I woke up and found her still asleep beside me. She looked so peaceful, almost like an angel, her face calm and serene - Her serene expression brought a smile to my face; I couldn't believe it—she had actually stayed the night, here with me. It was a comforting sight, and I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me. A part of me still couldn't grasp it, but I felt so much better now, my body had recovered, and my mind was clearer.
I carefully moved out of the bed, making sure not to disturb her. I didn't want to wake her up, not when she looked so relaxed. It was still really early, and I knew she needed more rest. I glanced at the clock—there were at least three more hours before classes would start. She deserved that sleep after everything she'd done for me last night.
As I stood by the bed, watching her for a moment, I couldn't help but smile. She looked so different from the fierce, determined girl who always kept me on my toes. I couldn't believe I was the reason she was here, taking care of me. For once, I didn't want to ruin it. I wanted to do something nice for her, to show my appreciation for her staying by my side. But first, I needed to let her sleep a little longer.
I heard a soft knock at the door and figured it must be Eric. I quickly moved to open it, feeling more like myself .
"Hey, Nick, you look so much bett—" Eric started, but I immediately silenced him, nearly grabbing his mouth with my hand.
"Shhh!" I hissed at him, casting a quick glance over my shoulder.
Eric looked at me, confused by my urgency. His eyes followed where I was pointing, and the moment he saw Justine sleeping peacefully on my bed, his expression shifted from shock to outright confusion.
"Wait, what...?" he mouthed, trying not to laugh but clearly stunned. I could see a million questions forming behind his eyes.
I pointed to the couch, motioning for Eric to sit, and I could tell he was practically bursting to speak. He barely waited until he was seated before starting.
"I came in last night after like, what, two hours? And I found both of you asleep. I didn't want to bother you, figured she was just taking a nap before heading back to her dorm," Eric said with a chuckle. "But now it seems like she never went back."
He gave me a mischievous grin, his eyebrow raised in curiosity. "So... what happened? And what did you do to make her stay over?"
I sighed, knowing he wouldn't let this go until I explained. I gave him a quick rundown of everything, keeping it simple and not diving into too many details—the fever, Justine taking care of me, and how she stayed because I asked her to. Eric listened, his grin growing wider with each sentence.
Eric said, glancing at the time. "Should we wake her up? I mean, she might be late for class. Plus, by the time she finishes getting ready, the dining hall will be closed for breakfast."
That's when an idea struck me. Instead of rushing her or letting her go hungry, I could make sure she was taken care of without her having to leave so soon. "I've got it," I said, smirking. "I'll order breakfast and have it sent straight to her room. That way, she won't need to worry about missing it or rushing."
Eric raised his eyebrows. "Wow. Look at you, going above and beyond, huh?"
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "It's just practical," I said. "She took care of me last night—this is the least I can do."
Eric chuckled. "Practical, huh? Sure, man, whatever you say."
Ignoring his teasing, I grabbed my phone and called down to make sure breakfast would be delivered to her dorm room in time. It felt like the right thing to do, especially after how she'd been there for me.
"Wow, she actually stayed... and took care of you? Man, you're in deeper than you think." He leaned back, shaking his head as if he couldn't believe it. "You're lucky, Nick. Seriously."
I didn't respond right away, just nodded. Lucky? Maybe. But I knew this was more complicated than just her staying over. It felt like something had shifted between us, but I wasn't sure what it meant yet.
Eric said, glancing at the time. "Should we wake her up? I mean, she might be late for class. Plus, by the time she finishes getting ready, the dining hall will be closed for breakfast."
That's when an idea struck me. Instead of rushing her or letting her go hungry, I could make sure she was taken care of without her having to leave so soon. "I've got it," I said, smirking. "I'll order breakfast and have it sent straight to her room. That way, she won't need to worry about missing it or rushing."
Eric raised his eyebrows. "Wow. Look at you, going above and beyond, huh?"
I shrugged, trying to play it cool. "It's just practical," I said. "She took care of me last night—this is the least I can do."
Eric chuckled. "Practical, huh? Sure, man, whatever you say."
Ignoring his teasing, I grabbed my phone and called down to make sure breakfast would be delivered to her dorm room in time. It felt like the right thing to do, especially after how she'd been there for me.
As Eric and I continued catching up on the classes I had missed, we suddenly heard Justine stirring. She shifted on the bed, and after a few moments, she sat up, rubbing her eyes, still adjusting to her surroundings.
Eric and I exchanged quick glances before we both turned away, giving her some space to gather herself. I could feel the air change a little, an unspoken understanding between us that she might be confused or embarrassed about waking up here.
As Justine began talking with Eric, I couldn't help but notice how she completely avoided looking at me. She held a full conversation with him, her words flowing easily, but I could tell by the slight tension in her voice and the way she avoided eye contact with me that she was embarrassed about everything.
Who wouldn't be, after spending the night in my room?
She ended the conversation quickly, her cheeks flushing with even more embarrassment, and without another word to me, she hurried toward the door. I watched her go, feeling a mixture of frustration and understanding. I knew she probably didn't want to face me after what happened, but part of me wished she'd stayed, even just to say goodbye.
As the door closed behind her, I couldn't shake the lingering disappointment.