Reborn- His Scarlett Moon

The warm sunlight from the window woke me up the next morning. I was on my bed but I remembered that I was watching a movie with Bellow in the mini hall, next to Ryan’s bedroom. Then how and when did I end up in my bed? A smile appeared on my face as I wondered if it was Ryan who put me there. It would be impossible for Bellow to lift me and the two other boys didn’t even talk to me properly ever since their last scuffle regarding me, so I doubted if they would be touching me.

I couldn’t help feeling the excitement from the little something that Ryan and I had shared the night before. I couldn’t wait to see him again.

Without wasting any more time, I got out of bed and washed my face and tied my hair up. Then I headed towards Ryan’s room. As I reached his door, I hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was too early to wake him up. But my eagerness got the best of me, and I knocked on the door.

To my surprise, the door opened, and there was Rose, the stripper girl Ryan had brought home the other night . And there he was, lying on his bed in his almost naked state.

My tongue went instantly dry as a huge lump seemed to appear in my food pipe.

I was shaken and didn’t know what to say or do.

“Uh, hi Rose,” I stammered, trying to sound composed. But I was shaking from the inside. I held onto the side of the walls to keep myself steady.

Rose looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face, “Hey! Is everything alright? You need help? ” She asked.

I couldn’t take my eyes off Ryan, lying there unaware of my presence.

“Ryan had a late night. He’s usually not a heavy sleeper.”

Rose answered without even me asking the question. She knew I was waiting there for him and she saw how my eyes were stuck on him. It was embarrassing.

I nodded, feeling as awkward as possible. “I’ll come back later,” I said before turning around and walking back to my room. But as soon as I was out of her eye range, I broke into a run.

I didn’t stop till I was back in my room and slammed the door with a loud bang.

As I closed the door, I let out a deep sigh, feeling embarrassed about the whole situation.

Just then there was a knock at the door.

I opened the door to see Bellow standing there, his face flushed with exertion. “Hey, what’s going on?” I asked him.

He signed to me urgently, “You had a fever last night and I gave you medicine. I had come to check on you but you were already up from your bed. Are you feeling alright?”

At least that was what I could understand or read from his body and finger language. Honestly, I was absolutely illiterate in sign language.

But my heart warmed at his concern for me. “Thank you so much, sweetie,” I tried signing back like an idiot. “I’m feeling better now.”

It was then that I realized that he had no problem hearing. He could just not talk.

Bellow beamed at me, clearly relieved that his efforts had helped. I couldn’t help but think about how amazing it was that this young boy had taught himself sign language just so he could communicate with others despite every trauma life had offered him.

I bent down to his level and gave him a hug. “You’re a special kid, you know that?” I whispered to him. “Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.”

As he ran off, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the kind-hearted boy who had helped take care of me. It were moments like these that remind me why I was there at Ryan’s home in the first place. For my father. For his treatment. And pay off my debts.

Which reminded me that I had to make some urgent calls.

I called the hospital up first to enquire about my father’s condition.

They graced me with good news. They said they were preparing for the first operation and were waiting for his blood sugar level and other parameters to drop down to normal.

” I will come over soon to pay him a visit. When will be the best time? ”

I asked them.

” Ma’am, you can come over in the afternoon.” They said and hung up.

The next number that I needed to dial was that of my irritating loan shark.

I decided to finally pay him a visit and get done with whatever he was nagging me with.

” K? Is that you? ” I asked as he answered with his hoarse voice.

” Yeah, Sherry. How long will it take you to meet me? ”

He asked.

” Where are you now? I am coming to meet you. ”

It seemed like he was sleeping. He sat up at my proposal.

” Come to our pawn shop. I will be there in half an hour. ”

He said.

K was a middle-aged man with rugged good looks that seemed to have withstood the test of time. His dark hair was graying at the temples, and his piercing blue eyes seemed to hold a hidden depth.

There was something intriguing about K. An air of danger and excitement that surrounded him, even as he went about his daily routine. He was a man of contradictions. Those who crossed him would do well to remember that there was more to K than met the eye.

Went to get dressed and leave, so I could come back before my shift began.

I didn’t want to go ask for Ryan’s permission to leave.

Rose said they had a late night.

And he did look tired.

I couldn’t stop my heart from sinking as my mind began imagining what sort of ‘activities’ they might have been engaged in.

” What is wrong with me! ”

I slammed my head as I walked out of the main entrance, towards the bus stand.