Innocent Torture

36|to lose a heart

*unedited*

She watched from afar, the boy who was now resting peacefully. His arm covering the frizzy brown curls on his head, and his tired and red eyes were closed shut.

"Young lady, you can head in if you'd like." The nurse touched Eliza on the shoulder, pulling her out of the trance she was in as she looked into the eyes of the doctor who had done the surgery to save the boys' life.

"I'm just a friend coming to check in on him." She said, holding her bag closer to her as she gave the doctor a small smile before putting her head down and walking past him.

Through the glass, the boy observed the woman as she left as her curls bounced after her and the sight of her caused an unusual feeling to pinch his heart.

From afar, she had seemed to be oddly familiar.

——

"Mom I'm fine. Don't worry. I'll take it easy. Okay okay, I love you." Nate hung up the phone as he gripped it in his hand when a sharp pain suddenly spread to his chest.

These piercing strains began to become something he felt with joy rather than grief. While also realizing that it was normal to feel these pains and that it meant the heart he now had, was slowly adjusting to him and his body.

As he packed his suitcase, he found himself looking around the room he had become accustomed to and familiar with for almost a full year.

The room that he had sworn would be the last place he'd reside in before death.

Now everything had changed because of one person. One woman who he didn't know the face, name, or even overall appearance of.

A small thump to his chest, and a minute ache made him wince in pain once again at the uncomfortable feeling, but that wince was accompanied with a gentle smile at the thought of why his heart was acting as it did, as he thought of her.

The cab ride home was filled with silent thoughts and airless daydreaming. He wondered what he'd say to the girl who had done such a huge need for a boy she didn't even know.

A boy who had begun to fall madly in love with her, despite not knowing whom she was.

"Thanks for helping me as well man." Nate gave the cab driver a smile as the Indian man nodded as he carried the suitcase to the door.

"Get some decent rest young man." The man said, patting Nate on the shoulder as he gave the man another weary smile as out of the corner of his eye, the man disappeared around the corner.

Shifting his items to the next door, he pulled out his keys from his back pocket and opened his apartment door, pushing the suitcase in with his foot and stepping in as he closed the door behind him.

As the door shut, blocking out the slight chill of the autumn breeze, he took in a breath of relief, but soon afterward he felt his nose burn at the unfamiliar scent that wafted into his nose.

Flipping on the light switch, a woman sat in the middle of the living room. A mess of curls on her head, and her eyes bloodshot red as she looked up to him.

"You're going to be okay r-right?" Her hazel eyes, wet with tears, found his, as the boy didn't even fathom questioning how, or why she was in his apartment.

Because at that moment, his heart had begun to do crazy, once unimaginable things he'd never felt nor experienced before.

The things he'd heard of happening in movies, and from people who explained what it felt like to feel love.