Ethan
I felt the bed dip under Lyla’s weight, so I rolled onto my side and planted a kiss to her temple. Her shirt was hitched up a couple inches and I ran my hand along the soft skin on her belly.
Suddenly, her legs wrapped around my arm, and her eyes were filled with need.
I growled and got down on my knees on the side of the bed. I grabbed her legs and pulled her down to me— making her screech in shock—and slid her pants off. I tossed them to the floor, and slid my hand between her thighs, and parted her legs a couple inches.
She tried to force them back shut, but I wasn’t having any of it. “Open.” I gently demanded, and she did.
“There isn’t anything to be shy of, Lyla.” I said to her, not looking away from her face.
“I’ve never been looked at like this before,” she said.
“I know, baby. You know I won’t hurt you. I promise I’ll make you feel good. Are you scared of me?”
She nodded, and swallowed hard. “Okay, and no, I’ll never be scared of you.” She moved her legs.
“Fucking perfect,” I said when I looked at her bare skin. My body was bursting with hot desire. I’d always wondered what she looked like, and she was beautiful.
I brought my head down and groaned onto her soft flesh. “So. Fucking. Sweet.”
“W-w-what are you d-d-doing Ethan?” she stammered.
I smiled at her mischievously, and got down to business.
She really wasn’t expecting what I did. She arched her back and cried out. All the sounds that were coming out of her mouth were sexy and hot. My own pulse was kicking up to cardiac arrest territory, and I started to feel her tighten up. Every time I touched her, I was rewarded with a hot sound that seemed to come from deep within her. When I put my free hand down there, she couldn’t control herself anymore. Lyla’s hips shot off the bed and she clutched my hair in her hands. I knew just the right time to ease off, and come back up to her.
“That…” she said breathlessly.
I chuckled. “I know.”
She snuggled into the blankets, and after that, she was lost into the world of dreams. She was content, and I felt good by bringing her some peace. I made sure she was comfortably tucked in before I walked away.
I went over to my fish tank and opened the top. I grabbed the fish food and began sprinkling it inside. The fish came up and gobbled it all up in less than a minute. I sat there watching them for about an hour until my own eyes started to get heavy.
I stripped from my pants and stood there in my boxers. I crawled into bed carefully, so I didn’t disturb Lyla.
“Love you.” she moaned gently.
Startled, I thought I had awakened her, but when I came closer to her face, she was still sleeping. Her soft breaths tickled my hair, and I kissed her ever so softly on the corner of her mouth. It was the first time she told me she loved me out loud, and even in sleep, I knew she meant it. I would never get sick of hearing her say those words.
“Love you.” I whispered back.
When I got under the covers, she came up to lie on my chest. She snuggled into me like she always does, and then let out a small sigh. I felt the soft thudding of her heart, and it was an astounding feeling. I wrapped my arms around her and closed my eyes.
I was a happy man.
I fell asleep with a full, happy mind, and even fuller heart.
***
I awoke to the shrill of my alarm clock.
I jumped, causing Lyla to fly off the bed. I slammed my hand down on the button, and crawled to the side of the bed, peering down. Lyla was sitting there, looking dumbfounded. Her eyes were wide, and her hand was on her chest, trying to slow her breathing down.
I let out a tired laugh. “What the hell was that?” She giggled softly. “I had a dream someone was chasing me, and when you jumped, I jumped. Sorry.”
I ran my hands through my hair, and climbed off the bed. I helped her stand up. She grabbed a change of clothes and went into the bathroom. I went over to my dresser and started pulling on some new clothes. I yawned, I really didn’t wanna go to school today. Couldn’t they make school start at ten or something? What the hell was up with the whole seven-thirty thing?
When Lyla came back out, I started talking.
“You were talking in your sleep last night.” I said, pulling a shirt over my head. I avoided looking at her, because then I wouldn’t be able to tell her what she said to me.
“Oh no, what did I say?”
“That you loved me.” I whispered, and turned around to face her.
She blushed, and put her hair up into a ponytail. “I do,” she admitted.
I smiled broadly.
***
While we were walking to first hour, suddenly, Lyla was gasping for breath, holding onto her lower stomach.
“Lyla?” I asked.
“Just a sharp stomach cramp, no biggy,” She waved me away.
Her face was white, and she looked like she was going to puke. She kept walking though, trying to be brave. I could see the determination on her face not to show weakness. I gently rubbed my hand over her lower back, trying to comfort her.
All throughout the hour, I kept checking on Lyla to make sure she was okay. I caught her on numerous occasions clutching her stomach. Maybe she’s just on her period again.
Who knows?
***
Lyla
Sometime during third hour I started feeling really sick, more so than this morning. I raised my hand and was excused to go to the bathroom. On my way there, Ethan was walking around the corner.
When he saw me, he asked what was wrong.
The pain in my chest and stomach was getting worse, and I let out a low moan of pain. The pain was so bad I couldn’t even answer him. I doubled over, and a tear snuck out of my closed eyes.
I was going to throw up.
“Did you wanna go home, Lyla?” Ethan asked. He took out his phone, and turned it on.
When I nodded, a teacher walked by and demanded he put the phone away, but Ethan flipped him off and sent him a “back the hell off” look. The teacher got the hint, and started walking faster.
