More Than Anybody

Mia decided to just ask later about how her clothes were changed, trusting that Wes was a gentleman who wouldn't undress her without consent.

For now, she questioned, “W-Where are we?"

“Don’t worry. You’ll be fine here.” He offered her the glass with water and helped her sit up so she could drink, then he settled back down on the bedside. "I heard from your friend at school, so I went and brought you with me since… Well, someone has to tend to you.”

“I see... I-I’m sorry you have to go through this trouble.”

He remained quiet as he continued peering at her. It seemed something was weighing on his mind—maybe what he discovered about her today. She drank the water before placing it on the nightstand and speaking again.

"Wes," she began, "Thank you so much for doing all this. I would’ve been fine on my own. You see, um, my coworker who’s out sick hasn’t completely recovered yet, so I must’ve picked up the same thing. But all I need is a little rest. Please don't worry about me."

After another beat of silence, Wes suddenly wrapped his arms around Mia and lay down on the bed with her.

Her cheeks reddened, and she stilled as he went on to burrow his face into her neck. He embraced her tightly, as if he didn’t want to let go. She slid her hands around his head, returning the gesture despite her confusion.

‘I'd cower from this any other day, but he's done a lot for me.’ She held him closer. ‘And right now, all I want is to be with him.’

With him so near, her heart pounded even harder than the ache in her head. She breathed in his cool, calming scent while her fingers curled into his hair in hopes of soothing him. Something was wrong, she could tell by his incongruous behavior.

"Wes? Are you okay?"

"Forgive me, Mia," he whispered, clinging to her more. "I should’ve asked, should’ve noticed. You've been pushing yourself too hard, and I had no idea at all. We just became a couple, but I couldn’t take care of you already.”

She stiffened as she processed his words in her mind. Her hands reached down to his face and lifted it to make him look her in the eye.

"It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself," she assured him with a smile. “Didn’t I say I could’ve only caught this from someone? I don’t get sick often, and I’m used to working. But I promise I’m looking after myself just fine.”

“Your broken lock tells me otherwise.”

Her smile froze. “...E-Erm, I have a way to keep the door closed at night-”

“By pulling some furniture against it?”

He guessed right. She would push her cabinet towards the door so it would be momentarily locked, and she would have a handy alarm system in case someone broke in. She did not say it out loud, though, sensing he would nevertheless be displeased, whatever her reason might be.

“We’re getting it fixed, and if a problem comes up again, you’ll inform me at once,” Wes declared with finality. “For now, let’s eat. You missed lunch and dinner.”

Right on cue, her stomach grumbled, making her pull away and blush in shame. “Ah, y-yes! I’ll go and cook something-”

"No, you’re not allowed to get up." He sat back up and crossed his arms. "Your fever was high, and if not for the medicine, your condition wouldn't have gotten better. I'm not gonna risk it."

“U-Umm…” She was at a loss, having never imagined that he could be this strict. “Were you with me this entire time? And, uh, my clothes… Were you the one who changed them?”

He blinked a few times, then his face turned scarlet. “O-Of course not! I, um… I called for someone from, uh… From when I was still studying! S-She helped me from time to time.”

Her eyes widened, and she also sat up. “So, it wasn’t you. I suppose I should thank her for the trouble. And you said she’s from when you're still studying? Then, you no longer go to school?”

“No, I… I wasn’t… I mean, I was homeschooled.”

“Homeschooled?! Wow! But how did you meet?”

“Well, umm…” He scratched the back of his head. “From an online class? You know, that one you can take wherever it’s most conducive…”

“Ah, right! I heard about that nontraditional university program. But does that mean you graduated much earlier than those your age?”

“I, um, skipped grades.”

“Amazing!” She clapped her hands together. “You must be very smart, Wes! Hearing all this makes me want to study harder. Ah, come to think of it, I have a test tomorrow!”

“You can forget about that,” he sighed, expression turning stern again. "Because you're not going to school. What if your fever comes back? You have to stay put and rest."

“B-B-But it’s important…”

“No. You’re more important.”

Mia was grateful she had Wes to watch over her. She couldn’t recall the last time anyone had tended to her needs when she fell sick. She couldn’t describe how happy she was to have met somebody like him.

Really, she couldn’t wish for more, but she also couldn’t miss school.

"Um, Wes… I'm feeling better now, so…” She paused for a second, figuring he’d understand if she explained everything. “I once mentioned my plans after high school, right? To be honest, going to college to take fashion design is… I-It's still a distant dream for me. That’s why I’m striving for a scholarship, and to that end, my grades must meet its requirements. It’s hard since I’m not good at academics, but I’m doing what I can by never skipping class and always scoring high in tests.”

Wes was silent.

He must’ve been upset with her, or at the very least, found her too stubborn for her own good. Then again, everyone's patience had a limit. He’d spent so much time and effort on her today, and yet, she wouldn’t listen.

"I-If you want," she continued with a shaky voice while she fiddled with her fingers. "If you want, you can rest for the night, Wes. You’ve done more than enough for me. I’m sure I'll be alright."

Without a word, he stood up and briskly walked out of the room. She felt a pang of hurt in her chest, but she knew she deserved it. For the next few minutes, she merely sat staring in the direction he had left.

‘I’ll apologize tomorrow, but for now… I wonder if I have my school bag with me?’

"Here, I have an idea."

Mia almost jumped as Wes returned to the room.

In his hand was a hot bowl of soup, which he put down on the nightstand. As he turned back to her with a smirk, he grabbed both of her hands and squeezed them.

"Why don't you let me take care of you? I'm not leaving you here all by yourself, and if I do leave, you'll probably stay up all night.” At his words, she cast down her gaze with guilt. “But I get what you want to do, and I respect that. So, I’ll be both indulging you for a bit and nursing you back to health. The second your condition gets worse, you’re going back to sleep.”

She stared at him wide-eyed, tears welling up for some reason. Just when she thought he got fed up with her, here he was, springing this up on her. Not only did he keep caring for her well-being, but he also granted her request.

‘I am very lucky to have him.’

“That's my line,” he chuckled, and she flushed. ‘D-Did I blurt that out?!’

“You should really let me spoil you. I admire you for being independent, but even the strongest people need others to look after them, and I wish to be the one to do that for you. All I ask is that you let me in." He leaned closer and closer until her head fell back on the pillow, his hands on both sides of her face, their lips a couple of inches away. "Mia, I want you to know that you will always have me. I can't replace the family you’ve lost, but I promise... I can love you more than anybody."

Before Mia knew it, Wes had closed the gap between them.