*

Okay so let me get this straight. Mr Arnold is the most confusing human I've ever come across. One second he orders me, the other he looks at me with a look that can be named as concern.

Right now I was sitting beside Mr Arnold in his car waiting for Kia to come out of her school. Mr Arnold was looking straight at the road he had lost his patience and the awkward silence between us was just a cherry on the cake.

"Have you taken medicine?" Mr Arnold asked me.

"Yea, well..." I replied getting all conscious. This good side of his is killing me.

"What did you eat for breakfast?", he fired his next question. I looked at him as if he was on drugs today. Why was he being so inquisitive?" umm toast and milk?" I lied but bloody hell, I don't even know how to lie. The statement came as a question.

He didn't say anything after that, just sighed. I looked out of the window only to see Kia running towards us. She had a broad smile on her face that would light all the gloomy faces.

I unlocked the door and a rush of wind hit me making me tremble slightly. Bloody hell! It's really cold. I rubbed my arms but just when Kia was close to me, I took a step back.

What if my cold is contagious? I asked myself. Kia frowned when she saw me, and I must have looked so pathetic. I quickly walked to Mr Arnold's side, his eyes watching my every move with a slight frown. "Mr Arnold, I think you should take Kia with you. What if Kia catches my cold?"

Kia walked inside the car, the frown etched on her adorable face."Why did you run away from me?", she asked making me feel guilty.

Mr Arnold sighed."Get in the back seat Kia, Miss Summers is sick and she believes that you could catch her cold.", Kia looked at me and then looked at Mr Arnold. She smiled and sat in the back. I looked at Mr Arnold in disbelief. "When I said my cold could be contagious. I meant that not only for Kia but also for you. You should go, I'll first go to the doctor and then I'll come back." I reasoned. I had already made the mistake of sitting beside him for the past ten minutes. I don't want to repeat it.

"No.", his answer came like a clap of thunder. He sighed when he spoke again." I'll take you to the hospital. I'm gonna call Aiden and he'll take Kia for the rest of the day." He then pulled out his phone and dialled the number. Kia looked at him in amazement. "Nicky uncle is right, Ari. You shouldn't go alone."

"No, it's fine, Mr Arnold. I'll manage.", I managed to say pulling my trench coat tighter around me.

"You are shivering Miss Summers. Do you really expect me to leave you by your own self right now?", he scolded making me glare at him.

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

Such a commanding jerk!

I felt like slapping him, but I resisted the urge. He was right. I was freezing, but I could handle it. I had to. I would get back to my room, and if I got a fever, which I surely do. I would call the doctor. That's all I could do. I tapped my foot on the ground impatiently while I waited for Aiden to arrive to take Kia. I wanted to go home. I wanted my bed, and I wanted to sleep for the whole day.

Mr Arnold came out of the car and shut the door after him. I looked at him in bewilderment. What was he doing? He removed his coat and put it around me. I was taken aback by his action.

I couldn't move. I was just frozen. "Don't look at me like that?", he whispered in my ears."You are shivering Miss Summers. I'm going to take you to the doctor, okay?" I nodded.

Mr Arnold bent down to my level as if he was going to kiss me, a shiver ran through me. I held my breath. "You look good in my clothes, Miss Summers.", I snapped my eyes at him as soon as he said that cocky remark. He had been smirking all this time and trust me it took all of my strength not to hit his gorgeous face.

"You're such an arrogant bastard.", I hissed at him. His smirk widened, "I expected a thank you." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not going to thank you, but I would like to ask one thing." "What is that?" Mr Arnold asked curiously.

"Why are you behaving so nicely with me?" I asked him. He tilted his head to the side and took a step closer to me. "The other day you were fighting with me and today you're acting all sweet. Why is that?"

"What kind of gentleman would I be if I left a quivering woman here, huh?" he said in a soft voice. I looked at him and he had a hint of a smile on his face. His lips barely brushed my cheek and I could feel the warmth from his breath on my skin. I closed my eyes, breathing in the scent of him. My heart was racing and I could hear it in my ears.

