Chapter 17: Taking Care Of Her

FROM HIS DEEP THOUGHTS he noticed the paintings around. Her walls were almost covered with paintings. It was dark and sorrowful art. One was a hand holding a piece of broken mirror, and there was an image inside the mirror, an eye, with smudge eye shadow and it was teary-eyed. The other was a girl with curly hair with a smile on her lips yet her eyes were full of sadness. And he also noticed that the hair on that painting was sentenced, where the sentences were negative comments and criticism that the girls commonly receive. Such as she was ugly, fat and any other negative words that ruined every girl's self-confidence.

He turned to her and touched her hand. While his eyes wander around her face, from her naturally thick eyebrows down to her pointed nose and her full lips. She was peacefully sleeping, while Nick felt his heart rate increase. A guy, when they want someone, they'd never deny it. And Nick knew what those heartbeats meant.

A weak smile escape from his lips, Fera was different from any other girl, one wrong move he might lose her. She was sensitive on the inside and if ever he'd crossed the line, he knew that Fera would be crumbled up and run away from him. He was afraid to ask who was the man yesterday, cause she might think that he was meddling in her business.

"Hm...dad," her silent cries made him jump off his seat. He got the damp towel and wiped her face. He immediately walked closer and even sat next to her. He pulled a chair and sat beside her.

"Shh," he hushed her and gentle hug her. While Mama Tes witnessed his care for Fera. She smile and carefully got in with her soup for Fera.

"I think we should wake her up, she needs to eat before taking those medicine." Mama Tes spoke and Nick didn/t bother by her presence, he stayed holding her and gently woke her up.

"Wake up," his soft voice made Mama Tes's ears twitch. The theory was building up in her head, that the teen had something between them.

"Fera dear, you must eat to get better." She walked closer too, she had already woken up but only cringe her forehead. She turned to her right side and hugged him. While Nick was caressing her back.

"Come on," he whispered, while the landlady tried to hide her smile. She finally opened her eyes and Nick helped her up, Mama Tes spooned Feed her and she obliged. But after a few spoons of soup, she avoid it and refused to take it.

"One more," he ordered her but she stubbornly shook her head. "Last one, you need this, come on." He even sounded being, his soft voice and caring eyes confirmed Mama Tes's suspicions.

"Come on, dear. One more." And she did take another one but firmly refused to have another. Nick was hands-on with all her medicine and always ready to assist her. The landlady bid goodbye and left them alone.

He wander around her room and found the painting materials, and even her desk was filled with sticky notes written with poems. He picked one and read it.

'The sun shines brighter, Yet I had gone paler. I saw the bird flee and I was the one who was caged. My soul seemed lost when I never had gone out alone. Ironically bitter but I wish to feel better.'

A heartbreaking poem about her being caged all her life, all he knew was that this was her first time in everything. He must have taken care of her better. But his guilty fade away when her laughter filled his head. He remembered every laugh they share back then at the park. They seemed like children and it was the happiest face of her that he has ever seen.

He knew that Fera was a lonely girl, not a friendly one, and sarcastic in every situation she was in the mood to. But what were those reasons behind her grief, behind her loneliness? Had past wounded her, tainted her? What happened to her? Questions that bothered him all the time he looked at her cold face, emotionless face, and unbothered. What are those reasons?

How did those reasons ruin her?

His instincts were telling him to search up and investigate around her room. His hand found her drawer but the furious image of her in her head stopped him. He recalled her arguments and stand. How she treasures privacy a lot. He turned to her and took a heavy sigh. He knew that she'd go drive him away or worse avoid him. He couldn't lose her that way. He let go of the handle and walked back to Fera. He sat down next to her and hold her hands.

"No matter how past had wounded you, you will be the most beautiful creation I have ever seen." His whispers filled the emptiness of her room. "If I could save you from the depth that you were in, I will." And he kissed her hand.

'Your eyes screamed sorrow, how I wish I could ease that. How. I wish I could snatch that,' he mentally said. She seemed fragile now but he knew that she was more fragile by soul. And he didn't know how to take care of her.

"Dad..." she suddenly spoke. "Daddy...no," he held her hand and massaged it. What happened to your dad? What's the matter? He was aching to ask those questions, confused and curious but he held his tongue. He lay in bed with her and hugged her close. She was crying while hugging her tight.

"Shh," he kept caressing her back and patted her softly to put her to sleep. The day passed and they failed to attend class. They both fell asleep but a phone rang which woke Nick up. It was her cellphone, someone was calling. He snatched it from the table and saw the contact name.

Fred?

He was hesitant upon answering the call until it stopped yet rang again. He put the phone back on the table but he saw a message.

'Answer now or I'll send a rescue operation to come and search you.'

His threat annoyed Nick and he instantly answered after the phone rang for its third time.