Chasing Smoke

Chapter 3: Everything Went White

What should I do? It's 3 am and I can't sleep. Jason and Sarah must have fallen asleep. I keep thinking what should I do to get out from this arranged marriage. But, maybe Jason was right. I should meet the guy first. He can't be that bad. Maybe he's nice, dreamy, good-looking, not that asshole-rich-man type. But, seriously though I never heard this guy. Who's this Smith heir?

I open my phone and begin the research. Typing Smith family, company, Grey-Smith deal. Anything to answer this obliviousness.

Wow, the Smiths are pretty great. The father, Benjamin Smith, is the founder of Smith Co. The biggest and greatest contractor company in USA. Has a wife, Meredith Smith, whom actively involve in charity and foundation by Smith Co. They have 2 sons, Alexander and Darius. Alexander is the eldest son, Darius is the youngest one. They don't have any negative image in any media I've read. But, the photo of the sons are kinda blurry in every media. Can't catch the clear picture of them, seems like they have a tight privacy over their sons.

But, overall the family is great. So, the 5 billion dollars question is who I'm betrothed to? The eldest or the youngest?

---

"Jenna. Wake up." I feel the warmth of the sun in my face. I pull up the blanket to cover my face. Much better. "Jenna, seriously wake up. It's 11 in the morning." I know that voice. Ughhhhh.

"Go somewhere else, Jason. I sleep late."

"Seriously, Dad just called. He asked about you." Jason sits on the edge of the bed.

I throw the blanket with my foot then open my eyes. Seriously, the sun. Am I a vampire? Too much Vampire Diaries I guess. I don't want to move from this bed, let alone go home and meet my father.

"Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be at work?" I ask Jason in annoyance.

"I have to go to hospital. Baby's check-up. I'm gonna drive you home. Come on." Jason takes my hands and pulls it, making my hand stretched.

"Fine."

I wash my face, brush my teeth, and change into Jason's clothes. I take the light blue-soft yellow flannel and wear it as an outer for his plain white t-shirt. When I'm out of room, Sarah and Jason are already waiting for me. "Can I come to the hospital? I want to see the baby." Honestly, I don't want to go home as soon as possible.

"Sure." Sarah smiles at me.

---

I can't believe what I see. The baby is so tiny in the monitor. And there's a heartbeat too. It's so cute. Sarah is 6 months pregnant. I'm still amazed that another person lives in my sister-in-law's belly. I'm so happy for both of them. I'm going to be an aunt. Never in my life I dream about holding a baby in my hands. "Excuse me, I'm gonna go to bathroom." Jason and Sarah are still talking to the doctor. You know what they say, two is company and three is a crowd.

I never like a hospital. So much awful memories. But, this is not the one I got admitted though. I kind of lost on my way looking for the bathroom. Actually, I don't want to go to bathroom. That was just an excuse. So, I sit on a bench in some kind of small garden outside patients wing. There are lilies and sunflower. I used to hate those flowers.

I don't remember much of first time I went to hospital because I've blacked out, mostly. What I remember is that I became a regular in the hospital. The doctor was nice. And the nurse. But, I can't stand people that staring at me when I walked in or out of that wings.

Just when I'm about to became nostalgic, someone sits next to me. Not that I care, but I have a space and boundary issue. I'm not exactly comfortable sitting next to a stranger. It took years for my family to sit next to me in a situation I'm comfortable. So, I get up as soon as the person lands his butt in the bench.

"Am I bothering you?" He reaches my right hand and holds it tightly when I got up. His voice sounds familiar, but I don't know where I've heard that voice.

"Can you not?" I turn around and pull my right hand.

"Sorry. Am I bothering you?" His face. I can't interpret his face.

There is a moment of silence between us. His hand is still hanging in the air, but that pair of brown eyes of him looking at me like he's trying to search something. His brown hair matches his eyes. He's really beautiful, and it feels like I've seen his beautiful face in my dreams. In my good dreams to be precised.

I hide my hand behind my waist and clear my throat silently.

"You are now," I try to say in the calmest voice as possible.

"Ohhh, you are one of that people." I heard mock in his tone.

"What people?"

"The one that doesn't want to associate with another person." He said that with a wide smile on his handsome but stupid face, okay handsome not stupid, but still stupid.

"Who are you again? And why are you so rude? Do I know you?" Seriously, what is wrong with this guy. "You know what? I don't need to know. What an ass." I leave him while he chuckles himself. He thinks he is funny. How rude.

A few fragments of picture hit my mind like a truck hits the wall. There's a face and a yelling voice. I don't know whose face it is and whose voice it is. I blink couple times to get rid of this delusional sight. The smell of hospital suddenly makes me sick.

Where's Jason and Sarah?

Where's the OB-GYN wings?

Why everything is suddenly so loud? 

Ughhhh, that guy touched my hand. I need to wash my hand right now. I'm walking to the bathroom and the last thing I remember is everything went white.