Step to You

FORTY-NINE

Rose's POV

12hrs ago--

"---I'm going to die! Everything is spinning---"

"Just drink this. You won't die---argh!" Rose Anne jerked her head and hit JK's face. He held his nose which was hit by the top of her head. "Can you lay still!"

"I'm sorry---" Rose Anne said, giggling. She feels light-headed, and it feels like she can do anything in the world right now--- "Does it hurt?" She reached out to touch his face but he moved away from her.

JK took a blanket and covered Rose. "Just lie down!"

"Why are you putting a blanket on me?! It's so hot here---" she got up and started unbottoning her clothes.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" JK took the blanket again and put it over Rose's head. "Mom really---aish! Why is she doing it to me?!"

"Why is it dark?" Rose's muffled voice came from under the blanket. "JK where are you?--"

He removed the blanket from her head and gazed down at her droopy eyes. "I'm here."

"What's happening to me? Am I going to die?"

He could see the tears forming in her eyes. So he patted her head. "You won't. You'll be okay once you sleep."

"Am I allowed to sleep here? Is this where you live?"

"Yes."

She sighed, and held his face with both hands.

For a whole minute, JK is staring at those teary, sleepy eyes, while feeling the warmth of her hands on his face. Thoughts flood his mind. He wanted to get closer---God, what is happening to him?

Just then Rose Anne clutched her mouth--

"Hey! Don't you dare throw up in my bed Rose Anne!" He shouted and pulled her off the bed. The sudden pull might have caused another blow of dizziness to Rose and--- "Rose Anne!"

She threw up all over her front.

"Sorry---" she laughed.

"What's funny about it?! How am I supposed to clean you up?" JK run his hands frustratedly through his hair.

"I don't know what's happening inside my head JK but I can still clean up myself---" She stood up and he caught her in time before she could fall over. "Ooopsie---I got some on you!"

JK drew a deep breath and had her sit down on the chair beside her bed. He took a basin of warm water, a towel, and his clothes. "Let's clean up first. I can't let you sleep on my bed with vomit all over you." And then he did the most sensible thing he could do at the moment. He held up the hem of her blouse and pulled it up. He could feel his face and neck burning but he remained determined not to look anywhere aside from her face. He soaked the towel in the water and squeezed it, then he handed it to her without looking up. "Clean your front."

"Okay."

It took her two minutes---and to JK it was the longest two minutes of his life.

"Done." Rose Anne put the towel back into the basin.

JK took the t-shirt and shorts from the bed and handed it to her. Of course, he still didn't look. He stood up, "Put those on."

"Okay."

He picked up the basin of water and her dirty clothes. Then went out to the laundry area. The moment he's out of the room, he called his mom again. But the line is unattended.