Chapter 143: I’m Fucking Wet...

"Ohh, right," Mom said immediately. "He received a call and left. Do you need him for anything?"

I shook my head. "Not at all." I pointed at the food flask on the bedside table. "Just that. He forgot to take it."

Mom’s gaze followed my finger.

"Looks like he forgot," Mom said.

"Don’t worry. I will have Matt send it to him later," Dad said quietly.

I nodded and looked at Sylvia, who was looking at me with a small smile.

I wasn’t sure what that smile meant, but something about the way she looked at me made me suddenly conscious of her presence. There was a quietness in her expression that made me wonder if she knew what was going through my mind.

I quickly looked away and focused my attention on the blanket covering me.

The room was quiet and comfortable. The cool air from the air conditioner brushed against my skin, while the machine beside my bed continued to give off its steady beeping sound. The faint smell of disinfectant still lingered in the room, mixing with the clean scent of the sheets.

I shifted slightly against the pillow, trying to make myself more comfortable. The movement made the mattress sink softly beneath me, and I let out a quiet breath as I settled back into place.

For a few moments, nobody said anything.

Mom remained beside me while Dad stood nearby. Sylvia was still there too, quietly watching me.

I could feel her presence without even looking at her.

It was strange.

Normally, I wouldn’t have paid much attention to someone simply standing in the same room as me. But with Sylvia, it felt different.

I could tell whenever she moved. I could hear the faint sound of her clothes whenever she shifted. Even when she wasn’t speaking, I was aware of her.

I tried to ignore it.

Dad’s phone suddenly rang.

Ring!

Ring!

Ring!

The sound made me look at him.

Dad reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He glanced down at the screen before swiping to answer and bringing it to his ear.

"Hello?"

He listened quietly.

I watched him from my bed as his expression slowly changed. He looked more serious now, his attention completely focused on whoever was speaking to him.

He didn’t say much during the call.

"Alright." He paused. "Yes."

Another pause.

"I understand."

He nodded slowly, even though the person on the other end couldn’t see him.

His eyes moved toward the floor as he listened, and the slight crease between his eyebrows deepened.

I glanced at Mom.

She was watching him too.

The call continued for a few more minutes before Dad finally said, "Alright. I’ll take care of it."

He ended the call and lowered his phone.

For a moment, he stood there quietly before looking at me and smiling.

It was the kind of smile that said, "I wish to stay longer, but something important came up."

I understood immediately.

I smiled back at him. "Don’t worry, Dad. You can go if it requires your attention."

Dad’s smile widened. "Thank you, sweetheart."

I nodded and turned to Mom. "You can go with him too, Mom."

Actually...

I just wanted the room and Sylvia to myself.

The thought made my lips press together slightly.

I knew it sounded selfish, but I couldn’t help it.

I had been surrounded by people for long enough, and now that Mom and Dad were preparing to leave, another part of me wanted the quiet privacy that would come with their absence.

Especially because Sylvia would still be here.

I turned back to look at her. Sylvia was already looking at me.

Our eyes met.

For a second, I forgot to look away.

Then a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips, like she understood exactly what I was trying to do.

My face immediately grew warm, and I looked away.

I suddenly became very interested in the blanket covering my legs.

Mom nodded. "Okay, then. We will come back once everything is settled, okay?"

I smiled and nodded. "Okay."

Mom stood up and adjusted the blanket for me before walking over to Dad.

She pulled the blanket a little higher around my body, making sure I was comfortable before giving me a gentle look.

"See you later, honey," Mom said with a small wave.

I waved back slowly with my other hand that wasn’t connected to anything.

"See you later, Mom."

Mom smiled before turning around.

Dad was already standing near the door, waiting for her.

They walked toward the door together.

I watched them quietly as Dad reached for the handle and opened the door.

The hallway outside was brighter than the room, and a little of the noise from outside drifted in through the open doorway.

Dad was about to step out when he suddenly stopped. He turned around and looked at Sylvia.

"Take care of her, alright?"

Sylvia smiled and nodded. "I will."

Dad nodded before turning back toward the door.

He walked out with Mom, and a few seconds later, the door closed behind them.

Click.

I stared at the closed door for a moment.

The room suddenly felt different.

The noise from the hallway became muffled once the door was shut, leaving only the soft hum of the air conditioner and the steady sound of the machine beside my bed.

I slowly closed my eyes, not wanting to look at Sylvia.

I heard her shift beside me, and then the soft sound of her footsteps moving across the floor.

I kept my eyes closed.

I could hear her moving around, probably preparing whatever she needed.

"I will bring a towel and warm water to clean your body," she said slowly.

I didn’t open my eyes, and I didn’t say anything either.

