"Well, I need to put some on my back, but my hand won't reach it, could you call someone for help?" she admitted, her voice small and tinged with embarrassment. A flush crept up her cheeks, and she cast her gaze downward momentarily.
Mr. Huxley took a deep breath, his gaze unwavering. He stepped closer to the curtain, his voice softening as he offered his assistance. "Give it to me. I will do it."
Evelyn hesitated for a moment, her heart racing as she assessed the situation. She weighed the awkwardness of the moment against her need for help. Finally, she carefully untwisted the cap of the glass bottle and held it out toward him, her hand shaking slightly.
He reached out and took the bottle from her, that she was holding out therought he crack of the curtain while clenching ontot he curtain as if her life depended on it. their fingers brushing briefly. Their eyes met again, The professor wen tahead and
Evelyn's breath caught as she felt his touch, his fingers trailing over her skin with a tenderness that was both unexpected and oddly intimate. She closed her eyes briefly, allowing herself to feel the sensation fully, before reality set in once more. Her cheeks burned as she tried to suppress the embarrassment that threatened to overwhelm her.
"Get dressed so that I can help you apply the rest of it," he said, his voice carrying a calm professionalism that belied the charged atmosphere between them.
Evelyn nodded, her fingers trembling slightly as she retracted the bottle and stepped back. She quickly donned her trousers and crumpled her shirt before emerging from behind the curtain. Holding onto her shirt like a makeshift shield, she slowly pulled the curtain away, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Mr. Huxley's gaze met hers, and she felt a jolt of electricity pass between them. His eyes seemed to linger for a moment, Despite the awkwardness, he maintained his composure, his expression calm and collected. Evelyn sat at the edge of the bed thinking of how to diffused the awkwardness she it was taking her life. The only thing in hr mind right now was,
"Professor, you said that this is caused by Raven Bud, but I remember I went and plucked the Moonshadow Petals," Evelyn admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. The weight of their previous conversation hung heavily in the air, and she bit her lip nervously.
His eyebrows knitted in mild frustration, but his response was steady and measured. "Did you take the lecture about the Moonshadow Petals?" he inquired, his tone slightly reproachful.
Evelyn shook her head, her gaze downcast. "I didn't."
He let out a sigh, his frustration palpable. "If you had, you would clearly know that I mentioned that the two plants have strikingly similar appearances. Moonshadow is for healing, while Raven Bud is for making..." He paused momentarily, a hint of unease crossing his features before he continued, "...making medicines for the."
"YEah i know you don't have to say it again." Evelyn's cheeks flushed crimson, a mixture of embarrassment and realization flooding over her. The intensity of their proximity, coupled with his words, sent her thoughts into a whirlwind of emotion. She held onto her shirt more tightly, her body tensing in response.
"The Raven Bud is toxic for humans and animal so what you touched was definitely not Moonshadow and had no healing properties," he concluded, his voice trailing off as if the words were difficult to say.
He stepped back, putting a bit more distance between them, his gaze averted as if to give her privacy. "It is all done, by the way. You can get dressed now," he said, his voice still maintaining a calm professionalism.
Evelyn's face burned with embarrassment, and she nodded hastily, her voice barely above a whisper as she muttered her thanks. As he quickly exited the room, leaving her alone with her thoughts, she felt a mixture of emotions coursing through her.
"I wanted to impress him, and look, I made a fool out of myself," she whispered to herself, the weight of her own actions bearing down on her.
Lost in thought, Evelyn walked back from the infirmary, her mind swirling with reflections on what her professor had told her about the plant. "So all that was a hallucination, I was worked up for no reason," she said to herself, slightly feeling better inside. Even the blisters had stopped hurting that much, and the fact that her professor had helped to put some on her back made her feel excited inwardly.
As she meandered through her thoughts, suddenly, someone threw their arms around her shoulders, causing her to jump in fright. It was her friend, Jane, an outgoing and vivacious soul who was equally horrified after seeing Evelyn's startled response.
"What happened? Why are you so scared?" Jane asked in a loud, frightened voice. Evelyn felt her voice stuck in her throat. She was yet to recover from the trauma of the day before, and she could barely contain her racing heart. Her lips opened and closed as she struggled for words, her body still stiff.
Jane mimicked her, playfully exaggerating her shocked expression until Evelyn finally managed to speak out. "I thought you were a ghost," she whimpered.
"Haha! A ghost! Do you think I am a fool?" Jane retorted with a laugh. Evelyn shook her head in confusion, unable to fully grasp the situation.
"I don't understand," Evelyn confessed.
"You were with the professor, weren't you? In the infirmary?" Jane gave her a sceptical look, then draped her arm around Evelyn's waist and pulled her closer, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Spill the beans, my dear. I have ways of prying secrets out of you."
Evelyn let out a nervous chuckle. "Oh, come on, Jane. It's not like that. Nothing happened, really."
Jane's eyes twinkled with mischief as she leaned in closer. "Oh, I see that blush on your cheeks! Something definitely happened. Did you get lost in his eyes? Or maybe he brushed his hand against yours while passing the ointment? Two young souls having wild desires!! All alone away from the eyes of everyone…"
Evelyn's face turned an even deeper shade of red. "No, Jane! It's not like that. We were just... talking about the plant and stuff."
Jane raised an eyebrow suggestively. "Just talking? About plants? In the infirmary? Alone?"