Colourless Skies

37. What You See And What I Feel

Jay looked at Leah for a moment, before taking off his square-rimmed glasses and placing them on the table besides her bed.

"You really don't know?", he asked out of curiosity.

"Or are you just keeping yourself from knowing it, assuming the worst?" And a hint of suspicion.

"N-no.", she said, even though it was half a lie.

"He is protecting you, he's saving you from Aiden's lethal wrath. He feels like he owes you this much."

"Because he knew you when you were just kids."

The new piece of information hit Leah differently, it didn't resurface any memories in her head.

Jay chose his next words very carefully.
"He doesn't hate you, it's just that... sometimes his emotions get the best of him."

"H-how.. how did h-he know me as a child? And.. a-and how is it related to him having to p-protect me?"  Before her heart wrenching question could be answered, the door burst open, revealing who else but Alex.

A hush took over the room instantly, as both of them held their breaths, sensing Alex's dominance. He looked between the two before ultimately turning towards Jay.

"How is her condition now?"

Leah wasn't in the least surprised that he hadn't asked her the question, ignoring her was maybe the best for both of them.

"Stable, But I would suggest giving her a couple of days of rest."  Realising she was stuck here for more days than she had anticipated, her heart picked up pace, she didn't know whether of anxiousness or glee.

It might have been the way Alex eyed Jay, or just the uncomfortable tension between Leah and Alex that made him want to escape, because Jay instantly stood up and walked out of the stuffy room. Before exiting the door, he closed the curtains of the glass paned window and gave her one last smile.

Alex stared at her, long and hard; his eyes flickered from hers to her arms and then to her abdomen, where somehow he was glaring right at the bandaged cut even though it was covered by her hospital gown. It made Leah shiver. 

Finally, after what felt like hours of unbearable silence and surveying her, he heaved a small sigh and made for the door.

"Get some rest, don't work up your stitches. I'll be right outside if you need me." 

With that and a seemingly cold look, the door shut softly, leaving her alone with her thoughts once again.

For the first time in weeks, Leah slept with a sliver of peace; no nightmares, and certainly no waking up with her body drenched in sweat or her face caked with tears. Immediately after waking up, the first thing she felt was pain shooting up from her abdomen and through her spine, making her wince. She groaned.

At least it was the only thing that was causing her discomfort right now, and she was grateful for it.

Since she couldn't sit up without help and she didn't want to call for Jay this late at night, she laid still and eyed her surroundings, realising how she hadn't noticed how decent of a hospital room it was yesterday. The lights outside her room were although dimmed, making her assume no one was around anymore.

And then, out of the far left corner of her eye, movement. Even in the faint moonlight, she could see the intense gaze she was being subjected to, and she merely prayed that her fear of the newfangled purple eyes that were locked on her, wouldn't be so obvious on her face.