5 The Flame Of Jealousy (1/2)
I slowly started blinking, desperately trying to open my eyes and see what's around me. Where am I? As blinding light slowly subsided I caught a glimpse of my surroundings. I was at the infirmary.
Without moving my body, I looked around.
I saw Shaun sitting beside me with his head placed on the corner of the mattress.
I was laying straight, with the sheets over me, my left arm tucked under the sheet, and my right hand enveloped by Shaun's hands.
I could feel the warmth of his hands so I was still alive.
I could not remember how I got there but I remembered for sure what happened before I fainted. Then it all startled me.
I tried to get up and the movements woke Shaun up.
”Are you alright? How are you feeling now?” He asked supporting my back.
”I'm fine. But what happened? How did I get here?”
”I found you unconscious in the woods and brought you here.”
”I followed you there. I heard from Susan that you were looking for me.”
”Yes, I was, to give you back your cellphone that I found in the class.” He pointed at my phone on the table beside me. ”I checked in the library first but you were not there so when I came looking for you in the yard, I saw you walking across the meadows and followed you.”
”Is that what actually happened? My memories differ greatly.”
”I told you how it was, believe it or not.” He got up to leave.
I grabbed his hand to stop him.
”I have a lot to ask and a lot to tell. Hear me out before you go.”
”Claire, we can talk later, you should rest now. I'll send the nurse to help you.”
He took my hand off his, put it down, and walked to the door of the room.
I threw the sheets off and hastily got up to stop him. But he left slamming the door behind him.
I stood at the door feeling empty.
”His words don't support his actions. But then what should I believe in?”
I sat back on the bed, recollecting my memories and reflecting on the incident from the woods and those notes.
”Is he really telling the truth? Then who did I follow into the woods? Also about the wolf, I saw the last moment, was he trying to save me from that nasty creature?” ”Should I ask Shaun about those notes? But he can't be behind it. He saved my life, he would never hurt me.”
For the next few days, Shaun avoided me whenever I tried to approach him, he made all possible excuses to run away from me as if he was trying to hide something.
Then one day during dinner, I saw Shaun coming to the dining hall with a GIRL! This was the first time seeing him eat with someone.
”Who is this girl? I don't think I have seen her before.” I glared at her.
”Ah her, she's the new student from my class. She is pretty right?” Emily provoked me.
”Not really!” I mumbled
”Oh so Miss Claire is jealous, this should make it in today's news.”
”No, I'm not!”
”You definitely are.”She chuckled at the astonishment on my face.
”Emily, I said I'm not.”
”Well, for your information, her name is Patricia and she is pretty close to Shaun. I saw them coming to school together and they have been hanging out together all day long. Are you still not jealous?”
”I said I'm not!!” I rumbled banging the table with my spoon.
*****
I didn't say a word as I stared motionlessly on the wall. I was doing that thing where I overthink.
”Stop overthinking. I've told you if you keep doing that you'll get grey hair. It's better to go and ask him straight up.” Emily whined.
All of a sudden my eyebrows curled against each other, and my eyes widened. ”Should I do that?”
”Of course,” she responded.
I stood up determined and I went straight to the class. Shauna and Patricia were alone in the class, sitting together talking about something. As soon as Shaun saw me he immediately held Patricia's hand.
Seeing the gesture I lost my mind and instead of asking him about the matter calmly as I planned, I raged.
”I see, so that was your reason for avoiding me all this time. How can you do this to me!? How can you make a fool out of me like that!? You should have told me that you have a girlfriend.”
I controlled my tears.