A shaky breath left my lips as I attempted to hit Send.
Water. That’s what I need.
My head lifted off my phone, and my legs resumed again, taking me a few feet down the corridor. I knew that the water dispenser was right there, probably about five or six steps ahead of me. But white spots scattered across my vision, and everything blinked out for a second. White. Then, the fluorescent-illuminated corridor came back,
narrowing, tunneling away.
“Whoa,” I heard myself murmur.
I was completely unaware of the fact that my legs had kept moving forward until I had to balance myself with a hand on the wall.
“Oh mierda.” I stumbled.
My eyelids fluttered closed, and I could feel how all the blood in my face rushed down, leaving me woozy and unbalanced. I willed my eyes to open back up. But all I saw was white. A white and misty blanket that covered everything in front of me. Although perhaps, it was the wall. I couldn’t be sure.
I … I messed up. Big time. Eight thirty. No one around. That kept echoing in my head as I tried to account for the signs that indicated I was going down. And I … dammit. I couldn’t remember. Couldn’t … think. My skin felt cold and clammy, and I just wanted to close my eyes and rest. I was vaguely recalling that being a bad idea when my limbs started giving out.
Then, I was lying down.
Good. That’s good. I’ll rest, and then I’ll be better. I toppled to the side. It’s cold, but it’ll … get … better.
“Catalina.” A voice seeped through the haze. It was deep. Urgent.
My lips were cool and felt detached from my body, so I didn’t answer.
“Fuck.” That voice again. Then, something warm fell on my forehead. “Jesus, fuck. Catalina.”
I messed up. I … knew. I had done something wrong, and I wanted to admit it out loud to whoever was there, but all I accomplished was a mumble that didn’t really sound like … anything.
“Hey.” That voice softened, no longer sounding angry.
And I … I was so tired.
“Open those big brown eyes.”
That warm pressure I felt on my forehead moved down my face, spreading across my cheek. It felt good against my cool and damp skin, so I leaned on it.
“Open them for me. Please, Catalina.”
My eyelids fluttered open for an instant, finding two blue spots that made me think of the ocean. I felt a sigh escape my mouth, that hollow and void sensation receding for an instant.
“There you are.” I heard the voice again. Even softer now. Relieved.
As I blinked slowly, my vision started to return in flashes. Deep blue eyes. Hair as dark as black ink. The hard line of a jaw.
“Lina?”
Lina.
There was something funny about that voice calling my name. The one everyone called me.
No, not everyone.
I blinked some more, but before my eyes could focus on a fixed point, I was lifted in the air. The movement was slow, so gentle, that I barely noticed it at first, but then we started moving. And after a few seconds, the motion was enough to send my head spinning again.
“Mi cabeza,” I said under my breath.
“I’m sorry.” I felt the words rumbling against my side, becoming aware of how my cheek was resting against something hot and hard. Something with a heartbeat. A chest. “Just stay with me, okay?”