Page 70 of The Moment Promised

I smile.

“How are you feeling?” he asks.

“A little better now that I have my favorite water bottle,” I say, releasing the button.

“I missed you today.”

“You definitely didn’t.” I laugh, “How was the water? Cold still?”

The machine is quiet for a moment.

“It was warm,” he says quietly.

I yawn, my body still feels weak. “I’m going to try to get some sleep.”

“Sweet dreams,” Finn’s voice comes through one last time.

“Ad, wake up,” a soothing voice whispers in my ear.

I feel a rough, calloused hand on my cheek and jerk awake. Amber eyes pour into mine with such concern and longing. The care that settles into his features makes him look…hot? Something fuzzy warms my chest, I try to shake away the strange feeling.

How have I never noticed how hot you were before, Finn?

I must’ve said that out loud because concerned eyes shift to amusement. Oh my gosh.

“You have a really high fever, Adeline. I don’t think you're in your right mind right now.”

The embarrassment goes away with a sharp pain turning my stomach. I must turn green or something because Finn grabs the trash can next to my desk and holds it under my mouth. The other hand holds my hair as I profusely vomit. It smells so bad, and my throat burns each time my stomach ejects more vomit. This would be humiliating if I didn’t feel so weak. My body hurts and feels so strained. When my stomach gives up all its contents, I collapse.

I hear my father’s heavy boots as he moves around the hallway. I freeze, Finn shouldn’t be here.

He lowers his voice to a whisper, “I’m going to take you to my house. I’ll be back in five minutes.” He hurries away out my window.

My dad pulls open my door and with an angry face. “What the fuck are you doing, kid?”

“I—”

“I don’t wanna hear it. Get dressed and walk to school. I’m goin’ to work.”

I try to protest but he interrupts me yet again. “I said I don’t want to hear it.” He walks further into my room a little, his voice threatening. “And if I come home and still find you in this god damn bed, you won’t even be able to dream of what will happen next.” He leaves without so much as a goodbye.

I hear the front door open and close, and watch his truck leave the driveway from my window. Tears well in my eyes, and each sob that escapes causes ripples of pain through my body.

I cover my mouth when I hear the front door open again. Is he back?

My heart races faster with each footstep, each louder than the last. My door creeks open, and Finn’s smile fades when he sees my reaction.

“Adeline?” He rushes to me. “What’s wrong?”

“My dad is making me go to school.”

Finn immediately shakes his head. “You’re not going to school,” he says while lifting me, easily carrying me into the hallway.

“Finn!” I screech, but I’m too weak to fight him.

“I told you. You’re coming to my house. I can take better care of you there.”

“No. My dad will kill me if he finds out,” I cry out. “And you have to go to school too.”

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