The Marvelous Elijah’s Return

What did you just say

The sound of her room door opening made Peach raise her head off the pillow and gazed at her mother, standing in the doorway, smiling at her. “Can I come in?” Miss Grace asked cheerfully, closing the door behind her and stepping inside the room.

Slowly, Peach sat up from the bed, hugging her knees as she rested her head on her kneecaps, feeling a sense of sadness welling up within her as she watched her mother approach her with a warm smile and sit down beside her on the edge of the

mattress.

“James made chicken soup for dinner with rice and vegetables.” Miss Grace told her kindly.

Shaking her head slowly, Peach said with a sad smile, “I‘m too full already, Mama.

You should go ahead and eat without me.”

“Peach, you have been in here all day and have barely put much in your stomach. That‘s not healthy!” Miss Grace chided her, gently squeezing Peach‘s hands. One look at her mother and Peach could see her concern clearly written across her wrinkled brows and pursed lips.

The sight made Peach‘s heart clench painfully in her chest, making her realize what her behavior was doing to her mother, so she smiled saintly and said, “Okay, let‘s go.”

The dining hall was quite peaceful when Miss Grace and Peach walked to the table, sitting between Rookie and Ryan.

Suddenly Matt entered the hall, and when James saw him alone, he frowned, mumbling,” Elijah is not joining us?”

Shaking his head slightly, Matt sighed and then said, “He won‘t even answer the door.”

The room fell silent after Matt‘s words and everyone stared at each other quietly for a moment, feeling a mixture of feelings stirring inside them. “Dish some food in a bowl, and I will take it to him,” Peach said, raising her gaze to meet James‘ concerned

ones.

Silently, Miss Grace darted her eyes towards her daughter with a soft expression on

her face.

Peach‘s feelings towards Elijah than just friendship, and even though she was worried about her daughter and wanted to protect her, she understood that she

look appearing in her eyes. Giving her mother an encouraging nod, Peach stood up from the seat and picked

walked away from the table with the tray tightly in her grips. Striving to stay optimistic, she strode confidently through the hallway until

track.

ridiculous to act so scaredly, but the way he was

Peach knocked softly on the door and waited patiently before calling

said, “I got a tray of chicken soup with rice

would lie and say it‘s delicious if that would get you to eat, but I haven‘t tried it myself. But

so I guess it

and Peach looked up with widened eyes when the door

sigh, Elijah rubbed his hand over his tired eyes while he gave a small smile

desk, and turned around

as she was about to step past him, Elijah grabbed onto her wrist and

you are worried about me?” Elijah asked, arching his eyebrow as he studied her appearance. Peach shrugged, trying to look unaffected by his touch, but she knew

Peach replied, “James made you some food, so I thought…” A small smile touched Elijah‘s

But Elijah gently grabbed her by her shoulders and

other chair and pulled it closer until they were sitting face to face, looking at her fluttering lashes. Slowly, he brought his hand towards her forehead and Peach winced when his warm palm brushed against her skin, causing goosebumps to rise across her entire body. “Your mother said that you weren‘t feeling okay this morning,” Elijah commented softly as he examined her face closely, brushing a stray curl back behind her ear. “Are you not angry?”

him curiously. At this point,

Peach blinked owlislıly at

down on her lower lip as she eyed him warily. “We should

had

handed her a spoon and said, “You should also try a bite of it.” Peach nodded her head and took a piece of chicken before bringing it to her mouth and swallowing it quickly. “Umm… If

as she placed another piece of chicken into her mouth and watched him

Maybe a steak.”

and then said, “Mmhm… I think I

over her as she listened to the gentle laughter and playful banter filling the room from

a risk because he seems like

he will be good to you… that

thought, smiling when she heard