Paint Our World

Chapter 20

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My vision fades from white back to the normal darkness. A straight buzzing noise is heard from one of my sides, and a hand immediately grips onto my arm.

"Brice?! Brice!" a boy screams. His voice fades off and I fall back into blackness.

* * *

Beep... Beep... Beep...

I groan slightly, my eyes fluttering open slowly. They close again by the sudden light.

"Brice? Are you awake?" A voice says. A sigh. "I suppose not." The voice is followed by the sound of a door opening and closing.

My eyes open again, but more slowly, giving my mind a moment adjust. I look around the room. I seem.. to be in a hospital? But why?

The door opens and a women comes in, around mid-thirties. "Goodness! It's amazing that you're awake!"

I tilt my head. Why on Earth was she so happy about that?

"My name is Samantha, I'm your nurse," she says, pouring some water in a cup and handing me it. I gulp down the liquid and clear my throat.

"H-hi. Why am I here?" I say, my voice raspy and dry.

Samantha gives a quiet laugh. "You were in a coma sleep for three months, I suppose that's why."

My eyes widen. Three months?! No! That can't be true. I cough.

"When would I be able to leave?"

She looks over at me after fiddling with my heart monitor. "I suppose sometime next week if you're healing quick enough."

The P.A. system buzzes on. "Samantha Lockson, please report to room 382." It turns off with a click.

"I have to go, press the 'call nurse' button if you need anything!" Samantha says before leaving.

Muffled talking comes from behind the door, and it opens, a boy around my age walking in and sitting beside my hospital bed.

"So..." he begins. "Are you alright? After waking up?"

I gulp. "I guess.." A smile appears on the boy's face.

"Well, that's good. When did they say they could let you go?"

"Uh.. sometime next week..?"

His head tilts at my uneasyness. "You sure you're alright Brice?" I shift uncomfortably in my bed.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine.."

He sighs. "No you're not dude, I can tell. You're doing that thing where you trail out your words."

"How do you know so much about me, anyways?! I don't even know you!" I finally snap.

Sadness and disappointment washes over his face, with drops of confusion. "I.. What? How can you not know me, Brice? I'm your best friend!"

I sigh, breaking eye contact. "Look, you might've mistaken me for someone else. But I don't know you."

Tears well up in his chocolate brown eyes and he stands and leaves. He looks over his shoulder at me before shutting the door, a tear slipping down his cheek.

Then I spot something. A diamond axe and sword are inked on part of his cheek. Why does he have that? I look down sadly, to notice I have the same symbol above my collar bone. Did it mean something?

I shake the thought out of my head. I know I don't know the guy, but it shatters me to see someone hurt. Especially when it's by me. But something was different about him.

Then a voice rings in my ears, a name I will never forget from now on.

Seto.