I simply remained still as I listened to her footsteps moving away from my bed.

The sound of her footsteps slowly became quieter.

I took a deep breath.

I should have been thinking about what had happened to me.

I should have been thinking about getting better.

Instead, somehow, I got lost in thoughts of something more dangerous.

Fuck...

Heat rushed through my body at once.

I swallowed hard.

My eyes remained closed as my mind began creating images I had no business thinking about.

Sylvia’s slender fingers moving over my body.

The thought alone made my breathing change.

I imagined her hands touching my skin gently, carefully, the same way she always seemed to touch me whenever she was trying to help.

My mind held onto the image longer than it should have.

I could almost picture her standing beside my bed. I could almost feel the warmth of her presence.

I swallowed again.

I needed to stop, but my thoughts moved further before I could stop them.

Her lips. Those soft lips that had kissed mine. I remembered the kiss so clearly that my chest tightened. I could still feel it whenever the memory returned.

The warmth of her lips, the closeness of her body, the way my heart had pounded beneath my chest, and the memory made me shift beneath the blanket.

I opened my eyes for a moment and stared at the ceiling.

"No."

I shook my head slightly.

I had to stop thinking about it. I couldn’t allow myself to get carried away again.

But the thought refused to disappear.

Instead, it came rushing back even stronger.

I closed my eyes again and tried to focus on my breathing.

I counted each breath in my head, but it didn’t work.

My thoughts kept returning to her.

I could see her smile in my mind. I could remember the way her eyes looked when she was close to me.

I could remember the feeling of her lips against mine.

My breathing became heavier. My fingers curled slightly against the blanket.

I tried to force my mind somewhere else.

Anything else.

But every attempt only lasted a few seconds before Sylvia returned to my thoughts.

My body was reacting to thoughts I knew I shouldn’t be having.

The machine beside my bed suddenly started beeping faster.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

My eyes opened immediately. I turned my head toward the machine.

The numbers had changed. My heartbeat was increasing.

"Fuck..."

I looked away.

I had to stop myself before the doctor or nurses came over.

The last thing I needed was someone walking into the room because my heartbeat had suddenly gone crazy.

I took a slow breath and tried to calm myself.

It didn’t work.

My chest continued to rise and fall faster than before.

I swallowed again.

Why was Sylvia doing this to me?

I had barely even thought about her before, and now, my mind seemed determined to remind me of everything.

Her smile. Her eyes. Her lips. Her touch.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

My toes curled under the blanket. I shifted slightly, hoping the movement would somehow distract me.

It didn’t.

The warmth inside me continued to spread.

I pressed my lips together and tried to concentrate on the cool air against my face.

It wasn’t enough.

I could still feel the heat in my cheeks. My heartbeat continued to pound.

I turned my face slightly toward the window and tried to settle myself.

I took another slow breath.

Why couldn’t I simply relax?

I had been exhausted earlier. I should have been sleeping.

Instead, my mind had decided that now was the perfect time to remember Sylvia’s kiss.

I let out a quiet breath through my nose.

"This is ridiculous," I whispered.

My own voice sounded almost unfamiliar in the quiet room.

I closed my eyes again, and my free hand slowly moved to my stomach.

At first, I barely noticed what I was doing.

My palm rested against my abdomen as I stared blankly at the ceiling.

My fingers slowly moved over my skin. The simple touch somehow made me more aware of my body.

My thoughts immediately returned to Sylvia.

I imagined her slender fingers moving over my skin. I imagined the warmth of her hands.

My breathing grew heavier.

I knew I should stop. I knew I was going too far with my thoughts.

But somehow, I couldn’t.

I swallowed.

My fingers slowly trailed lower along my abdomen. I froze for a second.

The realization of what I was doing suddenly became clear.

I should move my hand away. I should stop.

But instead, my fingers continued downward.

My face became hotter.

I could feel my heartbeat pounding in my chest.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

"Damn it," I whispered under my breath.

I couldn’t believe what I was doing.

I was lying in a hospital bed, supposed to be resting, and instead I was allowing my thoughts to run wild.

I should have been embarrassed enough to stop. But the more I tried to force my thoughts away, the more difficult it became.

I swallowed hard.

My fingers stopped at my entrance.

The realization hit me all at once. My entire body seemed to go still. I could feel the heat spreading across my face.

My heart was beating so hard that I was certain the machine beside me could hear every beat.

I took a shaky breath. "Damn it."

The words barely left my lips. I couldn’t believe myself. I had completely lost control of my thoughts.

I swallowed hard and lowered my gaze.

"I’m fucking wet."

"What are you doing?" Sylvia’s voice came immediately, and my eyes snapped open.