The sound of his voice, so lacking in his usual boisterous energy, cut her clear to the core. Looking toward the source of the noise, Allie caught sight of movement, and she walked slowly, hesitantly, to where her brother was resting. This can't be happening... He was only pretending. Playing a joke on her. He wasn't hurt.
Ollie's jokes had never been so cruel, though.
There was no denying it once she saw him. How pale he looked, even in the dim lighting. How weak he was. How scared he was. She knew he was trying so hard to hide it, to put up a brave front. For her. But she saw right through it. The Andrada twins could no more hide fear from each other than they could their own reflections.
Allie sank to the floor near Ollie, her entire world shrinking until he was the only thing that mattered. People — her friends — were having a muted conversation near the door, but she could've cared less what they were discussing. Only Ollie mattered right now. A whole week without him, without knowing where he was or what was going on, and now to find him in this state, in this room.
"Oliver..." What was she supposed to say? Or do? Allie reached out to take his hand, her other hand brushing his sweat-slicked hair away from his brow. "Please tell me you weren't bitten... That this is just a nightmare I'm having... Because I ca— I can't..." I can't be alone. Tears overflowed her eyes, and Allie slammed them shut.