Miss nobody strikes back

She's awake

Chapter Forty-Six 

I couldn’t get over what happened between me and Kai. All night, I tossed and turned, wondering if Kai had a crush on me or if he genuinely liked me. My head was a mess, tangled with confusion and excitement.

I dressed quickly for school, trying to shake the thoughts from my mind. My mom packed me some Chinese dumplings and sandwiches, her usual morning routine bringing me comfort. "Gamsamida (Thank you)," I said to her, and she kissed my forehead. I dashed outside to meet Dad, who was dropping Shane and me off at school. But the thought of sharing a car with Shane was suffocating; the tension between us seemed to grow with each passing day.

"Why are you guys always after my girlfriend? You even let Dominic hit your own brother," Shane said, casting himself as the victim, his voice heavy with blame.

"If my so-called brother can’t protect his sister from his crazy girlfriend, then why not let a friend do it?" I shot back.

"She’s not crazy," he muttered defensively.

"Yes, she is, and she’s slowly turning you crazy too. Look at what she did to Hanna," I said, pulling up a picture of Hanna lying in the hospital. I thrust my phone toward him, and he reached out to grab it, but I held it out of reach.

"Claire is crazy, and deep down, you know it. Until you get rid of her, don’t speak to me," I said firmly, plugging in my AirPods before he could respond.

When we arrived at school, I stepped out of the car, spotting Kai and Dominic walking into the building together. Calling out to them, I felt a strange burst of excitement as they turned toward me. I ran over and hugged Kai tightly. He seemed surprised at first but quickly wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close.

"You’re in a good mood today. I like it," he whispered in my ear, making me smile as I pulled away. I turned to Dominic with a cheerful "Hi, Dominic."

"Hi," he replied simply, his usual calm demeanor in place. I held both of their hands, feeling light and carefree. "Let’s go to class. I’m in a great mood today," I said, and they both followed, one of the perks of having two close friends who would do anything for me.

The day went by smoothly, every class seeming to fly by. Then, after the final bell rang, my phone buzzed. As I answered, my eyes widened with shock, and I let out a loud scream of excitement.

“What happened?” Kai asked, alarmed.

"Oh my god, Hanna! She’s awake! She’s awake!" I exclaimed, barely able to contain my joy.

“Really? Oh my god, that’s wonderful news!” Kai shared in my excitement, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"Let’s go to the hospital!" I said, grabbing his hand as we dashed out. We arrived at the hospital shortly, where Aunt Susan was already waiting in the lobby, looking tired but hopeful.

"Aunt Susan, have you seen her?" I asked, unable to hide my excitement.

"No, the doctor is still running some tests. He told us to wait. I can’t believe it’s been a month and a few weeks," Aunt Susan said, her expression a mix of relief and sadness.

Just then, the doctor emerged from Hanna’s room, clipboard in hand. I rushed over, my heart pounding. "How is she, doctor?" I asked, barely able to breathe.

"She’s doing well," he replied with a reassuring smile. "No traces of memory loss, though she’s still very frail and weak. Her blood pressure is a bit low, so she may have a poor appetite. But with a few days in the hospital and some medication, she should be back on her feet."

"Oh, thank goodness!" I said, clasping my hands together in relief.

“It’s actually a miracle. Comas are not something you easily wake up from. She’s very fortunate,” the doctor said. Aunt Susan let out a grateful smile, wiping away a tear.

"Can we see her?" Aunt Susan asked.

The doctor nodded and walked away as Aunt Susan opened the door. Together, we walked in, feeling nervous yet excited. There was Hanna, sitting up in bed, leaning back against her pillows, looking out the window. Hearing us enter, she turned, and her lips curled into a soft smile.

“Aunt Susan,” she said, her voice soft but clear. I placed a hand over my mouth, overcome with emotions that words couldn’t begin to express.

"Hanna," Aunt Susan said, walking over to the bed and sitting beside her, wrapping her arms around her gently. "I’m so sorry this happened to you. I’m so, so sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling. Hanna smiled, understanding, and they looked at each other with tearful eyes.

“Hanna!” I cried, running to the other side of her bed and pulling her into a tight hug. Her warmth, her presence—I couldn’t believe she was actually here, awake and smiling.

“Jenny…” she whispered, hugging me back, and I felt tears slip down my cheeks.

“I missed you so much. My life felt lonely and incomplete without you. I was so scared, afraid that I might lose you. Thank you for coming back,” I said between sobs. I pulled back to look at her face, memorizing every detail of this miraculous moment.

"Oh god, stop crying, or you’re going to make me cry too," Hanna said, smiling softly as I wiped my tears away.

Kai and Dominic stepped forward, each offering their own greetings, and Hanna smiled at them both, her gratitude evident in her eyes. Aunt Susan spent a little more time with Hanna before she had to head back to New Jersey, promising to return soon. Now, it was just me, Hanna, Kai, and Dominic, gathered around her hospital bed.

"How are you feeling now?" I asked, holding her hand gently.

"Weak, but better," she replied, her smile small but genuine.

“I’m so happy you’re back,” I said, squeezing her hand. Kai placed an arm around my shoulders, leaning close.

“See, I told you she’d wake up. You just had to have faith,” Kai whispered reassuringly, and I nodded, feeling comforted by his words.

"Are you hungry?" I asked, turning back to Hanna. She nodded slightly.

“Kai, why don’t we go grab some food?” I suggested, and he nodded in agreement.

“We’ll be right back,” I said to Hanna, giving her one last smile before Kai took my hand. We left the room, leaving Hanna and Dominic alone. A little part of me hoped that this time together would let Dominic open up to Hanna and perhaps bring them closer.

  A/N:The moment you’ve all been waiting for: Hanna is awake! Thank you all for reading. Please share and comment with your thoughts.