"Are you okay?" I asked as I looked at the jar of water that I had in my hands.
I couldn't remember where I got them or even why I did get them.
I placed the jar of water on the floor and reached out to prevent her braids from falling into the toilet.
" Please help me with the water," Paula said as she pointed towards the jar of water that was placed at the entrance of the toilet.
" Okay," I said then turned to get the water.
That was when I noticed Liam entering the toilet, holding the jar of water in his hand.
She took the water from him, rinsed her mouth, and poured the water into the toilet. When she attempted to stand, she ended up collapsing back onto the floor, seemingly limp. It appeared that the brief moments she had spent on the floor had caused her lower limbs to weaken.
Without hesitation, Liam removed the jar of water from next to Paula and handed them to me, as I was standing nearby.
He gently scooped up the sick girl into his arms, and I quickly moved aside, creating enough space for them to pass through
Paula's head rested on Liam's flexed left elbow and her torso and buttocks area was in between his two upper limbs, in front of his torso and then her lower limbs rested over his right elbow joint.
'What a show off. I could do that too if I was stronger ' I thought as I watched him walking away, with Paula's arms draped loosely around his neck, as if she had complete trust that she wouldn't slip off.
He carried her upstairs, with the staircase located just after the bar station, and it was as grandeur as every other part of the house. It appeared that they had put a lot of care into crafting and designing every detail of the house.
"Could you please help me with the door?" he requested when they reached the first door at the beginning of the corridor connected to the end of the staircase.
I wasn't carrying the jar of water anymore; I had dropped it at some point.
"Is it not locked? " I asked
"No"
I moved forward and twisted the door knob and just as I did that the door made a low clicking sound and opened leading to a large space with a large bed in its center. It had white sheets on it.
"You guys are so typical," I said but he either didn't hear me or didn't choose to reply.
His family seemed to embody the stereotype of a wealthy family, opting for items that exuded opulence rather than reflecting their tastes. In essence, many of their choices seemed to revolve around the price tag rather than genuine preference.
That was just the impression I had gathered from the movies I had seen about families like his.
Liam cradled Paula in his arms and carefully leaned to the side, tugging the sheets towards the foot of the bed. Gently, he laid her down and tucked the sheets back over her, making sure she was comfortable.
"You should get your next drug in a couple of hours. Do you want to go home? " He was sitting on the tiled floor with his face a few inches away from the sick girl's face.
The carefree demeanor he had displayed earlier had vanished, replaced by evident concern. This was noticeable in the faint crease on his forehead and the complete absence of even the slightest smile on his face.
As I observed them from the doorway, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was the third wheel in this situation.
These two seemed to be in their world, and I couldn't help but feel like I was on the outside looking in, even though we were all in the same space.
"No, I'm so tired," Paula replied, her voice sounding slightly hoarse as if something was blocking her throat.
"I can get you to your house, " Liam said his voice a low deep vibration that pierced through the air. He was half whispering as he spoke to her.
"No. It's too late "
"It's not that far..."
When Paula placed her hand on his palm, he glanced at it, then opened his palm and adjusted his hand so that their fingers intertwined.
"Nothing will happen. Remember the school doctor said that it's just flu"
When she said that Liam didn't reply but just sat there looking at her with worry written all over his countenance.
At that point, I started to wonder where Nanya was and decided to ask.
"Where's Nanya?" I asked but it seemed as though the air drowned my voice out because none of them seemed to hear or respond to me.
" I'm so cold, William," Paula said, her voice trembling, a clear sign that she was shivering despite being covered by the sheet. I couldn't help but grasp the seriousness of the situation. She only used his full name in moments of great concern.
A new wave of concern swept over me, and I felt fear that something might happen to her.
"I think she should go back home," I suggested, and for the first time since we had entered the room, Liam turned his gaze toward me.
It became clear that it wasn't the air or some invisible barrier that had prevented them from hearing me earlier.
"Exactly," he said and then looked back at Paula.
He looked at her as he waited for her response but got nothing but silence instead.
"Paula?" he called again. Then, he placed his other hand on her hand that was held by his first hand and gently stroked it, all the while never taking his eyes off her face.
They remained motionless, locking eyes without uttering a word. However, through their silent gazes, Liam conveyed countless reassuring words.
He was probably reassuring her that he was going to be there in case she needed any help. Then slowly time went by, with the two looking at each other as they engaged in a wordless conversation by just looking into each other's eyes. Eventually, Paula closed her eyes, seemingly drifting off to sleep, followed by Liam.
After a few minutes of watching them from the doorway, I became aware that I had been standing, and my lower limbs were starting to ache. I walked up to Liam and covered him with the blanket at the end of the bed.
I made my way downstairs to check on Nanya. She was sound asleep, her face resting on the center table, and the strange contracture sitting just a few inches away from her, at risk of being knocked onto the floor by any sudden movement from the deeply intoxicated teenager.
Seeing her so peacefully asleep made me briefly consider warming up to the girl. It wasn't that she had a terrible personality, but I disliked how she perceived us and the awkwardness that often accompanied spending time with her.
I settled into one of the elaborately designed chairs and gazed up at the ceiling. Despite the luxury of the house and its expensive furniture, it seemed to lack a sense of warmth and felt somewhat empty.
As I stared at the ceiling, I was abruptly pulled out of Liam's living room, and my eyes opened to a completely different environment where two familiar strangers were peacefully sleeping in the open, totally oblivious to any fear of danger.