Bruno opened his eyes slowly.
"You're done eating?"
"Yes, thanks a lot. It was delicious."
Beauty smiled at him.
"I'm sure it's awful, but I am glad you enjoyed it. Now, you have to take your medicine," he said, standing up.
Beauty's heart raced at the mention of medicine. She couldn't let him know she hated taking them!
"Emm... Sir Bruno, I can take care of myself now. You need to rest."
"Just Bruno," he replied, reaching into his pocket.
He pulled out a small bottle of medicine.
"You need to take this, don't worry about me" he said softly, handing her the medicine with a glass of water, his eyes filled with concern.
"I will... not now," Beauty replied, avoiding eye contact, but he was quick to figure it out.
"You don't like pills?"
Beauty's heart skipped a beat as she brushed an annoying strand of hair back behind her ear.
"No... of course not! I mean, I'm an adult. I'm not a child afraid of taking pills," she scoffed awkwardly.
"Then take it right now, in front of me," Bruno instructed, handing her the glass of water.
Beauty glanced at the bottle and wrinkled her nose in disgust.
"Ugh," she muttered, pushing it away. "I can do it myself, please."
Bruno raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a smirk.
"You hate medicine, I can tell. But you have to take it in front of me, so I can be sure. You're still recovering."
Beauty stubbornly shook her head.
"Nope. I'm not doing it."
Bruno sighed, clearly not taking no for an answer.
"Beauty, stop being difficult. You need this to get better, please."
He stepped closer, towering over her, and held the medicine right up to her face.
"Come on, open up," he said, teasing her.
Beauty scrunched up her face, leaning back in her chair. "Noo," she whined, turning her head away dramatically.
Bruno wasn't about to give up.
Gently, he tilted her chin toward him. The closeness made her heart race again.
"I'll make it quick, I promise," his voice was soft, coaxing.
When she refused again, he let out an exasperated laugh.
"You're acting like a child."
Beauty frowned at that, forcing the pills into her mouth instantly just to show him she wasn't a child. She quickly drank the water but was slow to swallow, and the pills started to melt in her mouth.
She felt like throwing up.
Instantly, Bruno pinched her nose, forcing the pills down her throat. After she swallowed, he released her nostrils, and Beauty gasped for air.
Bruno chuckled softly, watching her with amusement.
"See? Not so bad."
"I need more water!" she demanded, her eyes closed.
He handed her the glass to wash down the bitter taste, his eyes still filled with concern.
As Beauty downed the water, she took a deep breath, grateful he made her take the medicine.
"Thanks," she muttered shyly without looking at him.
"Don't mention it," Bruno replied.
Silence returned, but Bruno could tell Beauty was still uneasy. Her awkward glances and the slight distance she kept between them made him feel sad. He realized she probably needed some space, even though he wanted to stay the whole day.
He cleared his throat.
"I guess... I should get going," he said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck. "You need to rest, and I don't want to intrude any more than I already have."
Beauty blinked, surprised by his sudden decision.
"Wait, Sir Bruno!... Sorry, Bruno," she said, embarrassed. "I didn't mean it like that."
He gave her a small, sad smile.
"It's fine, Beauty. I'm glad you're feeling better. Just... make sure you finish the medicine and take care of yourself, okay?"
His voice was gentle, but there was a hint of sadness behind it.
Beauty watched as he moved toward the door. The room suddenly felt emptier without his presence.
"The reunion! Beauty, tell him about the reunion!" a voice yelled in her head.
Before walking out of the house, Bruno glanced back at her one more time.
"If you need anything, don't hesitate to call."
He paused, as if hoping she would say something, but when she didn't, he nodded to himself.
"Take care, Beauty."
Good job, Beauty. You had him one-on-one and even made a move to kiss him but can't talk about the reunion?!
The doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts.
Just seconds after Bruno left, her heart raced, skipping a beat as a surge of hope shot through her.
Could it be Bruno? Did he forget something, or maybe... maybe he came back for her?
She hurried to the door in excitement.
She opened it, and what she saw was completely unexpected.
"Jessie?!" Beauty snapped, her voice tinged with disbelief. For a moment, she stood frozen, her heart sinking at the unexpected arrival.
What is Jessie doing here? I texted her this morning that it was all good! Did she see Sir Bruno leave?
Jessie stood there, her gaze locked onto the driveway. She watched Bruno's car driving away.
Beauty bit her lower lip.
Bursted!
"Is that Bruno's car?" Jessie asked with curiosity, leaning forward for a better view, her eyes squinting to be sure.
Beauty shifted her gaze at Bruno's car as it disappeared down the street, lost in thought.
Jessie's voice broke through.
"Hello? Beauty! Was that Bruno?"
Beauty blinked and quickly turned to Jessie, a faint blush rising to her cheeks.
"Shhhh," she mumbled, still slightly flustered, pulling Jessie inside. "Come in! What are you doing here? I told you I would visit!"
Jessie stepped in, but she didn't drop the subject.
Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she looked Beauty up and down, clearly fishing for more information.
"Wait a second," Jessie said, her grin widening. "Why was Bruno here? And why are you acting all weird?" She narrowed her eyes teasingly. "Don't tell me something happened."
Beauty rolled her eyes, trying to shake off the awkwardness. She closed the door and led Jessie further inside, avoiding her friend's prying gaze.
"Nothing happened," she lied, her heart still fluttering from Bruno's earlier indirect confession and how she almost kissed him.
Jessie wasn't convinced.
"Mmhmm," she hummed knowingly. "Sure, nothing happened. You're blushing like crazy and acting all jumpy, but nothing happened."
Beauty groaned, trying to change the subject.
"Can we not do this right now?"
Jessie chuckled, clearly enjoying Beauty's reaction.
"Fine, fine. But you're going to tell me everything eventually, right?"
Beauty sighed.
"Fine, I'll tell you everything."
Jessie screamed in excitement and danced over to grab wine from the fridge.
"That's what I'm waiting for! Spill the tea, baby! I want everything in detail-orgasms included."
"That's it! I'm not saying anything!" Beauty snapped.