CHAPTER 11

It was 2AM in the morning and I was still staring at my phone.

The screen had gone blank long ago, but ever since receiving Nichkhun's note on the door, I hadn't been able to do much else than stare at my phone with that one line running through my head;

My phone is always on.

I should call him, in fact, I should've already called him.

I never liked unresolved confrontations and this was clearly one of them. Especially since, in all honesty, Nichkhun probably didn't even know what he'd done wrong. Hopefully Chansung had told him, but then again, coming from the maknae, would he even want to listen?

I sighed and finally put the phone down onto the bed as I rubbed my acrid eyes. I'd been staring for a long time, unblinking at the phone's dark screen and my eyes were now complaining.

The room around me was enclosed with the night sky's darkness, but my night vision had kicked in. I shook my head, blonde locks falling haphazardly over my shoulders and I began to force my muscles to get out of bed.

They complained and ached from being forced into the same position for the past few hours. But, I ignored them. I groaned when I swung my legs over the side of the bed and an attack of pins and needles began on my legs.

I waited a few moments, letting the sensation pass and clutching my phone in my hands before I unsteadily stood up.

My muscles weakly wobbled and I prayed my knees wouldn't buckle. But, the muscles held fast and I breathed out in relief.

Then, with a shaky intake of air, I tentatively stepped one foot forward. I was pleased when my muscles neither faltered nor fumbled. I then began walking towards the bathroom, determined to finally wash my face and myself.

The bathroom's bright light blinded me for a moment and I had to quickly shut my eyes in order to prevent them from burning even more than what they already were. Luckily, they adjusted quickly and I was able to open my eyes once again.

With a dreading sensation, I approached the mirror.

The bathroom's stark white tiles contrasted with the colour of my face. My mascara had run again, even though f(x) had tried their hardest to help me clean it up. I wondered how they had bared to sit with me when I looked like this. The black trails down my cheeks had now dried, creating black streaks on my face. My eyes also donned a ring of black around them and they were sunken. A sign of stress and exhaustion. Then finally, my face was no longer as pale as usual, instead, redness coloured it. It was red from crying.

I ran a hand through my fringe, pushing the golden blonde locks back before I secured them away so that I could wash my face.

I gently placed my phone beside the basin, so that it was always within sight.

As the cooling water touched my face, cleansing it, I wondered why I was so pedantic over the phone. I would hear it ringing from the bedroom, therefore there wasn't really a need to have it beside me.

And, I could always call the person back if I did happen to miss their call.

I frowned as I gently scrubbed my skin, trying to rid myself of the black lines. They were rather persistent though and I vowed never to buy this brand again. Firstly, it came off with tears but then suddenly became waterproof when it had to be washed off?

In the back of my mind, I could almost hear Nichkhun cracking a joke about how long women took in the bathroom.

I'd then tell him it was because my makeup wouldn't come off and he'd tell me that I looked better without it.

I felt wetness pooling in my eyes and it wasn't from the tap.

No, no Victoria, you can't cry again.

I willed myself not to cry again.

You have no more tears left, I told myself, feeling the sensation weakening. I inhaled deeply, calming myself as my clenched fists gripped the counter's edge tightly. My knuckles had even begun to turn white.

I counted to ten in my head and once I was done, the urge to cry had subsided. I exhaled loudly in relief and released my vice grip on the counter. At least I wasn't strong enough to leave permanent marks on the marble surface.

I looked at myself in the mirror again and was surprised to find that, while most of the mascara was gone, the red on my face was also gone... and in its place was a light shade of green.

I frowned at myself and poked my cheek, wondering where on earth the colour could've-

And then it hit me.

Nausea.

I was at the toilet within seconds, my knees aching from the force of the impact when I collapsed to the ground.

My stomach then proceeded to empty itself.

It felt awful, and I felt too weak to even try and hold back my hair and I simply hoped that it would remain clean.

It was a shame too, the food at Luna's parent's restaurant had been so delicious too.

However, that thought soon left my mind as my body retched once again.

A few minutes later and I finally felt free of any substance in my body whatsoever. I groaned as I flushed the toilet and then leaned back against one of the counters. I appreciated the coolness that radiated from the cupboard and I was grateful that it seemed to soothe me.

But quite honestly, I wasn't sure if I could move.

I groaned, had I eaten something again that'd made me sick?

It hadn't been morning sickness, the first time I'd vomited, and now this time when I knew I wasn't pregnant.

