Another Life, Another Me

87. You

"Cordelia..."

The voice who called out to me seemed very familiar.

It was nostalgic and, yet, felt very distant at the same time.

"...Wake up. They're all waiting for you..."

...Shai...?

...Gadia...?

I flickered my eyes open and the light of the room pierced my gaze through slits of my eyelids.

With a small groan, I squeezed my eyes shut again.

My body was numb as if though every nerve in my body had gone to sleep.

I tried to speak, but my throat felt both tight and dry, so I opened my lips to beg for something to drink.

But no voice came out.

For a moment, it was as if I had become a doll who could neither move nor speak on her own.

I was scared.

"...Cor...delia?" a weak voice whispered from beside me.

It was a voice so warm...so comforting...so lovely and smooth to the ear...

I could feel my eyes dampen with tears as I tried to imagine the face of the man that the voice belonged to.

His hair.

His lips.

His smile.

"Cordelia...?" he repeated, his voice a little clearer...a little stronger...

I could feel large tears roll down the sides of my cheek.

Right there...

He was right there...

And I couldn't even turn my head to see him.

"Cordelia...Cordelia...Cordelia..." he murmured, his voice growing quicker and quicker...louder and louder...

The sound of his voice as he repeated my name over and over again felt so sweet like melting honey.

Ace...

Ace...

Ace...

"...A...ce..." I croaked out as I didn't try to hold back my tears anymore.

I missed you.

From the very side of my vision, I could see him standing up to lean over me.

I could feel the weight of the bed shift as he supported himself against the mattress to bring his face closer to mine.

I could see him clearly now.

From the outline of his messy gray hair...

To the tears forming in his glittery green eyes...

And the way his lips quivered a little as his gaze landed on me...

"Cordelia," he whispered, "You're...awake."

He wrapped his hands around mine and held them close to his lips as if he were attempting to savor this moment and engrain it into his memory forever.

"...Cordelia."

"A...ce..." I replied as steady as I could.

Ace...Ace...Ace...

Was I asleep this whole time...?

Why...

My mind was foggy as I tried to think back and remember anything I could.

But a splitting pain that erupted from the back of my head forced me to stop and I winced.