Reminiscent

Chapter Two

The hospital moved me to a private room soon after I woke up. Since then, I've met with a few different doctors. It feels as though they're giving me an involuntary test that I'm in no way prepared to take — despite this, they test me anyway. Continuously badgering me with a series of questions until I either scream or cry, then one of the doctors will say something like "that's enough for one day".

I sip on my warm coffee while watching the TV in the corner of the room.

"Now that the world knows how to wash their hands, how bout we get on turn signals? Or returning grocery store carts?" The talk show host jokes.

"Amen," Caroline smirks from my bedside.

I furrow my brows in confusion before averting my gaze from the TV, moving my eyes to the door where I began to hear men arguing.

"I jumped on the first flight from Seattle to Boston to see her" one cries.

"You can't be here, Chace" doctor Daniel responds.

"Is that her room?" Chace asks.

Suddenly the door swings open and a man comes running to my side. He stops sprinting abruptly when he reaches my bed, before looking me head to toe.

"I'm sorry, Halia," Daniel says from beside the man that he called Chace. "I'll get him out" he grabs Chace's arm.

The two men look too similar to not be related somehow. The only difference I can see is that Chace is taller with light hair, while Daniel is darker.

"Get your god damn hands off me!" Chace shoves Daniel, making my eyes widen. He then takes another step towards me. "How you holding up?" His voice his low and his eyes gentle.

I look at him curiously. Why is he so eager to see me? I wonder.

"Fine," I nod slowly.

"Yeah?" He raises his brows in relief while his eyes suddenly become filled with sorrow.

"Now, Chace" Daniel clenches his jaw, grabbing his arm.

"What happened to social distancing?" Chace retorts.

He is compliant this time, slowly walking through the door with Daniel.

"Who was that?" I look over to Caroline.

Caroline looks back up at the TV before answering with "nobody."

I narrow my eyes at the woman. I don't know how I feel about this version of Caroline. Her personality seems to have gone through a makeover, coming out uglier than when she went in. I wonder what she's been through in the last six years to become this person.

"Where's Mum? Why hasn't she come to see me yet?" I question.

There's a moment of silence. Caroline meets my gaze and says nothing — looking as though she is struggling to find the right words to say. A friend of mine once told me that the only time someone will hesitate when telling the truth is when they know it will hurt someone — I have a feeling that's what's happening here.

"She's travelling" Caroline answers, "she's been too nervous to all year but with the borders open again and things being safer now, she's gone back to it"

I furrow my brows in confusion.

"The borders were closed?"

Suddenly the door swings open again. I look up to see Daniel, whose marching towards me.

"I'm sorry about that, Halia" he sighs.

"Who was he?" I ask when Daniel approaches my bed, just as Chace did only moment earlier.

Daniel and Caroline exchange nervous looks.

"...No one that you need to worry about" he responds cryptically.

"His name is Chace, right? That's what you called him" I continue.

Suddenly the back of my head begins to ache, forcing my eyes shut for only a split second.

'I will always love you' A man lowered his voice, his hands on my cheeks.

'Don't touch me' I pushed him away.

My eyes widen in disbelief. I remembered something?

"Yeah, his name is Chace" Daniel nods.

I look over to Caroline who sits nervously, twisting her rings. She's always hated lying.

"Who is he to me, Caroline?" I ask.

"A friend of yours" she explains.

'I will always love you'

His voice repeats in my head.

"Just a friend?" I raise a brow.

Caroline's looks away from me, nodding slowly.

"I think you've had enough excitement for one day," Daniel tells me before redirecting his gaze to my sister. "Caroline, I think it's time you leave"

Caroline nods, jumping up from her seat.

"I'll try visiting tomorrow" Caroline wraps her arms around me tightly.

When she pulls away, Daniel escorts her out of my room. I lean back in my bed, looking up at the ceiling in confusion. Closing my eyes slowly, I watch the images play out in my head.

The first thing I see when my eyes shut is Chace's face. The way he looks at me is more than just a friend. What motive would Caroline and Doctor Daniel have for lying to me? I don't trust Daniel and if I'm being honest with myself, I'm not sure if I trust Caroline either.

Am I being paranoid? Am I overthinking all this because I don't know who the hell I am? Maybe. Possibly. All I know for sure right now is that my memory won't get better if I'm just sitting in this hospital. Ten seconds with Chace brought back more memories than being interrogated by doctors for days. I think I need to see him again, to talk to him for a minute. He has trusting eyes, something that I can't say about Caroline or Daniel.