DAISY

Relieved, I grab my backpack from the worktop I was laid on last night.

Good God. I can't believe I let the enemy do those things to me. And more unbelievable, how I liked everything he did with his hands and tongue.

Oh God.

I shake my head, shaking off the thought before asking the important question. "What? I thought Vance..."

"We're going to the hospital," Kay interrupts, leading to the foyer. I tail behind him, confused. "Why?" I ask.

He pauses instantly, and I bump into his broad chest, almost falling. Those amazing fingers that worked miracles on me last night curl around my arms and steady my balance. He smells as good as he looks. "Don't you have a headache?" His eyes narrow quizzically.

"Yes, I mean, I can take some pharmacy Advil and be okay," I assure him, barely looking into his intense eyes.

"We're going to the hospital." With that, he let go of me and turned, pressing the security system buttons.

"I don't have health insurance," I blurt behind him.

"Does it matter?" He grabs my backpack from my hand and gestures for me to proceed in. "Get in."

Don't blush. I don't care. He's not my boyfriend. This isn't him playing the gentleman for me. This is him being controlling and narcissistic, it's TOXIC, Daisy.

The drive to the nearest hospital is the quietest; none of us say a thing. Kay focuses on driving while I focus on texting Mr. Hui's office.

How can he decide to take a vacation without rounding up his businesses? This is unlike a well-known company.

By the time we arrive at the hospital, I am sulky and completely oblivious to my surroundings. Too many scenarios were going around my head as I went through the medical tests the doctor suggested.

"We've run some fever tests, and the result is clear. However, you're experiencing chronic stress," Doctor Sharpton informs us.

She's at least around her mid-forties and is dressed in a brown formal dress across the table.

"What does that mean?" Kay questions her, curiously and attentively. This is not his concern, he should be outside not getting into my personal business, I bet he just enjoys the idea of possessing me thoroughly so I will be nothing but what he let me be.

Her eyes shift to his direction as she begins explaining further. "It means your friend here might be undergoing what we call overloaded stress."

"How do you know?" he taunts, his fist clenched. He must be weighing his options of being an asshole.

Why is he angry? He should be rejoicing, he is being told he won, he knows he was the source of my distress, it was what he swore to do and now it has been medically proven by the doctors he's defeating me.

"We've had you undergo a full-body test. I'm afraid you might need to return if you notice any strange behavior that can be a symptom..."

"Behaviors like what?" Kay urges, cutting her off.

Good God. At least have some restraint. He can triumph when she's done.

She stops and breathes before answering him. Yes, it's hard to tolerate Kay. I know. "Inability to concentrate, anxiousness, lack of sleep, uncontrollable shaking of hands, isolation, withdrawing from others, pain of any kind, eating more or less, and nervousness," Doctor Sharpton speculates softly.

"Oh," I nervously swallow at the sinking realization I've experienced some of those. 

"Please, Miss Esteban, do ensure you let us know. People don't take such matters seriously until it causes huge damage. Stress has very strong side effects that can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, depression, anxiety, autoimmune diseases, high blood pressure, mental health and memory problems. There are a lot of complications it could cause and you are young," she explains. "For now, I will give you some drug prescriptions that I hope will help your body rest as well as your mental state, okay?"

"Okay," I agree.

At least Kay has finally stayed out of my business. Who would want a girl with mental problems? I wanted to laugh.

"And I will refer you to a counselor," she adds.

"I'm okay," I object. There's no way I'm going to counseling. As much as I know I was going crazy, I don't think my situation has gotten to that stage.

"I'd suggest you talk to someone, Daisy." She smiles at me like a mother would, and it strikes something inside of me. My eyes lower to my shaky fingers and I clasp my hands, hiding them from the two people in the room.

"I don't have anything to talk about," I whisper.

"Well, if you do, you can always call." She seems to understand and doesn't press further.

We leave the hospital with a considerable amount of prescriptions in Kay's hand and a card from a health counseling community.

"Stress? Isn't it unexpected?" My head rests against the passenger window when I distantly hear Kay's raspy voice in my head.

"She's just saying things. It's nothing," I whisper more to myself.

"Nothing? Right." He taps the steering wheel with his fingers. "You're calling the counselor."

Yeah, why not fix the cracks he opened in me so he can tear me again? He will do it over again in circles, like hell.

I have no strength for another debate, but with Kay, it's always his honor to push me.

I glide my head to the side and stare at his god-like structure before mentally hitting myself and pushing back the thought of his tongue between my thighs. "Excuse me? Just because I live at your place doesn't mean you have any business with my personal life."

He shakes his head and glances at me. "So there it is. You're worrying. You have no idea the damage you're causing to yourself."

Wow! Says the guy who promised to make my life a paranormal nightmare. He better not be serious right now.

"You gotta be kidding me." I exhale an exasperated laugh and turn away from him.

"You are calling the counselor, or I will call them for you," he asserts, and when I don't reply, he continues. "You've heard the doctor. There are risks, Daisy." He sounds crazy, like he cares like it's his problem to worry about. It hurts so bad knowing all this is nothing but for himself. He will need me healthy when he comes to strike, so that is why.

"Which would be my pleasure. Didn't you want me dead? It's just a little time, and maybe I would get off your ass. And all this hell will be over," I murmur, my eyes darting to the yellow cab ahead.

"I just..."

His sudden bothered reaction makes me absolutely fuming, knowing it is all pretense. He is a snake.

"Well, don't," I interrupt and look over to him. "A reminder; your reaction is not the way to hold grudges against someone, and most certainly not how you hate them. So stay out of this."

Does he have to throw it in my face? I know he's happy. Why not act normal and quit slapping me with pity? I don't need his pity, I get it, he has everything now and I am nothing with nothing. Let me deal with my problems.

For the rest of the ride, he says nothing. I can only sense his eyes on me while I anchor mine outside the small, confined car.

It's after ten when we arrive at school. We've both missed the first class. For that, I want to apologize and thank Kay.

We pull up by my next class when he begins, "I will drop your medication home. Mmm... Vance's by your department. He will drive you home."

"Thank you." a small smile accompanies my words as I climb out of the luxury car.