u n r e a l • b o o k t w o ✓

sixteen

↞ SIXTEEN ↠

I squeezed Eliza's hand. She deserved appreciation. She deserved the whole world after everything she's gone through. She was brave in way that I wasn't, and I loved her for that. A soft knock at the door interrupted the sappy exchange.

"Hi everyone," a voice awkwardly greeted. "Hi uncle Thommy."

"Ms. I?!" Ronnie ran up to the flabbergasted beauty and hugged her legs.

Eliza turned to give me a weird look. "Ms. I. What are you doing here? I thought that you were on some short term leave?"

I was too entranced to listen. Theena's voice is as angelic as it was in my dreams was what I was thinking about. This is happening once again.  She's standing right in front of me. This girl just feet away with a soft smile on her face is real. Real enough to touch.

"Ronnie?" Theena asked in shock. She then looked at me. "You're uncle Ezzie, aren't you?"

Ronnie let go of Theena and galloped over to her mother. Blake snorted. I couldn't speak, so I simply nodded. Thomas stood back up for probably the third time and turned to a confused Eliza.

"This is my niece, Theena," he introduced, scratching at his head. "You know what? How about we go and grab some snacks from the vending machine. Leave Theena and Ezra to talk."

"I'm pretty hungry mom," Blake rubbed at his stomach.

"Me too, me too!" Ronnie cheered.

"Talk?" Eliza questioned. "Um, alright... I guess I'll see you in a little then," she decided, bending down to kiss my forehead.

Thomas headed over to the door and squeezed Theena's shoulder. Eliza grabbed Ronnie's hand and beckoned Blake to come along, which he happily abided to.

"I'm going to need you to fill me in," I heard Eliza whisper to Thomas as they all filed out the door.

My stomach felt queasy. Embarrassed and feeling incapable of acknowledging the woman staring at me, I adverted my gaze to my heart monitor. My heart beat was beginning to rise unsteadily. I tried to calm my nerves.

Theena stepped closer to my bed. "Hi. I'm Theena. Theena Iver."

I looked at the wall. "I know," I finally spoke.

My steady breaths soon turned into a more haggard pattern. I tapped my fingers over the hospital sheet. Bright eyes stared into mine with intensity hidden. Nervousness engulfed my very core. My palms began to feel clammy again. Is it hot in here?

"I'm happy you're okay."

For some odd reason when she said that I knew she meant it. I knew she actually cared, whether if she knew me or not she would have cared. I know this woman. I know her for sure. I could feel it and although there's a chance she may be nothing like the Theena in my dreams, I didn't care. I wanted to know the Theena standing in front of me. An angel sent from heaven is what she is, and I was one lucky man.

"Thank you for helping."

"It was nothing," she brushed off.

The sound of the squeaky hallway floor outside of the door filled our moment of comfortable silence. I clamped and unclamped my jaw, not knowing what to say next.

Ultimately the Theena in front of me was a mere stranger, and I had to remember that. I had to remember that I couldn't just hop up dramatically and claim her lips with mine. I had to remember that everything I knew about her now may not actually be true. 

I didn't know what my plan would be. I didn't know what would happen. I didn't know If I had any chance at all, but I could hope. As of now I could say that hanging on to hope was a mechanism that worked well for me.

She opened up her mouth. "I− Who's my favorite book author Ezra?"

Ezra. Ezra. Ezra. I froze.

"I'm not sure what you're asking," I bit out, trying not to meet her eyes.

"You do. You do because I know that you know."

Thomas had told her.

"Charles Bukowski," I mumbled.

"What do I love dancing to?"

"Old records."

"What do I love doing at midnight that has been a habit of mine since I was little?"

"Midnight snacking on the floor."

"What is it about houses that I'm obsessed with?"

"Wood floors and bay windows."

"What do I love doing the most at the end of the day?"

"Crawling into bed."

"Hot showers or cold?"

"Hot."

"Why do I love when it rains?"

"Because it's as if the universe is finally letting out all of its pain."

"I paint even though what?"

The corner of my lips lifted up at that one. "Even though you're terrible at it."

She was laughing now. Full on out, widened mouth and flared nostrils laughing. I hadn't said anything funny. I was surprised she didn't snort. I didn't even find the sight in front of me unattractive in the least bit, in fact, it made me fall for her a whole lot more.

It was a surprise. A surprise that she didn't find the fact that I already knew who she was without even meeting her. It was a gift though, a gift that this was the Theena from my dreams. That she was no different, but even if that weren't the case, I would want her equally the same.

"I had been naive for quite some time up until a while ago," Theena spoke up. "I was used by someone. I was used by someone and he tore my heart out from my chest and ripped to shreads. Which means I'm not ready. I'm not ready for anything at all."

I stared at the side of her face. I wouldn't say sorry, because she deserved so much more. She turned her head. "Are you a patient person Ezra?"

Without hesitating, I answered, "Yes."

Her eyes burned into mine. "Good, because maybe, just maybe if you're patient enough, one day I will be ready. I won't let you take that as a solid promise, but I won't let you think that nothing could happen. Because hearing the story as to why you've been hurting and why you had too seek therapy from my uncle has opened up my mind even more to the idea of one day being ready again. And if that time comes, I'd love to become the girl of your reality rather than your dreams."

Her hand stretched out and I sat foreword, placing out my own and lacing our fingers together. I swear right then and there, that I could have said I love her.