Mask slipping off..

VIOLET


I sat by Ryan's side on the bed and gently mopped his hand with the small wet towel. He had a fever, and his skin was warm to the touch. Every now and then, he mumbled something in his sleep, but the words were too faint to catch..

It has been a few hours since he slumped. I was a bit shaken because I have never seen Ryan in such a state before- helpless,broken. The image of him on the floor gasping for breath etched into my mind.

It was like a different person had taken over him, someone who wasn’t the confident, cocky, and infuriatingly composed guy I knew. It scared me. No, it terrified me.

I closed my eyes replaying the moment I met him,his entire body trembling. The way his voice cracked when he talked. I let out a shaky breath trying to piece together the puzzle of who Ryan Jenkins really was.

What happened to him that made him this way? I was beyond curious to find out, but I wasn't going to ask him. Not after he went into a full panic mood a few minutes after I left his secret room.

The secret room. Could there be something in there that made him have an attack? He had been so insistent that no one should know what was in the room and his anger when he found me there was palpable

Ryan slowly opened his eyes.

"Are you okay?" I asked, worry laced my voice

He nodded, but he still looked far from okay. I reached out to brush some hair away from his forehead, feeling the heat coming off his skin.

"I’ll go make you some soup," I said as I started to stand up but before I could move, he grabbed my wrist

“Stay." He said,his voice calmly rough

I hesitated for a moment but then sat back down. Silence filled the room as he lay there, staring up at the ceiling.

I watched him, waiting. His eyes finally flicked toward me, and I saw a flicker of something—fear, maybe, or pain.

“What you saw…” he started, but his voice trailed off. He looked away, his jaw tightening

“It's okay," I said softly. "You don’t have to talk about it if you don't want to. But I'm here if you ever do."

He glanced at me, and I could see the struggle in his eyes. He wanted to tell me something, but it was like the words were trapped. Then he shook his head, his expression hardening.

"It’s nothing," he muttered. "Just... something from a long time ago. You don’t need to worry about it."

I nodded, holding his hand gently. He was putting up walls again, shutting me out, but I could sense that part of him didn’t want to

"You don't have to go through this alone," I whispered. "Just know that I'm here."

He closed his eyes, his grip on my hand tightening just a bit."I’m not good at this," he said quietly. "Letting people in."

"Then don't," I replied simply. "Just let me be here. That’s all."

He didn’t say anything more, but he didn’t let go of my hand either. I leaned back, continuing to wipe his forehead with the cloth as he drifted off to sleep again.

I watched as he slept. His usually tousled blonde hair was now messy, dampened with sweat that clung to his forehead. His eyelashes were long, fanning out against his pale skin, and his brows, normally furrowed with intensity, were now relaxed. I noticed a tiny mole at the corner of his eye—how had I never seen that before? He looked so vulnerable right now, so much like a child. All that outward toughness had faded away in his sleep.

I smiled softly as I reached out to gently caress his cheek. His skin felt warm beneath my touch, and for a moment, he leaned into it, seeking comfort even in his unconscious state. Right now,he seemed really peaceful.

He stirred slightly and I drew my hand back,afraid I might wake him up. I should probably leave him to sleep now. His temperature seems almost normal now.

Just before I turned to go, I pulled out my phone and snapped a quick picture. I didn't know why I felt the need to capture this moment—Ryan, so calm and peaceful, a side of him I doubted many had ever seen. It felt like something I wanted to remember

Taking a final glance at him,I retreated to my room.

I let out a breath the moment I closed my door. The exhaustion finally settled in. Today has been a whirlwind of emotions

I slumped onto my bed, intending to rest for a bit, when my phone buzzed in my hand. I glanced at the screen and saw that it was a video call from my mom. A knot tightened in my stomach. We hadn’t talked much since she left for her honeymoon, and I had started to feel like she’d abandoned me..not surprising though

I took another deep breath before accepting the call. Her face appeared on the screen looking radiant as ever. Her face was glowing,happier than I'd seen her in a long time, which made me feel both relieved and strangely distant.

“Violet, darling!” she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up. “It’s so good to see you. How have you been?”

“Fine, Mom,” I replied, trying to muster up a smile.

“Fine? That’s all you have to say?” She gave me a look, half-joking but didn't persist. “How’s school going? Are you keeping up with your classes?”

“Yes, everything's going well,” I said, hoping she wouldn’t push too much.

“And how’s it going with Ryan?” She said with a smile again

I hesitated for a moment. “It’s... fine. We’re managing.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, clearly picking up on my vague answers, but before she could press further, she sighed and shifted her tone.

“Violet, you really should do something about your hair. It's such a mess right now. And your face—what's going on with your skin? You clearly haven’t been using the skincare products I gave you," she said, her eyes narrowing in disapproval. "You're a young lady, after all. It's important to present yourself well. Appearances matter," she added with a tight-lipped smile, as if that explained everything.

I bit back the urge to roll my eyes. Of course, she would say that. I nodded along to her every word.. This was so typical of her. We hadn’t spoken in days, and the first thing she had to comment on was my appearance. I felt a twinge of frustration but pushed it aside. It wasn't worth arguing over.

“How's the honeymoon?” I asked, hoping to change the subject.

“Oh, it’s been marvelous! Max has been just wonderful.” Her eyes softened as she glanced away from the screen, and I realized she was looking at him.

Max appeared a moment later, leaning into view. “Hey, Violet,” he said warmly, smiling at me. “How’s everything going?”

“Good,” I replied, a bit stiffly. We were still getting used to each other, and I wasn’t entirely sure how to interact with him yet.

“That’s good to hear,” he said with a genuine voice “And how’s Ryan? Is he behaving himself? He can be a bit of annoying”

I froze for a second. I hadn’t mentioned anything about what had happened with Ryan earlier.

“He’s... he’s fine.” I quickly added, “Resting.”

Max’s brow furrowed a bit, but he didn’t press. “Well, that’s good. Let him know we say hi when he wakes up.”

“I will” I promised, hoping to end the conversation soon.

Lisa gave a small smile, still looking every bit the picture-perfect bride. “I know it’s an adjustment, sweetheart, but it means a lot to us that you're trying. We’ll be back soon, and we can all spend some time together.”

“Sure, Mom,” I replied.

Max leaned in again, placing a soft kiss on Lisa’s cheek before pulling away.

“Alright then, love you,” Mom said, her voice cheerful.

“And please, fix your hair” she added with a serious tone

“Love you too,” I muttered, forcing a smile. The call ended, and I dropped the phone onto the bed, staring at the ceiling