[ARTEMY]
Arriving at the bathtub, I gently set her down on the edge and positioned myself in front of her. She gazed up at me, her eyes filled with a mixture of confusion and wonder.
Her hair partially obscured half of her face, and I noticed her trembling. Her arms rested on her lap, yet her fingers absentmindedly scratched at her skin. She was doing it unconsciously.
Leaning closer, I carefully pried her fingers away from her arms. “Don’t do that,” I said softly, my voice betraying a hint of gruffness.
Her gaze remained fixed on me as I retreated, her arms hanging limply in her lap as she sat there motionless. I acknowledged her with a subtle nod before making my way towards the sink. I grasped the small white towel in my hand, running it under hot water and then wringing out the excess moisture.
Silently but attentively, she observed my every move. Coming to a stop in front of her, I knelt down and took hold of her right hand. Our eyes met, and in that moment, I caught a glimpse of the torment lurking within her. However, there was something else there as well.
Within the depths of her vibrant forest-green eyes, I saw a glimmer of trust. Rebecca was relying on me to alleviate her pain. With our eyes locked together, I gently guided the towel over her arm. Furrowing her brows, she remained focused on me, not once diverting her gaze. I noticed a slight wince as the towel glided over her skin.
I continued to cleanse her arm, and with each stroke of the towel, I felt the tension in Rebecca’s shoulders begin to dissipate. She never broke eye contact, even as I started to clean her other arm.
Our gaze remained unwavering as I brought her a sense of tranquility. Her once lifeless eyes, filled with fear, now observed me with awe.
When I finished, I struggled to contain the emotions that overwhelmed me. My lips parted, but no words emerged. After clearing my throat multiple times, I finally managed to say, “Look. There’s no blood anymore.”
Rebecca’s head snapped downward, and she gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief. Raising her arms, tears welled up in her eyes, giving them a glassy appearance.
“No blood,” she hoarsely whispered, her voice strained from crying. “There’s no blood.” She ran her thumb along the length of her arms.
She blinked, and the tears that had gathered in her eyes trickled down her already rosy and tear-streaked cheeks. Unable to resist, I reached up and brushed my thumb gently across her soft skin, wiping away her tears.
She tore her gaze away from her arm and met my eyes again. Rebecca swallowed hard several times, struggling to find her voice, so she simply stared at me in silence.
My hand still cradled her cheeks, and I moved it slightly upward, brushing her hair away from her face. Bringing the towel up, I swept it over her forehead and cheeks. Her tense shoulders relaxed, and she closed her eyes, letting out a sigh of contentment.
Damn it. What the hell am I doing? Acting like a pathetic fool. When I realized what I was doing, I swiftly withdrew my hands.
Shaking my head, I stood up, surprising Rebecca. She tilted her head to the side inquisitively but remained quiet.
“You look better,” I stated.
She licked her dry lips, still somewhat confused. She was still recovering from her panic attack, so she couldn’t fully comprehend what was happening.
I let out a heavy sigh, my fingers intertwining with hers as I pulled her gently upward. She stumbled forward, but I swiftly drew her close to my chest, guiding her out of the bathroom. Rebecca rested her head on my shoulder, her sigh echoing through the silence.
Coming to a stop in front of my bed, I carefully set her down and uncovered the sheets. She slid under the black comforter, nestling herself comfortably. I tucked it snugly around her body, observing as her eyes began to droop with drowsiness.
Standing tall, I gazed down at Rebecca’s innocent form lying there. She appeared so fragile, so vulnerable. I couldn’t comprehend the nature of what had just transpired. Was it a nightmare that troubled her? Or perhaps a haunting memory? The truth about Rebecca, her identity, her past, remained a mystery to me. Yet, I found myself captivated, yearning to unearth her hidden story.
A sleepy sigh escaped her lips, drawing my attention. When I glanced down, I found her blinking up at me, a faint, sleepy smile gracing her lips.
I started to turn away, but a sudden cry of panic froze me in place. My heart raced as I swiftly pivoted, witnessing Rebecca sitting up on the bed, her eyes wide with terror and indescribable panic.
“No. Please don’t leave me… alone,” she stammered, her plea hanging in the air.
“Rebecca,” I began to reassure her, but she shook her head. In a rush, she threw the comforter aside and stumbled out of the bed.
“Shit,” I muttered under my breath, hurriedly moving toward her trembling figure. I lifted her up into my arms and carefully placed her back on the bed. Her grip on my arm tightened, and her gaze held a profound sense of dread.
“Please, don’t leave me,” she begged, tears streaming down her cheeks.
When I had desired Rebecca’s fervent longing, this chaotic scenario was far from what I had envisioned. What a mess this had become.
“Hey, hey, hey,” I soothed, lowering myself to sit on the edge of the bed before her. Brushing strands of hair behind her ears to fully see her face, I cupped her cheeks in a reassuring gesture. “It’s okay. I’m right here. I’m not leaving.”
A sob escaped her lips, and her fingers clung tightly to my arm. “It’s okay,” I repeated, gently grasping her shoulders and guiding her back down onto the bed. After pulling the comforter over her, I patted her knee gently. “I’m right here.”
I kept my eyes locked on her as I stood up, her unwavering but tearful gaze following my every move. Climbing onto the other side of the bed, I turned to face her.
We stared at each other, our eyes fixed in an unbroken connection as we settled beneath the comforting layers of the blanket.
I couldn’t determine how long we remained in that position, but eventually her eyelids grew heavy, her long, dark lashes brushing against her pale skin. Exhaustion claimed her body, and she went limp. A barely audible sigh escaped her lips as she slipped into slumber, cocooned warmly and securely under my watchful gaze and the sanctuary of the comforter.
Tonight’s events changed everything. It intensified my longing to unravel the mysteries surrounding her. While I could make assumptions about her past, I yearned to hear the truth from her own lips.
A few minutes later, as darkness enveloped the room, I closed my eyes. The last image imprinted in my mind was Rebecca’s serene and peaceful face, calmly drifting in the realm of dreams.