Sinfully Imperfect

13. Hawt Tingles & Strange Encounters

"NOO! " My eyes flew open, only to see the last two people who had been having quite a few interactions with me. I was huffing and puffing. My forehead was adorned with sweat beads. I calmed myself down. 'It was just a bad dream, Soph. Just a bad dream. Relax! '

"Are you alright, Hazel eyes?" That was when I realized how close Senior Aylwin and I were. His fingers caressed my hair as he sat next to me, making my insides churn. The sudden intensification of heat emanating from him, along with his soothing scent, fluttered my heart. Suddenly, I felt hot. Too hot. I concealed the indecent feeling with a feigned cough, attempting to make things easier for myself while being genuine. Damn, his touches! To be honest, it felt really good. His touch was soft, gentle, yet unsure, which made me smile.

"Hazel eyes, I asked you, are you alright? You were murmuring something, and then, all of a sudden, you shouted no." I shuddered as memories flashed through my mind. I kept my cool, knowing that they were the last people I'd ever include in my problems.

I smiled and said, "Yeah, better! It was, after all, a bad dream. It's not like it's the first time, duh. Looks like Mr. Nightmare loves me a lot." Senior Chase nodded, but Senior Poker Face simply gazed at me, as if searching for something. I diverted my gaze back to Senior Chase to avoid gazing at him. His gaze was too much to endure. Too intriguing and piercing.

"Um... What are you guys doing here?"

"Ryder!" That one word was enough to convey their intent to me. They must have heard about Ivy through Senior Ryder.

"Oh! Though you can meet her, she is still unconscious." I showed Senior Chase the way to Ivy's room. Senior Chase trailed me, while Senior Aylwin stayed. He entered the room and sat in the chair next to her bed. Ivy was restless on the bed, attached to a few tubes and pipes. She was given saline, and an oxygen tube was inserted into her nostrils. She looked pale, frail, and vulnerable. Something the Ivy, I knew, wasn't!

I realized how much I yearned for her ramblings and exaggerated tales. Even if it was only for a day, I missed those things. Tears welled up in my eyes and threatened to spill forth. I didn't want to intrude on their moment, so I left them alone. If Ivy found out that Senior Chase had paid her a visit, she would most likely commit suicide by jumping off a cliff in happiness. The girl was such a piece of work! Suddenly, I was overcome with nostalgia for her.

***

I sat on the bench, glassy-eyed, and lost track of time. A handkerchief appeared in front of my eyes. My eyes were drawn to it, only to be met by those dark oceanic ones. I accepted it, wiped my tears, and returned with a courteous thank you.

"Fresher, have faith." He didn't look at me. He had his eyes closed and was resting against the wall. His features were a work of art to behold. He had an inexplicable look about him that was both tranquil and unfathomable.

I sighed; my face buried in my palms. "Ms. Faith once told me, 'When your evacuated heart longs for your beloved one, it's me who offers it rest.'"

For the first several seconds, I didn't receive a response from him, but he eventually spoke out. "Faith does not always bring tranquility. Sometimes faith is the one that breaks you, leaving you with nothing but yourself and your evacuated soul." His words held the true meaning—the meaning that I had been evading. He was the one who initially reassured me, and then he was the one who showed me another side of faith.

With a smile on my face, I leaned against the wall, "Don't forget, Ms. Hope is always standing right with you in the backup. All you have to do now is hang on to her and hope for the best."