First of Oliver II

It was already evening when I went back to my own apartment.

I haven’t heard anything from Mr. Red and even in his manuscripts. I wonder what’s wrong with him really. He’s been avoiding me since yesterday so I decided to go to his apartment.

I tap the doorbell but no one is opening the door. I do have a bad feeling about it so I knocked several times that’s when Jesse opened the door and he came out with such lifeless eyes and a red face. He’s heaving and it seems like he is super tired.

“What’s wrong? Are you sick?” I asked.

I put my palm on his forehead and my guess is right. He is sick and he is burning.

“Let me go inside,” I said because I want to nurse him.

“No. I’m okay, so you should go back to your own apartment and rest” He said.

He turned around and was about to leave when he stumbled onto his feet. Luckily I caught him before he landed on the ground.

“Let me at least take care of you. Look at you” I said and I eyed him up and down.

He’s blushing because of his high temperature and he is wearing thick clothes. He’s hugging himself and he is so weak to my sight.

“You can’t even walk straight and I know you can’t cook your own food” I insisted on him.

He looked at me with such weak eyes and then widens the space in the door to sign that he is letting me enter.

“Thank you,” I said because I have an urge to tell him.

I grab his shoulder and support his back then we walk. I noticed that he looked down and murmur something but I didn’t clearly hear it so I asked him.

“What did you just say? I didn’t hear it” I asked him.

He looks at me and opens his mouth to talk.

“I said I should be the one thanking you” He said

His eyes are teary and I know he is having a hard time walking so we head straight to his room and I helped him lied on his bed.

“Wait, I will put cold water on your forehead,” I told him and he nodded.

I stand up and went to his kitchen.

I know he do have cold water in his refrigerator so I opened it and saw nothing but bottles of water.

“I’ll go buy some vegetables and other foods later” I sigh.

I grab the bottles of cold water and pour them into a small basin. I grab a face towel and I soaked it in the cold water then I go to Jesse’s room.

“Hey” I called out to him because his eyes are closed and he is obviously having a hard time breathing.

He is lying on his back and opened his eyes and looked at me with teary eyes. I rolled up my sleeves and put the cold face towel on his forehead to lower his temperature.

“Mr. Wright, I am wondering why you are not contacting me about your manuscript and that is the reason I came here but I saw you in this kind of state so I got worried and want to take care of you” I explained.

He shifted his position and now he is lying sideways facing me. The face towel didn’t fall down so it’s okay

“And also I want to know the reason why you are avoiding me?” I asked him straight forward.

“H-Huh?” He stuttered. He is really weak and it is obvious in his tone.

“Why did you avoid me yesterday?” I asked again then I stared at him.

He looks away and went back to his previous position.

“I have a fever so I avoided you yesterday,” He said not looking at me.

I don’t know but it’s not sound convincing to me. I know there is another reason behind it but I let it slip this time.

“Okay, I’ll just buy some ingredients to cook” I stand up and smiled at him.

He looks at me and he seems confused.

“Oh no, you don’t have to do that,” He said with a weak voice.

I just smiled on him and pat his disheveled hair. I left him in his room.

I walk outside of the building not forgetting the key to my car and my wallet. I went to the parking lot and enter my car. Once I am inside my car I started to drive and went to the supermarket.

The ride isn’t that long so now I am in the supermarket. I do already have a cart in my hand and grab all the ingredients I need to buy for Jesse.

I grab a different kinds of fruits and vegetables and also some can goods. I am now in the chocolate section. I want to buy some chocolate but Jesse is still sick but… chocolate is not prohibited for sick people right?

But then I remembered, that Jesse is not a fan of chocolates but cheese. So I decide to buy him a cheese cake instead and luckily this market does have a cheesecake so I grab one and put it in the cart.

I go the cashier and I saw there are only few customers. Of course, it is already past nine and other people are done with their dinner already.

“Your wife and kids are already late for their dinner Mister,” The cashier said. She about my age but do I care?

Maybe she misunderstood me because I am still in my suit and I bought food for dinner.

“I don’t have a wife nor a kid,” I told her and her eyes went wide.

“Oh, sorry” She apologized.

I gave her my cart and she counted all the stuff in my cart.

“You purchase Php2,199.” She said and I gave her my card.

He gave me the receipt and after receiving it I went outside of the market and I was about to go to the parking lot when I saw a familiar face.

It’s him.

The person who attacked Jesse in his apartment before but I don’t know his name.

And whatever his name, I don’t care and I won't make him pay more for what he has done to Jesse.

I was about to approach him when I saw him talking to someone. It’s a guy that I think is younger than him. The guy he is talking to walks out and he called out his name.

“Ashton!” The guy who molested Jesse called the guy in the gray hoodie.

It seems like they are fighting or what but I don’t care so I decided not to talk to him anymore because I remembered that Jesse is still sick and I don’t have time for this kind of a jerk.

I entered my car and start to drive.

After a few minutes, I am now in the front of the apartment and park my car in the parking lot.

I immediately went to Jesse’s apartment and I enter I went to his kitchen.

I saw Jesse is about to fall so I quickly went to his side and grab his arm and I help him stand on his feet.

“What are you doing?” I almost shouted at him because I got worried because of his action.

“I want to drink” He replied.

I help him sit on a chair on his kitchen.

“Let me do it” I said and I grab a bottle of water from the ref.

He took it and drank it.

I prepare all the ingredients of sinigang (a Filipino food).

“What are you doing? You should go back to your own apartment before you catch my fever” He warned me. I laugh a little because he is like a kid.

“Don’t worry about me, just sit back and relax. Let me do it and after cooking I will help you walk into your room and I’ll go back to mine” I stated

He didn’t answer so I assume he agreed so I started to cook.

“You’ll eat here too?” He suddenly asked.

“If you will let me,” I said while cooking.

“Then eat here,” He said so I nodded even though I know he’s facing my back and I don’t know if he saw it.

After few minutes the sinigang is ready. I grab two plates, a fork, and a spoon also the bowl where I will put the sinigang.

I prepare all of it on the table and I help Jesse to put rice on his plate then we started eating.

While eating I can’t help but to stare at Jesse. He is not that really thin and he has fair skin. You will really think that he is only a teenager if it is not just for his eye bugs because of stress.

“Thank you” He suddenly said and I got surprised.

“Well, I insist” I replied

Jesse is not looking at me but I know he is smiling. I continue eating.

“Oh, before I forgot I buy a cheese cake for you and I already put it in the fridge” I said.

He looks up on me and his eyes are wide open. He is shocked.

“How did you…” He didn’t continue his words but still looking at me.

“Never mind, anyway thank you again. You’ve done too much for me. I’ll repay in the future” He said with a nervous tone.

I only smiled at him then we eat.

After eating I assist Jesse on his bed and I told him that I will go back to my own apartment.

He only nodded.

I went back in my apartment and sat in the sofa.

Jesse is comfortable with me again and I am happy knowing that but…

There is something that Jesse is not telling me and I know that he will never tell me that thing.

I wonder what it is…

“Haha, I’ll think about it later".