I Can't Take This Anymore!

Later that night, the hospital room was silent except for the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor and the faint hum of the air conditioning. The lights were already dimmed as Alex lay down alone in his bed, ready to sleep.

Claire and the two sisters had left a while ago, after making sure he was comfortable. He heartily asked them to leave him alone since he was already fine, and it was uncomfortable to sleep on the couch.

Alex had seen how Claire slept on the couch and he really felt pity when he saw her shifting around uncomfortably.

Either way, he could use the button on the side of his bed if he needed any help since there were nurses available all the time.

Now, alone in the quiet room, Alex found himself waiting. He could sleep since earlier, but he decided to wait.

He wanted to see if Emily would come tonight or not.

A few minutes passed than what Alex expected. Tired of waiting, he closed his eyes, but his mind remained alert.

Then…

*Knock *Knock

A soft and hesitant knock sounded against the door.

Alex didn't move or respond. Instead, he remained still on his bed, curious if it was finally Emily. The nurses usually announced themselves before entering, and his family wouldn't be back at this hour.

Slowly, the door opened, and even though his eyes were closed, he could feel that someone stepped inside. With the person going in, he smelled a familiar scent.

Yes.

It was really Emily.

Alex opened his eyes and glanced at the side. That's when she saw that Emily wasn't in her usual nursing uniform. She was wearing a tight shirt that framed her upper body well and a flowy skirt at the bottom.

Emily's usually bun hair was also draping around her shoulders.

Her working hours at the hospital had ended already. She really just came back tonight, hoping to see Alex.

Emily stood near the door for a moment, as if debating whether she should even be here. Then, after taking a breath, she walked further inside and let the door close behind her with a soft click.

"You're not on duty?" Alex questioned.

Emily froze for a split second before turning to look at him.

"Yup," she chuckled. "My shift ended a few hours ago."

"Oh, I see." Alex nodded.

Emily exhaled, shifting her weight slightly. She blew her cheeks and stared at him.

"I just wanted to check on you."

"At this hour? You can always do that tomorrow. It's already late." Alex uttered as he looked at the time. It's already nearing midnight.

Emily rolled her eyes but didn't deny it. She felt a slight disappointment on her chest.

"Did he not miss me?" Emily uttered, disheartened. And here she was, wanting to hold Alex already.

There was really something with Alex that she couldn't point out. All she knew was that he wanted to get close to Alex… or even more than that.

Alex didn't say an answer, but just continued to stare at Emily.

Then suddenly, Emily realized it. Her expression turned soft, her cheeks slightly blushing.

"Wait a minute. Why are you awake? You were waiting for me, weren't you?"

Alex didn't answer right away. Instead, he just smiled, shifting slightly on the bed to sit up a little.

"Maybe," he admitted casually.

Emily let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head.

"Unbelievable." Her heart skipped a beat.

Emily quickly walked over to him to help him sit up. She adjusted his bed so he could be comfortable.

"Well, now that I'm here," she said, "do you want to talk?"

"Sure," Alex uttered.

"Stay for a bit," he said.

Emily hesitated, but then, with a small smile, she sat down.

"So…" she began, tapping her knee lightly. "I haven't been around the past few days. I had some family matters to deal with." She uttered.

Alex raised an eyebrow, frowning.

"Family matters? Is there a problem?" he curiously asked.

Emily chuckled and shook her head.

"Not really. My mom needed help with a few things, and my younger brother needed someone to accompany her to her school." Emily's eyes shone as she talked to her family.

It was really evident that she was close to her family.

"Ohh, that's good. At least you enjoyed it." Alex uttered as he scratched the back of his head.

All of a sudden, Emily's face heated up. She bit her lower while her eyes squinted.

"Wait a minute, why am I even explaining to you!" Emily pouted as she looked at Alex suspiciously. She suddenly became embarrassed at it.

"I know right? Why are you even explaining?" The corner of Alex's lips rose to the side as he playfully eyed Emily.

It really amazed him how he can have much improvement when it comes to talking to people. He didn't feel an ounce of nervousness in his body. If this was his past self, he would really tremble now and wouldn't even be able to mutter a word.

Emily shifted in her seat, suddenly feeling warm. She wasn't usually like this.

Alex, on the other hand, just watched her. There was something about the way she pouted and the way her eyes darted away when she was embarrassed. He found him cute, especially with those fluffy cheeks of hers.

Emily exhaled sharply, crossing her arms.

"Why are you staring at me like that?"

"Like what?" Alex smirked.

"Like… like that!" She huffed, her face turning even redder.

A silence settled between them. Emily clenched her hands into fists on her lap, then let out a frustrated sigh.

"Ugh, I can't take this anymore!"

Before Alex could react, Emily leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.