"Mr Arnold someone might see me in your coat, thinking it otherwise," I whispered to him, my fists clenching remembering the last incident.

"No one will.", he said firmly, I could feel myself getting tense with the closeness of his voice. My eyes caught a pair of electric blue eyes and I thanked my lucky stars.

"Hey guys.", he waved at us. I shot him a polite smile which was quickly replaced with a sneeze. "Sorry.", I apologized to Aiden, he dismissed my apology and walked to the car, pulling Kia along. I looked at Mr Arnold. "I hope you get well soon Miss summers."

"I hope so too," I muttered, and he got into his car. As he drove away, I walked over to the passenger seat and got into it. Mr Arnold sat inside the car.

"Shall we ?" he asked. I nodded and he began driving.

It was silent. I wanted to thank him. I didn't want to look like I didn't appreciate his actions. Once again my overthinking introvert self took over me. Should I just mutter a quick thanks, I contemplated but that'd look fake. Should I just let it slide? No, no, I had to think of a way to thank him properly. I thought and thought until I came up with something. I looked at him out of the corner of my eyes.

"Thank you.", I rushed out. Mr Arnold turned to me and raised his eyebrows. I cleared my throat and blurted, "Thank you for uh giving me your coat and uh for uh taking me to the hospital." Mr Arnold chuckled.

"You're very welcome.", he said looking straight into my eyes. I felt a surge of feelings I hadn't felt in a very long time. It felt as if a switch in my brain had been flipped, and it felt amazing. "Are you always this awkward?" he laughed. I rolled my eyes. "I'm not awkward, I'm just tired. "

He chuckled again, it was the third time I heard that laugh of his it still made my heart skip a beat. "Sure, Ms Summers.", he stopped the car in front of the hospital entrance. "Come on.", he opened the door and got out, I got up and followed him. I felt a little embarrassed and guilty that he had to walk in cold just in his shirt.

We didn't have to wait for too long when the receptionist called out for him.

Perks of coming with a billionaire I guess.

We were walking towards the doctor's office when my eyes caught a woman laying on a stretcher, she was being rushed to the operation theatre. Her face was pale and she was unconscious. Her head was bleeding. My mind raced, my heart began to pound, I tried not to panic. My brain was flashing the memories of my mother. My feet and legs felt like they were going to give out. My head began to hurt.

I rushed down the corridor stumbling over people. I threw myself in the first room I saw. I wanted nothing more than to be pulled in darkness. I felt someone grab my left shoulder. "Don't touch me.", I screamed.

I was taken aback when Mr Arnold put a glassy-eyed, but concerned look on his face. It was the first time I have seen him so worried. "D-do-don't touch me!" I said, pulling away.

I could hear her cries in my ears. I could hear my mother screaming for help, the sound of her wails was like a knife in my heart. It was all I could hear. I cried, I didn't even care if I was bothering him. I was crying and screaming. It was just so painful, I just wanted to be with my Mumma.

I felt his hand gently touch my shoulder, "It's gonna be alright.", he whispered.

"No.", I screamed making him flinch. "No!!! It's not gonna be alright. It's gonna be awful. Just awful. I can't deal with this. I can't handle it. I... I can't handle this. Don't touch me. Don't touch me." I sobbed as I fell to the floor. I felt Mr Arnold's hands holding my shoulders, his arms around my body.

"It's gonna be okay," he whispered. I felt his lips gently kiss my forehead. "No one is gonna hurt you. Nothing is gonna hurt you." I felt his lips against my forehead again."I promise."

I closed my eyes and didn't open them again, I was exhausted, mentally and physically.

I felt him lift me up and carry me in his arms. I laid my head on his shoulder. He kept saying, "It's gonna be alright." I felt him gently lay me on a bed.

"No one will hurt you for as long as I live.", his words were a soothing balm to my raw, hurt soul. I felt him lifting my palm and gently placing it on his lips. But all I could think was it will never be alright. It will not be alright ever.

***

*Tough times are just like dark nights, they may be long but they can never be for ever You're always strong enough to rise and fight with it.