What was up with these teachers here having no backbone?
I slid to the floor and cradled my chest with both of my arms. My heart did a weird flippy-floppy thing, and then the pain stopped. Well, the pain in my chest anyway. The pain in my stomach was growing stronger than ever, and it took everything I had in me to keep from screaming. The pain was in my lower abdomen, and it was sharp and burning.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, I was in Ethan’s arms, and he was carrying me out of the school. He pressed a kiss to my forehead, and I snuggled into his warm chest.
I sighed, and melted into him.
“Lyla, it’s going to be okay, I’m going to take you home and I’m going to make you feel better. I hate seeing you like this. “
All I could do was nod and fight back tears. I hated looking weak in front of people. I wanted to be known as someone who is strong.
My vision started tunneling.
Then I was falling into a deep, deep sleep.
My dreams were filled with burning buildings, and me being trapped, not being able to escape.
***
The next thing I knew, I woke up lying in the hospital.
There was a low beeping sound, I had tubes hooked up everywhere, and I had a sharp pulling pain in my stomach. The smell that surrounded me was filled with antiseptic, and I really wanted to puke. I was dressed in a scratchy gown, and I wanted to get out of here fast.
What the hell happened to me?
I struggled to sit up, but suddenly Ethan was there, pushing me back onto the bed, holding both of my shoulders so I wouldn’t get up.
“Ethan?” I croaked. My throat was so dry I desperately wanted a drink.
He took my hand, and sat in the chair next to the bed. “Are you okay?” he asked worriedly. His face was all blotchy, like he’d been crying. His hair was a mess, and I reached over to smooth it down.
“I don’t know… I don’t know why I’m here. I thought we were going back home? Why didn’t you take me home?” I realized that I just called Ethan’s house home. I guess that’s what it kinda felt like after being there for so long.
“You don’t remember passing out in my arms?”
I shook my head.
“Well, before we even left the school, you passed out. I told my mom what happened, and she demanded I take you to the ER right away. When you got here, your blood pressure and heart rate were in dangerous levels.
They took some blood, and that’s when they found out that your appendix burst. They immediately took you down to the operating room. The surgery lasted about an hour, and you’ve been up here sleeping for the past six hours. I’ve been so worried about you, baby. You almost died.” he said, choking up a little. His eyes were damp “When you didn’t wake up right away, I thought the worst. I can’t lose you.”
“So, I had surgery, and I got my appendix out?” I asked, not quite believing it.
He nodded.
My gaze swept across the room, and landed on a table that was right next to me. There were about six vases of flowers, and about double that number in stuffed animals. There were also balloons and cards that said ‘Get Well’ on them.
“Water?” I asked, clearing the lump from my throat. He immediately brought a cup of ice water up to my lips. I began drinking, grateful for the coolness. It numbed the pain in my throat, and I started to feel a little bit better.
“Where did all these gifts come from?” I asked. “Rylan, my mom and me, Hannah and Katie, Ann Marie, and even the school sent flowers. They were all so worried about you.” he said, bringing his lips to mine softly. So softly I was afraid he thought I was going to break. “But not as worried as I was. Or afraid. God, I was so afraid.”
I struggled to sit up, and Ethan helped me this time. He moved the bed so that it was sitting upright. I leaned back, and grabbed his hand again.
Then Rylan walked in.
“Lyla, bloody hell, thanks for giving me a fright.” he said.
I giggled. “I love you too, Rylan.”
Ethan gave Rylan a glare, but when he turned back to me, he smiled.
Suddenly, the nurse came in with a needle.
Panic clenched in my chest at seeing the sharp object. I immediately began trying to swing my legs over the side of the bed. When I did, I felt something pull. I uncovered myself slightly, and moved my hospital gown away. There was a tube connected from up inside me. I covered myself back up. “What the hell is this?” I asked in alarm, finding the same tube running off the side of the bed.
“A catheter,” the nurse said.
“A what?” I asked in a high pitched voice, looking over the bed to find a bag with yellow fluid in it. I wrinkled my nose at the thought of what it may be.
“Lyla, it’s so you don’t have to get up and go to the loo.” Rylan said with a small laugh.
Ethan muttered something about stupid British people and their dumb names for things.
“Oh.” Yup, it’s exactly what I was thinking.
The nurse came over and uncapped the needle.
“Pain medicine,” she said.
I tried to move again, but suddenly Rylan was there, holding me back. “Let her help you.” His green eyes caught mine, and I found myself in a trance like the one time he tried to give me a shot.
The nurse stuck it into my hip, but I barely felt it. After, the nurse left.
I sat there staring dreamily at Rylan. When the heck did he start looking so damn good? I sighed, and giggled, sending him a small wave.
“What the fuck did you do to her?” Ethan demanded, jumping up to get into Rylan’s face.
“Just a little compulsion. She’s okay, see? I didn’t harm her.”
“It’s okay Ethan; Rylan was just trying to help me.”
I said, returning somewhat back to normal. My voice sounded small, and I suddenly started to get tired. Whatever was in that shot was making me really sleepy.
I shut my eyes, and after that, I was lost.