Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"I'm okay. I swear I'm not si-" But before I get to complete my sentence my body betrays me, making me sneeze.
Alessio glares at me before grabbing a blanket and covering me with it. "I told you to wear a jacket the other day. You didn't listen to me. Now look. You're sick, Fiore." he brings the blanket to the top of my neck, tucking it in underneath me, completely wrapping me up.
I want to lie and say that I'm okay, but there is no use. I feel like boo boo.
I take a sudden breath in, my nose twitching. I pause. Then I let out an exhale, sighing as I wipe my nose with a tissue. I open my eyes to see Alessio just staring at me. He brings his hand down towards my face and I flinch, pulling back. I can't help it, it's how my brain is programmed. Alessio's jaw tightens but he doesn't say anything, he only lowers his arm, touching my forehead with the back of his hand.
"You have a fever." he says, opening the drawer next to the bed and pulling out a bottle of pills. He takes one out, extending it towards me with a glass of water.
As I stare at the pills in his hands, I find memories of the past drifting into my mind. As a response my stomach clenches with fear.
I remember the time Nikolai forced 3 pills down my throat. I remember how I blacked out and woke up god knows how many hours- or days later. How I woke up with blood between my legs. My hands chained, as I layed on the cold concrete floor. I remember vividly the pain my body was in. The sharp pain in my abdomen. How sore I felt down there. How it hurt to even breathe. How it hurt so bad, I threw up multiple times. I also remember how much I cried. How much my heart hurt. How angry and utterly helpless I felt.
"Bella?" My head snaps up to Alessio. His eyes twist in confusion and concern. "You okay?"
"Will it- um- will it make me sleep? Or unconscious."
His brows furrow before his eyes fill with rage. "No. It's just for your fever. It won't make you sleep. Or unconscious." Still sensing my hesitancy, he takes out the bottle, giving it to me. "Read it if you want." I take the bottle, but I don't look at it. I keep looking up at his green eyes. "I know it's hard for you to trust me, but I would never hurt you."
I know you could never hurt me. It's not you that I can't trust. It's me. I can't trust myself enough to trust you.
"Im sorry." that's all I manage to say. Though it's not nearly close to what I want to say.
I want to say, hold me. I want to say, hug me. Talk to me. Look at me. Kiss my forehead again. Tell me you'll never let me get hurt again, because this time I'll believe you. I want to say, I love when you call me Bella. Or principessa. I especially love when you call me Fiore.
But most of all, I want to say... I think I have feelings for you. Yeah... I do.
There. Phew! I finally admitted it. It was weighing on my chest like heavy dough.
