In This Life (n.h.)

TWO

Ingrid's eyes flickered open and she was suddenly struck by a pounding in her head. She struggled to remember the night before. "Where am I?" she thought. She was laying in a soft bed, in an unfamiliar darkened room. The yellow glow of a lamp in the corner was the only light illuminating the small space. She looked around the room. There was a small night table beside her holding a full glass of water and a clock. It was 8:54 am. There was a closet on the opposite wall, cracked open but too dark inside to make out its contents. An empty guitar case lay open on the floor and scattered papers were strewn around it.

Ingrid was still wearing the same clothes from the night before, even her jacket and boots remained on, despite the fact that she was underneath three blankets. Her clothes were still slightly damp, but she was warm. She continued to scale the room, searching for something she might remember, but nothing looked familiar at all. 

Last night, she only remembered going to the cemetery to visit the grave and now she was in a strange bed, in a room she'd never seen before. Footsteps echoed from the hallway and got louder from the other side of the door. She quickly sat up, afraid of where she was and who had taken her. The door began to open and Ingrid froze in place, still in the sea of blankets but sitting upright now. A guy appeared in the doorway. He was wearing sweatpants and a white long sleeve shirt and his wavy hair was messy; he looked like he had just woken up. 

"You're awake," he said, and with only those two words, it was impossible not to notice his Irish accent.

"Who are you? Where am I?" she asked firmly.

"I'm Niall. Look, I didn't want to scare you or violate you in any way, but last night, you looked like you could use a warm place to stay. I just wanted to help so I-,"

"You took me home?" she retaliated. "You don't even know me,"

"I know that, I'm sorry. You were unconscious on the ground. I was trying to ask you questions, but you were out cold. I just wanted you to be alright," Niall said, looking at the ground.

Ingrid didn't know what to say. Was she supposed to thank him? Was she supposed to be concerned that a stranger took her home? Like the average person, she had never been in a situation like this, but for some reason, she wasn't worried or scared. The look on Niall's face made it clear that he was just trying to help.

"I don't mean to scare ya. Would you like to come to the main room?" Niall offered.

"Yes please," she answered.

Ingrid pushed all the blankets off, got up from the bed, and followed Niall down a short hallway that led to a kitchen. The kitchen was small, but quaint. It had a table with two chairs. Ingrid sat in one of the chairs. She wasn't really sure what to do. Niall seemed friendly, but the situation was strange. She didn't know what to say or when to leave.

"Do you want coffee or tea or anything?" he asked.

"No, thank you," she answered.

"What's your name?"

"Ingrid,"

He grabbed a mug off the counter and sat in the chair across from her. As he took a long sip from his mug, she looked around, noticing many boxes all over the apartment.

"Did you just move here?" she asked.

"Yeah, from Ireland," he answered. 

"Ah..." she replied, still not knowing what to say.

A very long and silent minute went by and Niall's face changed. He looked at her with concern in his eyes.

"If you don't mind me asking, what was going on last night? Did you fall and hit your head or something?" he said.