Tearing Paper

Forgot

You are the piece of me

I wish I didn't need

Ella.

His heart broke. All it took was one look at her pale, dreamless face to realize that a part of him was still missing her. Her paper lips were quivering slightly as her eyes slowly opened-reflex brought her right arm to touch her bandaged forehead, as a painful sigh slipped through her weak voice.

"Ssh-give her some space," the doctor ordered.

Ella's mother held Nate's tall shoulders with both arms as she watched her daughter regain consciousness. According to her, Ella had first recovered yesterday morning, but something unexpected caused the doctors to treat her again and let her rest for another day. Nate was yet to discover what emergency had stupidly caused him to leave a deeply slumbering Dianne alone in Namiri Island.

"Nate? Nate, it is you," Ella quickly blossomed. "You came. I knew it-I knew they were lying. Mom, see? I told you you were wrong! Nate's still here. With me..."

"Ella?"

No "why are you still here".

No "I don't wanna see you again".

No "I hate you".

Ella was as fresh and gleeful as she was the day before Nate decided to cut things off between them. It was as if Nate was a brand new star she could not stop looking at, with that babyish, cheerful smile. It was like she...

Totally forgot Nate had broken up with her.

And nearly caused her death.

The doctor ran his hand through his thin graying hair and exhaled. "I'm afraid our speculation is proven," he cleared his throat and signalled Ella's mother and Nate to talk outside. Ella's eyes did not leave Nate's figure as he stepped away as fast as he could from that hospital room.

-

"Temporal memory loss. Her head is severely injured when she drowned-it must have been caused by the sharp rocks beneath the waters. I'm really sorry that this has not been predicted beforehand."

"Mom," Nate breathed, mad at himself from not being able to drop that title. Ella's mother turned to him with worried eyes. "I'm so sorry, Nathan-she forgets everything."

"The brain is very unique when it is faced with injuries. As people closest to her, I think you will be better in figuring out to what extent her memory is stretched, and what parts of her recent life has she forgotten. Recovery is very much possible-although... the time taken will be totally unpredictable."

Nate closed his eyes and hoped everything would fade to black and he would return to the peace of Namiri Island, because he knew the precise answers to the doctor's confusion.

Ella forgot that he had broken up with her.

Ella forgot that he no longer loved her.

Chasing relentlessly,

Still fight and I don't know why

-

Photo of Ella on the side! :))