Would you be my princess?

Taking Care Of You

On Monday afternoon Bantad was in front of Laila's door. During the previous week Laila greeted the boy in school but never bothered him as he had asked her. On Saturday Bantad texted her:

Hi princess,

how are you? Will we see on Monday afternoon?

Yes, we'll meet on Monday.

I miss our session babe.

Bantad's heart skipped a beat.

He was now used to that nickname and he admitted to himself he had grown fond of Laila. When she greeted him at school he was ready to buy her something cool to drink, because of the heat, but she passed by and went straight to class with her friends.

So that afternoon Bantad was a little bit excited. Finally he could spend time with the girl without his friends, always ready to tease him, and without the two girls Laila was always with.

He knocked on the door and Mary opened it.

"Mr. Bantad" Mary looked at him from head to toe "You are..." she stopped speaking to choose the words "You are different today".

Bantad blushed. He arrived a little bit late, he had texted Laila, because he went home to have a shower and change his clothes. Nothing stylish but different from the usual school uniform. He was wearing a pair of black trousers and a simple yellow pastel t-shirt.

When he entered the house Laila was already sitting at the table with her books and her laptop.

"Hi princess" said Bantad "Are you already working?"

Laila looked at him.

Bantad was smiling, he was happy to be there.

He opened his arms and invited the girl to hug him. Laila didn't believe her eyes.

"So? Three... two..."

Laila ran to him. They hugged tight.

"I miss you" she was saying with her face buried in Bantad's neck. He felt her warm breath against his skin and shivered a little bit.

"We literally see at school, every day" told him whispering

"You told me to don't bother you"

"And since when do you obey people?"

"Not people. You" Laila said in a small voice

"Kids, I've brought something to drink" Mary entered the living room knowing she was interrupting a moment.

Bantad and Laila immediately broke the contact, both of them were red as the juice the woman was putting on the table.

"Thank you Mary" told her Laila " You could go now"

"So" said Bantad, adjusting his glasses on the nose "What's the subject today?"

"Maths"

"Good"

Bantad explained to Laila some formulas and then assigned her an exercise. As the previous time, he started to do some of his homework while she was working. "Have you finished?" asked after ten minutes. It wasn't a simple exercise but it was not so hard, Laila seemed to understand everything. When he looked at her, Laila was lying on her arm sleeping.

Bantad thought she was beautiful.

Fuck. Her plan works really well. I'm used to her presence. Worse, I'm addicted. Or maybe...

He straightened his finger to fix her hair. She was burning. Laila had a fever.

Bantad looked for Mary but she wasn't there anymore.

"Laila, Laila" the boy gently woke up the girl "You are ill, I'll take you to your room but you have to guide me"

Laila stood up and Bantad helped her stay still on her legs. He put an arm around her waist and took her to her bedroom.

Laila's room was on the first floor of the house. At the top of the stairs there was the piano that told him about that night when they were talking on the phone.

Bantad laid down Laila on the bed and covered her with a blanket.

"Laila, do you have any pills for fever?"

"In the drawer under the desk" said Laila with a sleepy voice

Bantad found the tablet and gave them to Laila. She drank the pill, luckily she had water on her night stand, and fell asleep.

Bantad sat on the floor next to Laila. He leaned against the bed and grabbed Laila's hand.

"Bantad, Bantad..." Laila was dreaming "Bantad, don't leave me please... Mum, dad... please"

Bantad was now leaning to Laila sweetly caressing her head "It's just a dream princess, don't worry". At some point Laila calmed down and went back to sleep peacefully. Bantad got up looking for the bathroom. He needed a wet towel to put on Laila's forehead to get the fever down.

He wandered for the first floor of the house until he found what he was looking for. When he came back, Laila was still sleeping and she was sweating. The pill was working well.

He put the little wet towel on her forehead and sat again holding Laila's hand.

Light was coming from the window. Bantad didn't know when he had fallen asleep but the first thing he did was check Laila's fever. It seems okay.

Before leaving, Bantad kisses Laila on her cheek. It was just a soft peck.

He was ruined. He was definitely in love with that girl.

Bantad left the room.

Laila opened her eyes. Her cheeks were red but not for the fever.

_______________________________

After two days Bantad finally saw Laila at school. He was eating with his friends when she entered the canteen unusually alone.

Without even thinking Bantad went straight to her.

"Laila, how are you?" asked him taking her tray from her hands

"I'm feeling better, thank you" answered Laila

"Are you sure? No more fever or anything?"

"Are you worried about me, babe?" teased him Laila

"Yes" said Bantad with a serious voice

Laila's heart skipped a beat.

"Are you alone today?"

"Yes" said Laila " My friends stayed in the classroom because the teacher needs them"

"Okay" and went back to his table

"Hey, my lunch!" yelled Laila

Laila stood beside the table. Five pairs of eyes were looking at her.

"Don't mind them princess"

"Ooooh princess" his friends were obviously mocking him

"Come sit near me" said Bantad patting the empty space next to him

"I didn't saw you in the last days" said Traffic with a suspicious tone

"She was ill" Bantad spoke for Laila

"Are you okay now?" asked Andrew

"Yes, I had a very good nurse taking care of me" told him Laila slightly blushing

"Let's eat" said Bantad to everyone "We have a lot of things to do this afternoon".

While everyone was busy eating, Bantad took Laila's hand and kissed it