Navi-Jade

Chapter three

Pizza is heaven. I'm quite content never trying any other foods because this is all I need.

A soft yet perfectly crisp dough base, lots of tomato purée and warm, stringy cheese.

Surely they're all of the food groups an eleven year old girl could ever need.

Marta, Romeo and Kadence laughed me off when I told them this. I don't think they realise how deadly serious I am. They soon will when I request it at the next meal time. And the one after that. And every meal time until I'm so full of pizza that I start to turn into one.

I found it troubling to split my attention between pizza and the animated film playing on the television, but I certainly tried.

Thankfully both the food and the cartoon seemed strangely familiar to me once I experienced them first hand. I have a feeling there's going to be a ton more situations like these in my near future and as grateful as I am to be returning to normalcy, there's something unsettling about these feelings of familiarity.

It's like having an itch somewhere on your body but having no means of scratching it. I know there are memories swimming around in my head somewhere of my brothers and my most favourite foods but I must have been taken at that awkward age where my memories were only just beginning to fully stick. That is why I'm left with these trippy moments of de ja vu that make me question whether I'm truly remembering my past or if I'm only deluding myself into thinking that because it's what people are telling me.

The evening unfolded with no more drama but still the room was unnaturally silent. My brothers seemed frightened to make too much conversation with me. I'm guessing that they might not want to accidentally upset me. It isn't that they've explicitly said so but as dumb as I am, I can piece together that they've become less and less chatty the more times Kadence has left the room to take a moment to himself.

Now I too am scared to say anything because I really don't want any of my brothers to leave my side, truthfully ever.

I realise just how true that is when the day nurse switches over to the night nurse and she starts getting me ready for bed. A heavy sickly feeling of dread sits in my stomach when Kade and Rome rise from their chairs at my bedside to make room for her to change my saline drip and lower my bed from a sitting to a laying position.

My heart pounds against my chest and my breaths become rapid when the lights turn out and I can't see who's still in the room.

"Remember the trick for your breathing Malyshka. We can't have you passing out to end such an exciting day hm?" Marta appears at my side smiling gently and holding my hand in hers. But as guilty as I feel about it, she isn't the face I'm seeking out.

Tears blur my vision so now I couldn't see even if it was light.

"R-Rome? Ka-Kade?" My voice shakes humiliatingly. Gosh, Mum would hate when I stuttered my words. She said only babies done so and that I should act my age and talk clearly.

I hope my brothers aren't as disappointed in me for letting my emotions get the best of me. I don't even know where all this is coming from or why exactly I'm suddenly blubbering like a newborn.

My nose runs and two wet tear trails leak down either side of my head from the frustration of not possessing the strength to sit up on my own because of my bruised ribs. I try but all I get is a dull ache in my bones and a self hatred for being so weak.

"I'm right here baby. Shh, it's okay we're here." Rome cooes, blessing me with that warm, gentle side to him I've only ever seen him direct towards me.

His head pops into my line of sight and his easy smile instantly soothes my worries, a little at least. Kade soon joins, his usual blank look tinged with a hint of concern that makes me feel like the luckiest eleven year old to ever exist. Man it's hard to read that boy or pull any emotion from him but when you do it feels like winning the best prize. I'm honoured to be the cause of concern in such a cold person because that means he actually cares. About me.