1o.
chapter ten
a bottle of
potassium cyanide.

When Nurse Joy called us in mid-class during design architecture, I hadn't expected to see a certain brunette sitting up against the headboard, holding her head.

"May!"

The girl looked up, her face crinkling into the subtlest of pained smiles. I was at her side at once, Misty on the other, and Drew near her feet.

"How are you, girl?" Misty pressed, fingers twitching at her sides. I could relate. I wanted nothing more than to throw my arms around the girl, but that wasn't how the rules worked here.

"Been b-better," she managed.

I leaned forward, the mattress dipping a little with the weight of my palms. It didn't matter whether I sounded like a gremlin or an elf. All that did was...
"I'm so s—"

"Ser," she cut in, shaking her head, then wincing. The reaction had the sheets crinkling beneath my fingers.
"P-please don't."

"It's my fault."

"Or mine," Drew interrupted, placing his hand on her ankle under the covers. "I don't think I have apologised to you or... him, Serena."

"I didn't—"

"Exactly, you didn't do anything—"

"Guys!" Before I could be cut off again, Misty made sure to count this conversation as void ab initio. The girl clenched her fists, sending a glare to Drew and me before following May's weak advice of deep breaths.

"Chillax, guys," the brunette tried, smiling softly. Her hand flew up to reach for Drew, the other weakly pointing to Misty. Her soulmate made sure to oblige, replacing me by her side. I didn't mind. "I lived. Dawn will too, if she isn't a-awake yet."

"She's not," I trailed off, feeling the guilt from before replace the ephemeral relief. Drew must have noticed it, or maybe felt the same.

"Who's cutting onions here?" he joked, pulling May's hand to himself. The girl didn't protest, rather sank into the impromptu embrace.

"That will help." Nurse Joy stopped a foot short of the bed, holding her clipboard and offering a helpful smile. "Being near your soulmate when they're feeling under the weather will act as a catalyst to their recovery."

We turned to Drew immediately, and he snorted, flicking his hair even though we caught the subtle change in his grip on May's hand. "Don't think that's really true," he scoffed when she left to gather some drip bottles.

"Speaking of that," May started, her lips quirking up into an energetic smile that was lacking from when we first saw her. "I did feel something yesterday."

Drew turned thirty different shades of red before he shot up in his seat, withdrawing. "I'm gonna go get – um – roses. Yeah."

I watched the boy's retreating figure before Misty spoke up, her voice cutting through the sterile atmosphere of the hospital wing. "Why would he need roses now? Is he gonna recreate the Rooh Afza drink we had when we last hung out?"

I scrunched my nose.
"I hope not. I don't wish to break his heart."

"I think I already s-shattered it," May laughed, the sound midway turning into a hoarse cough that had us scrambling to get a sip of water down her throat.

"You shouldn't be talking now!"

"I can't have my mouth z-zipped," she shot back—rightfully, I daresay. Then she composed herself as much as a weakened person could and lowered her voice to a whisper.
"He kissed me when I was out, and I felt it!"

Misty's eyes found mine, a strange twinkle in them.
"Nurse Joy ain't lying, is she?"

The brunette shook her head.
"I guess having a soulmate really does solve problems."

I blinked, gaze lowering to my slip-ons. Does it really solve problems?

Feeling Misty's sharp gaze, I looked up, mustering the façade of a smile. "I'm good."

Folks, never answer something without being asked. That's the meaning of answer, yes, never do it.

As soon as the words left my mouth, May squealed, clapping a hand to her mouth.

"Who's found their match here?! Spill! Now!"

I sighed, trying to buy myself some time. If only I could keep Ash a secret until he found the right soothsayer to change his soulmate.

"Serena did," Misty answered for me. Bless her. "But she's been down all day." Curse her.

May turned to me, brows furrowing, a pitying soften coming over in those lowly glimmering blues. "What's wrong, Ser? Should we beat him up?"

That sounded terrifying...

"No, no."

"Then let's plan a rendezvous." She nodded at Misty, who winked. "Complete with messy fall mistletoes and rubbish poetry."

Chuckling, I set the paper cup we had used to hydrate May on the table. Their conversation about Ash faded into the back, the water in the cup suddenly mesmerizing.

Almost like his eyes.

"—and maybe he's just toying with you to see if you'd kiss him to the next week, because trust me, all guys just want a good smooch."

Before I could turn back and usher May not to waste her energy coming up with unrealistic scenarios, the door creaked open. It wasn't Drew.

The boy at the doorway froze, whatever words he had on his tongue now down his throat. A hint of a smile, something, anything to appease the bubble that had formed between us.

I didn't let him.

I wheeled around to the plastic cup, the table, the screens that surrounded May's bed—they were more fascinating.
There was shuffling, followed by Nurse Joy's questioning voice.

And a timid reply followed that.
"Just a bottle of potassium cyanide for batch five, Nurse."

Just a bottle of that darned chemical, indeed.