The first thing she felt was… pain.
It sat in her chest. Behind her eyes. In her ribs. Like every piece of her body was bruised and buzzing.
Her eyelids fluttered.
A soft beep filled the room, steady and slow.
She blinked.
The white ceiling. The antiseptic smell. The humming of a distant TV. Everything was too much — too bright, too quiet, too cold.
Then a voice. Gentle. Cracked with emotion.
“Isadora…?”
She turned slightly — just enough to see her mom, Teresa, leaning over her bed with tear-filled eyes.
“Meu Deus,” Ana whispered, brushing hair from her forehead. “You’re awake, filha. You're okay. You're here.”
Isadora wanted to say something — anything — but her throat burned, dry from days of tubes and silence.
Nina appeared behind her mom, holding a cup of water with a trembling hand.
“You scared the hell out of us,” she said, voice soft but shaky. “But you made it.”
A nurse walked in. The monitor beeped faster. Isadora's fingers twitched.
“She’s back with us,” the nurse whispered with a smile. “Welcome back, sweetheart.
Everything came back in flashes.
The paparazzi.
The kiss photo.
The showcase.
The fight with Tom.
The headlights.
The scream.
Impact.
She shut her eyes, tears leaking down the sides of her face.
Her hand clenched the blanket.
“Where’s Tom?” she croaked, barely a whisper.
Her mom and Nina shared a look.
“He’s… outside,” annaliese said gently. “He hasn’t left.”
When he stepped in, he looked like he hadn’t slept in days.
Hair messy. Hoodie wrinkled. Eyes swollen.
But the second he saw her eyes open — his whole face changed.
He rushed to her side but stopped just short, afraid to hurt her.
“Hey,” he whispered, kneeling beside her bed. “You look… like a punk princess who fought a car and still won.”
She laughed, just once, but it hurt her ribs. “Dumbass,” she murmured.
His smile faltered. Tears filled his eyes.
“I thought I lost you.”
Her hand reached out slowly, shaking — and he laced his fingers through hers without a word.
“They arrested her,” he said quietly. “Annika. She… it wasn’t an accident. She messed with your car.”
Isadora’s lips parted, eyes wide.
“Why?” she breathed.
“Because I didn’t love her back,” he said. “Because I loved you.”
Silence.
Then her eyes filled again.
“You love me?” she whispered.
He leaned in, brushing her knuckles with his lips.
“Yeah. So damn much it hurts.”
YOU ARE READING
"Strings Between Us
Romance2004. Germany. Tom Kaulitz is used to getting what he wants - the stage, the crowd, the girls. As Tokio Hotel begins to rise, so does his ego... until she shows up. She's the Brazilian guitarist in a rival band - quiet, sharp-tongued, and completely...
