223. Anxious.

Mauve woke up suddenly and immediately sat upright, holding the cover sheets to her chest. She tried to open her eyes and it felt like someone had poured a handful of sand in them.

She rubbed at them and tried to open them again. It didn't make much difference and she was left blinking rapidly to try to combat the uncomfortable feeling.

"You're awake," Jael said and Mauve raised her head to look at him.

He was standing a couple of feet away from the bed. He was barefoot, the only item of clothing on his body was a pair of pants and the towel around his neck.

It was obvious he just took a bath. The tub was still in the room and she could visibly see water drip down his black hair. The weight of the water made his hair fall down the sides of his face making it look longer than usual.

Mauve nodded at his words and tried to keep her eyes glued to his face even though her eyes kept straying.