He Stole My Heart ✅

25 - Guilt rose by tenfold

Jason's POV

"What happened? Why are you both quiet??" grandpa asked, looking at Ryan and Dia. Everyone is seated at the dining table for breakfast except Amy. Ryan and Dia looked at me clueless.

I don't know whether his old heart can bear hearing what happened to his granddaughter. Contemplating I told him "They were just tired because of staying up late last night and playing games. Even Amy is still sleeping."

Nodding at me, grandpa asked them again "Did you two fight? You both are awfully calm today." He looked curiously at Dia and Ryan.

Ryan gave a weak smile to grandpa. Suddenly the doorbell rang and Mrs.Kashyap went to attend.

Mr.Kashyap walked in with his briefcase in one hand and a suitcase in the other. His shoulders slumped and dark circles were forming under his eyes. He looked exhausted with disheveled hair.

"Raj? You didn't tell me you were coming? You were to stay for one more week right?" Grandpa asked surprisingly.

"Yeah. I have some urgent work here so had to come. Jason can you see me in my study." He asked me urgently.

"Yeah, Mr.Kashyap." I stood from the dining table, any way I was not in the mood to eat anything right now. The food is not going down my throat.

"Let him eat first and Raj, you too join us for breakfast." Mrs.Kashyap intervened.

"No" Mr. Kashyap snapped at his wife making her jump back. Grandpa and Grandma too looked with his sudden outburst.

"I'm not hungry Mrs.Kashyap. I will eat after a while." I told her giving a small smile to her.

                            *****

"How is she?" He asked me closing the door and sitting on a chair and rubbing his temples.

"Sleeping. I don't want to disturb her. She didn't sleep well last night. Woke up  many times, too many nightmares." I told him taking the chair across him and interlinked my fingers on the table.

"Let her rest. Thank you so much if you weren't there... I can't imagine what would have happened to her." He said placing his hand over mine.

"There is no need to thank me," I promised myself yesterday to always look after her. There was this strange sense to protect her ever since I saw her in that helpless state.

Dia knocked on the door and walked in. "Amy woke up just now," She told us. I dashed towards her room not waiting for Mr.Kashyap.

She was still lying on the bed but her blank eyes stared into the ceiling above her. Dressed in yesterday's clothes and a comforter around her torso. Her face looked pale and her lips were dry and chapped.

"Amy... How are you feeling now?" I asked her quietly.

She looked startled at first and then silent tears flowed down her eyes.

She turned her face away from me. Seeing her tear-stricken face the guilt in me arose tenfold. I sat beside her on the bed. Placing my palm on her cheek, I turned her face towards me and that's when I felt her hot skin against my hand. The fever reduced last night because of medicine but was rising again.