AUTHOR'S P.O.V
Ava stood in front of the mirror, staring at herself but not really seeing anything. Her mind was miles away, anxiety eating her alive.
She was nervous, and no matter how much she tried to keep it together, her heart wouldn’t calm down. Tonight, she would meet Reed Lanchester.
Her heart leaped—then it started that usual erratic rhythm, beating furiously in her chest. He was her stepping stone to regaining her memories. She would finally come to know her past.
A tap on the shoulder pulled her from her thoughts. She turned to see Nicole.
"You look beautiful, dear."
Ava smiled and turned back to the mirror. She looked good. She knew. Even without trying, she always drew attention. She hated it.
Her mind drifted to a memory.
She was filled with despair. Waking up with no idea who she was or where she belonged—it was suffocating. Who was supposed to come for her? Why hadn't they? Had she been an orphan? The weight of the unknown pressed heavily on her chest.
She'd been in a coma for two years. Two whole years.
She was supposed to be recovering, but every time she stepped out of her room, eyes followed her. Nurses, doctors—they all stared for too long, like she was some rare specimen instead of a person. The male patients were even worse.
There was the old man who always called her “angel” and tried to give her candy from his nightstand. The younger ones, the ones who could actually walk, found reasons to pass by her room, flashing smiles and terrible pick-up lines. Even the ones in wheelchairs got creative, rolling up to her with flowers they'd stolen from the hospital garden.
Then there was Dave.
A rustle from the doorway pulled her attention. A man stood there, shifting awkwardly, hospital gown hanging off his frame, a bouquet in his hands. Lilies.
He stepped forward. "Hi. I’m Dave. These are for you."
She didn’t know what to say.
Her eyes flickered from the lilies to Dave’s face. He looked nervous, his fingers tightening around the stems like he half-expected her to reject them.
"Uh... thanks," she said, taking the flowers hesitantly. They smelled fresh, crisp, like the gardens outside. She had no memory of ever liking lilies, but maybe she did. Maybe she used to.
Dave smiled, relief washing over his face. "I saw you sitting alone yesterday. Thought you could use some company."
She frowned slightly. He'd been watching her?
Dave must've caught the look because he laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not like that—I mean, everybody watches you. You probably noticed."
Oh, she noticed. The lingering stares, the whispers when she walked past, the nurses acting extra nice, the doctors—some old enough to be her father—taking just a little too much interest in her progress. She didn’t know if it was because of how she looked or because she was the girl with no past, the one who woke up from a coma like a ghost dropped into someone else’s life.
Still, she had no idea what to do with Dave standing there, grinning at her like he knew some secret about her that even she didn't.
"You don’t have to talk," he said, rocking on his heels. "I just figured... if I lost my memories, I’d want a friend."
