In Between [ATARAXIA Series #1]

001

I groaned when the pain stung me. My eyes start to become teary but I did my best to stop those tears. They're just worthless. I don't want to cry anymore. And crying will never help me in this state. I'll just waste my energy.

The doctors gathered around me. I can't hear what they're discussing. One of them injects me with something which made the pain go and slowly pull me to sleep.

"Everything will gonna be alright." was the last thing I'd remember before my eyes shut into the darkness.

"Hey." I woke up when someone poked me. I slowly opened my eyes but first I was blinded because of the ray of the sun that comes from the open window in my room. I'm still in the hospital bed where I laid down for almost half of my life. I look to someone who wakes me up. My forehead knitted seeing the unfamiliar man. He is smiling at me and waving his hand. He's also wearing a hospital gown. I've seen him before I'm sure of that.

"W-who are you?" I asked weakly I feel exhausted as always. I just woke up but I feel so tired as if I ran into a maze for the whole day but this is not new for me.

"I am Jazxer Allie Yoon. You?" he introduced and he was still smiling like there was no tomorrow. How can he do that? How he can beam like that when he is also wearing the same clothes as mine? When he is also a patient of this hospital.

"I am Azzelle Hendric Hamada," it almost came out like a whisper because I'm still under medicine and still groggy. And maybe because of the pain that draining my body.

He sat on the edge of my bed and stared at me with those smiles. I averted my gaze and look outside the window he was giving me a weird feeling.

"Are you just staying in your bed?" I shrugged. This is a normal thing to me. I will just wake up and stay still in my hospital bed. "Why are you sad?" I heard him ask. I smirk hearing that question. I don't know him but he acts as if we know each other. He slowly got on my nerves. I'm getting annoyed.

"Can you leave my room? I don't know you and why are you here?" I hissed. But instead of getting out of my room. I heard him chuckle.

"They right, you are hot temper." I heard him whisper. "But I want you to be my friend." He added. Friend? I never had one. And I don't need one either. I let out a cold cackle.

"What's your finding Mr. Jazxer? Are you ill inside your head?" He didn't respond. But I feel that he is staring at me intently. "Friend? A-huh. Do you even know what is the meaning of friend?" I questioned with an annoyed tone.

"Someone that will stay with you. Understand you. And will never leave you." he responded.

"It's yourself..." I mumbled. It's yourself... My friend is myself. I'm the one who understands myself no one did. Only me. Then I should consider myself as my friend. Aren't I?

"What did you say? My friend?" My friend my ass. This is the very first time someone called me that. And I don't understand what I feel after hearing that and I don't like it.

"Azzelle, I'm here to be your friend." His voice is filled with happiness. Happiness? What kind of feeling is that? I wonder.

"Mr. Jazxer, listen I don't need a friend or anything. Being alone is more appropriate for me. So please leave me alone. You are disturbing me." I calmly said. I waited for him to move even an inch to his place but he didn't. And that made me look at him. I was surprised to see him still beaming even after giving him an attitude. The way he looks at me saying, he's amused.

"You are so cool! I want you to be my friend. I want to." I took a deep sigh. He is hard-headed. Well, it is pretty obvious from his grin. I took another deep breath.

"I don't need a friend." I pressed my lips in a thin line to make him notice that I'm serious.

"But everyone needs a friend. No one can live alone. That's why there's a saying that no man's on an island." he gives me a smug smile.

"Listen to me carefully because I will not be going to repeat it anymore. I don't need a friend like you. If you want to have a new friend go to the other rooms maybe they want to be. But in my case? You as my friend? Will never happen!" I thought he will stop his nonsense idea after hearing that from me but he smiled again what the fuck?!

"I don't want anybody. I want you...." He even pouted after uttering that.

"Seriously? You are-"

"Don't you want a friend because you are dying?" I was stunned. "Why? Don't you want to have someone on your side when that day happens?" A lump in my throat prevented me from talking. "Did I just hit your button?" I gritted my teeth.

"Who the hell are you? and how dare you-" A familiar kick of pain stopped me from talking. I clutched onto my chest. My breath becomes heavier.

"H-hey are you okay?" he asked me. I avoided his gaze. My head started spinning too. Damn! He immediately pressed the emergency button on my hospital bed. I closed my eyes when the pain becomes more intense. Here we go again the nonstop pain. Why don't you just let me die?

Later on, the doctor and nurses rushed to me. Before darkness invades my system again. I opened my eyes and I saw him leaving my room with a guilty expression. After that darkness pulled me.

I slowly opened my eyes and the familiar ceiling made me snap into reality. I passed out again due to the pain. I looked around and let out a relieved sigh when I didn't see that man. I tried to stand and opened the window's curtain. At first, the light made me close my eyes but in time I got adjusted to it. I turned my eyes outside. My hospital ward is on one of the highest floors of this hospital.

I smile bitterly. Memories flashed to my mind. My life when I was still outside, studying, and bonding with my friends. Those mesmerized made me feel more tired.

"Azzelle, you don't have any friends they just need you that time and now they're gone, You don't need a friend," I whispered. I heard my room door open but I didn't bother to look who was entering. Maybe, it was just a nurse or doctor. Because no one pays to visit me. Why? Because I'm not worth it for their time.

"A-zzelle." after hearing that voice again. I don't know but my heart jumped. But why? I turned to that person and it was him. The man who keeps asking me to be his friend. He has those beams again.

"Hi, my friend." He uttered. Jazxer Allie Yoon who are you? And what do you need?