Was there really something wrong with me?

I groaned as I felt another wave of nausea hit me.

How could there be anything else in my stomach?

I needed help.

That's when I remembered my phone.

Using all the effect I could muster, I grasped my phone from atop the counter, resisting the urge to immediately spill whatever else was in my stomach, and clicked the phone to life.

My fingers automatically went to the only person in mind that I could call.

As the phone rang, I felt my body curling into ball, trying to ease the nausea that corrupted me.

Please answer... I hoped as the phone continued to ring.

And then, the call connected.

"Hello?" came a voice from the other end of the line. I felt somewhat relieved as the voice didn't sound tired, which meant that I hadn't woken them up.

"Vic? Is that you?"  the voice asked when I didn't reply.

"Yes..." I replied, my voice croaking. I tasted bile in my mouth and it was enough to make me want to puke again.

"Are you ok?"  his voice sounded more urgent now.

"Not really," I whispered into the line, sweat beginning to form on my forehead.

I was definitely sick.

"What's wrong?"

"I... I'm sick..."

"I'm coming over ok?"

I didn't even protest to that idea.

I hung up the phone after that, feeling a headache building. I groaned as I closed my eyes, simply wanting to sleep off whatever sickness it was that I'd gotten.

And then I waited for him.

When I woke up again, I knew immediately that I wasn't at Nichkhun's apartment anymore.

Before I'd even opened my eyes, I could smell the difference. At Nichkhun's apartment, it smelt like him, a smell I'd been accustomed to for the past few years. Here, wherever this was, was a very medicinal smell.

I opened an eye, only to be greeted by white everywhere.

This place looked oddly familiar.

I opened my other eye, allowing my eyes to adjust.

I was in a hospital.

"Victoria! You're awake!"

The voice infiltrated my ears and I flinched at the volume. However, that voice sounded very, very familiar.

And then his face was in front of me.

"Nichkhun..." I croaked out, seeing his smile above me.

Utter relief washed over his face and quickly grasped one of my hands.

"I'm so glad you're awake. The doctors were worried you'd still sleep for a day."

I frowned at his words, "How... long?"

Somehow, he understood my half sentence.

"You've only been out for six hours. It's eight in the morning right now." I looked to my right, finding that a rising son was outside my window. I must've passed out last night after calling him.

"I brought you here after you called last night because when I found you, you were passed out and I couldn't wake you up. I thought something bad had happened."

The pure concern in his tone touched me.

"But luckily, you just have a case of the flu, well, a more intense case of the flu. They said that the vomiting is probably from food poisoning too. But, they drew some blood and we'll be able to see in a few days ok?"

I nodded and squeezed his hand, "You came though."

He took an expression of confusion.

"You came when I called."

And he was still waiting for me when I woke up. He didn't have to be here right now. He could've brought me to the hospital and then gone back to the dorm. He looked like he hadn't slept one wink last night either, judging from the dark rings that encircled his eyes.

"Of course I did!" he exclaimed with widened eyes, "You have no idea how worried I was yesterday when you just slapped me and ran. Then, you weren't home when I went to check. And I couldn't get through to your phone. Of course I was worried. Then last night, when you called me and you sounded horrible... I thought my stupidity had gotten you injured."

The sincerity in his words was enough to make me believe them.

"And I'm sorry for laying this all on you just when you've woken up, but I need to tell you this. I'm going to make sure you know the truth and I'm going to be a man instead of waiting for things to work themselves out."

I looked up at him, my eyes meeting his and I nodded.

"Chansung... he..." Nichkhun paused, "He told me what you saw yesterday. But Vic, Yuri is a friend of mine. That's it. We get along well together and that's why we looked close, but there's nothing between her and I. Besides, she's even dating someone else. I would never look at her like that."

I bit my bottom lip as his hand reached out to caress my cheek.

I began to feel like an idiot for judging him.

"I could never look at her like that..." an emotion flashed through Nichkhun's eyes and I felt my heart beginning to race.

"... because," he gulped and I could see the nervousness in his expression.

"Because... it's you Victoria."

"It's you that I'm madly in love with."

- - Yay! I hope I wrote this confession ok... It was only supposed to be next chapter but since you guys are awesome, I tried to fit it in and I honestly hope that it's ok and not lame T.T And poor Vic getting sick and then all that! As I said, I just hope it all sounds ok and all that *-* And no, this isn't ending soon! I thought it might... but I still have some twists and turns I'd like to add^^