This place

18.

I yawned.Then I looked to my left.
Someone thought it was a good idea to leave the TV on at full sound in a hospital full of sick people.

"Excuse me sir."I said politely to the man next to me
"Sir."I repeated

He shifted to look at me.
"May you please,turn the TV off or lower the volume a bit?"
"Sure.You really didn't need to shout like that though."he said as he lowered the volume

I studied the young man before me.
He looked like he was my age.
The strange thing is that he looked utterly familiar,except the person I knew did not wear glasses.

"Have we met miss?"he asked me
"Miss McAthy and no I think not.You do look quite familiar though."
"You too."he replied
"Who are you sir?"
"I am Raphael Saleem.Pleasure to meet you miss."
"Likewise."

Our beds were quite further apart,but I tried to give him a handshake.
He laughed.
"I don't think that's going to work."
"Obviously."

I studied his face.He looked quite handsome.He looked like he was of Arabian ancestry.He had a bandage around his forehead,but he managed to pull it off.

"Are you okay miss?"
"I don't think I'd be here if I was."
"I mean generally,are you okay?"
"Yeah.Better than ever."I said as I pointed to all my scars and laughed

He smiled.
"You're quite humorous aren't you?"
"Yep,sometimes."

I just stared at him for a while.
He stared right back at me.
I smiled.

"Are you sure that we've never met before?"he asked
"Certain."I replied

I know that we didn't meet before,but I felt like I once held him in my arms.
Like we once shared something.
Something deep.
Something too deep that even I can't understand or explain it.
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After afew(actually alot)conversations with Raphael/Raph (as he preferred)he went to sleep,because of the medicine he was given.

After he went to sleep I joined him.

"Opal!Opal!"somebody whispered
"Yes."I said,half asleep
"Guess what!?"Gina shouted silently
"What G?"

I woke up and sat upright on the very uncomfortable hospital bed.
"Does it have anything to do with the date?"
She nodded and sat on the corner of the bed.

"It was amazing Opal.Elijah is such a good guy."she said with a sudden spark in her eyes.A spark I almost thought seized to exist.
"Who's Elijah Gina?"
"Dr.McDonald."
"Oh..."

"He's so sweet.He's also quite different.I never met a guy like him.
He always has a smile on his face,he treated me like royalty, me Opal,me royalty !?"

"Thats because you look like royalty G."
And indeed she did.She wore a sweet-heart neckline,navy,knee length dress and navy gladiator heels to match.This time her beautiful red hair was curled.She was gorgeous. No wonder Elijah treated her the way he did.

"Your outfit is amazing Gina.Is that David Tlale I see?"
"Yeah"Gina said shyly.
"You don't look so bad yourself.I must say that even when you're sick you look good."

I brushed my hair slowly.
"I know right."
We laughed and laughed the whole night long.It's nice to have a friend,but Gina was not any ordinary friend.She was God-sent.

She told me how shy Elijah was,although around other people he was free and commanding(in a good way).She told me about how he couldn't even look her straight in the eyes.
"They're too beautiful G."I said to her

Seeing Gina smile filled my heart with joy,because I didn't see her smile for quite a while.It felt good seeing her smile and talk with the enthusiasm she once had for life.It also made me wonder if I'd ever be as happy as she was.Only time could tell.I believe that Joy was on its way.

"Opal.Do you know who's currently in charge of your business?"
"Is that a rhetorical question?You are in charge silly!You are my business partner after all."
"I was just checking if you didn't get a serious case of amnesia."

Then I grabbed my pillow and hit her gently with it.

"Ladies,ladies all the commotion for what?"Raphael said with energy.
I guess he wasn't asleep.
"By the way Raphael meet my beautiful best friend and business partner Gina.Gina meet Raphael."I introduced them to each other.

"Nice to meet you,Raphael."Gina said as she gave Raphael a handshake
"Likewise Gina."Raphael said to Gina

He looked over to me.I then realised that he didn't have his glasses on.
I realised that we met before.Perhaps not in the physical being,but in the spirit.I know I sounded crazy but it felt so real.

"I didn't give you a handshake yet Opal,may I?"
"How are we going to do this?"

Gina looked like she got a glowing-lightbulb moment.
She then moved our beds closer to each other.
"Problem solved.Gina-the nursing school dropout who turned out to be multinational business executive-to the rescue."
We laughed.
"Lets try this again."I said
"Hi my name is Raphael Saleem,the owner of Solitude industries and you are?"
"I am Opal McAthy,one of the executives of Beloved(Pty)Ltd.Nice to meet you sir Raphael of Solitude industries."

As I stretched my arm in an attempt to greet him,I felt like angels were singing.It was weird.I thought that I was about to die,but it was deeper than that.I know,because when our hands touched I felt warmth all over my body.I felt like-I don't even know how I felt like-but I know that I definitely felt something.

Gina left the room.
It was just Raphael and I.
We stared into each others eyes.
No words.Not even a single sound.
All we heard was the AC.
My hand in his.
His hand in mine.

"Raph."
"Opal."
"What just happened?"
"I don't know Opal,I don't know.One thing I know is that I'm gonna make you my wifey."