Forever and Always | Max Verstappen *ੈ✩‧₊˚

Unfamiliar

Present day

Emma
I woke up to this annoying beeping sound. It was steady, almost like it was counting down to something, but I had no idea what.

My head felt like it was splitting in two, and when I tried to open my eyes, everything was blurry. Like I was looking through a fogged-up window.

The smell hit me next—clean, almost too clean. That sharp hospital smell and that's when it clicked: I was in a hospital.

My chest tightened with panic, and I tried to move, but everything hurt.

My arms, my legs... even my fingers felt sore. And there were tubes.

I had tubes attached to me. Why did I have tubes?

Then, I noticed a man sitting right next to my bed.

At first, he was just this fuzzy shape next to me, slouched in a chair beside the bed. His head was tilted forward, like he'd fallen asleep sitting up.

I couldn't make out much, but I could tell he was tall, broad shoulders, messy hair.

He was holding my hand.

This stranger, whoever he was, had his fingers wrapped gently around mine.

Who was he? Why was he here? And why was he holding my hand like that? I didn't know him, did I?

I tried to pull my hand away, just a little, but everything hurt, and my fingers barely moved.

Still, it was enough.

He stirred, his grip tightening slightly as his head lifted.

His eyes opened, and I caught a glimpse of deep blue, still sleepy but sharp enough that they locked onto mine right away.

The guy practically jumped out of his chair, his face lighting up with this wild mix of relief and pure joy.

"Oh my God, thank God! You're up! Oh, thank God!" he practically shouted.

"You scared me there, Davis!"

Davis? My last name? How did he know my last name?

My head spun with confusion.

I didn't know this guy—at least, I didn't think I did—but he was acting like I was someone important. Someone he knew.

My mind was racing, trying to catch up with the situation, when suddenly, without any warning, he leaned down and kissed me.

On the lips.

My eyes went wide as shock slammed into me.

I was frozen, my body too stunned to move, my brain too jumbled to make sense of what just happened.

This stranger, whoever he was, had just kissed me, like it was the most normal thing in the world.

Before I could even think of how to react, he pulled back, his expression still glowing with that same relieved smile.

"I'll go get the doctor," he said, his voice rushed with excitement, and then, just like that, he was out the door.

The door opened again, and in he walked with a doctor.

The doctor picked up my chart from the end of the bed and began flipping through the pages.

"Good to see you awake, Emma," he said, "I'm going to do a quick exam to make sure everything's alright."

I nodded, I could barely focus on his words.

The doctor moved closer, shining a small flashlight into my eyes. "Just follow the light for me, okay?"