Maybe It's Been You All Along - Alex Turner

35

Shimmering sunlight cast patterns on the ceilings as it crept through a set of blackout-blinds. The light turned the dark shelter of eyelids into a bright red and caused a stir in the stagnant bed sheets.

Breaking the harmony created by the golden rays, Rosanna awoke violently and jumped out of bed as if it was red hot and singing her skin. The sudden commotion awoke Alex who was sleeping by her side and sent him into panic.

Her footsteps quietened as she darted into the bathroom and threw herself over the toilet. An awful sound erupted as she threw up into the toilet bowl. Alex quickly accompanied her in the bathroom and held back her hair as she chucked up whatever was in her stomach.

"Shit," she said in an exhausted voice once it all stopped. She spat into the bowl and flushed the toilet, sitting on the ground and looking over at a very concerned Alex.

"Do you think you need to go see a doctor?" Alex asked, squatting down next to her and holding her hand.

"No I think it's just a general sickness," Rosanna said and shook her head, holding onto Alex's hand tightly because it was stopping her head from spinning.

"Do you want me to run you a bath?" Alex asked softly.

Rosanna chewed on her lip, her eyes heavy and her skin pale. She looked and felt like death itself. "Yes please," she said quietly.

Alex kissed the back of her hand gently and let go of his grip as he stood up and turned on the bath water. As the warm water ran into the porcelain white tub, Rosanna lurched forward yet again into the toilet bowl. Alex felt terrible. He hated not being able to do anything to help her. She looked so exhausted, much worse than the day before and it broke his heart to see her like this.

Once the bathtub was filled, he helped her in and sat down next to the tub. Rosanna closed her eyes and relaxed as the warm water crept up her body and kissed her skin. She let out a soft exhale as she sunk up to her neck in the bath water that Alex had prepared.

"How are you feeling honey?" Alex asked, resting his arms on the ledge of the bathtub.

Rosanna pouted and moved her head to look over at him. Her brown eyes now looking desaturated with her sickness. "I've been better," she said. "Bet you're enjoying yourself," she said cheekily, despite how awful she felt all over.

"Why's that?" Alex asked.

Rosanna managed a smile on her pale lips, "You get to sit there and look at your naked girlfriend in a bathtub."

Alex chuckled and shook his head, "Your nudity is the last thing on my mind love. All I'm concerned about is whether you need to see a doctor or if there's any medications I can get you to make you feel better."

Rosanna smiled sweetly at him and rested her head against the tiled wall behind her. "I hate being sick," she sighed, "I miss kissing you like crazy." Alex smiled softly and leant over, kissing her forehead.

Rosanna's throat felt like a dry, arid desert and her nose was blocked like a brick wall. The bit of skin right below her nostrils was red raw as a result of the amount of times she'd blown her nose with tissues over the passed few days. It was now sensitive to the touch. Her eyes were red hot and kept leaking tears that would roll down her pale cheeks. Her throat felt clogged and she swished around a shot of mouthwash to get rid of that awful taste left in her mouth from her nausea.

"You want anything to eat or drink?" Alex asked gently.

Rosanna nodded, "lemon tea?" she asked sweetly.

"Of course darling," Alex smiled and got to his feet. "Any sugars?"

"Just the one," she smiled weakly and watched him go.