of fever was expected, but this was more than I had expected. And it lasted, all through the night, his temperature was still high. At some point, I became frightened that the fever had escalated to something worse.

I stayed up, dabbing his body, checking his temperature constantly.

‘Liora,’ Sebastian finally called out in a hoarse voice. ‘Don’t… leave.’

‘I’m not leaving, okay?’ I answered, squeezing his hands a little.

My chest tightened as I watched him so helplessly. Even when my eyelids began to feel heavy, and all strength seemed to have been sucked away from me, I still forced myself awake.

Thankfully, after hours of dabbing and cleaning, his temperature began to drop. It was slow but at least it was progress.

I stayed awake until dawn, counting his breaths and monitoring his temperature. I was afraid that if I looked away for a second, I might lose him.

When I was sure his temperature had maintained a normal level, I slumped on the chair and stared at him, exhaustion already pressing heavily on me.

It was so intense that I didn’t know when I had fallen asleep on the chair. And a really deep sleep it was.

I dreamt of only Sebastian, of us finally kissing; our lips interlocked in something beautiful. It was beautiful, soft with unspoken words, like we were still figuring out our feelings…

Something made me jerk my eyes open, and when I did, I realized the dream hadn’t been a dream at all.