Rapid shallow breathing. Irregular heartbeat. Amy didn't know if she was taking in enough air.
Not taking her eyes off the hand, she didn't know what to feel.
And then, the hand moved. Soon, the whole body just crawled out from under the car. Hobi was fine, other than just a few scratches.
A sudden gush of air filled her lungs.
Forgetting that they were out in public, forgetting that she was in heels, forgetting that he barely knew her in her reality, she ran and threw herself on him. Hobi was taken aback.
"I thought I had lost you again," she murmured under her breath.
"Its okay. I'm fine. I'm all good," he said feeling bewildered when she wouldn't let him go. Though it was Hobi who had just gotten out of an accident, it was Amy who was shaking in his arms.
"Are you okay?" She asked him for the thousandth time. Hobi smiled and said, "I'm fine. Are you?"
"This is not something to joke about Hobi," Amy said feeling concerned.
"I'm not joking. Nobody is hurt. I'm not hurt, the little girl isn't hurt and neither is the man in the car," he replied, reassuring her.
Watching two accidents back to back, can be traumatizing. He understood how she felt, or so he thought.
The following morning when Amy woke up, the first thing that popped to her mind was Hobi. She took her phone and texted him a good morning. He responded a few minutes later.
After the first two sessions of class, she decided to meet up with him. She invited him to the open air theatre on campus. After a few minutes of her arrival, he had come.
"Hey," she stood up and waved as he came. With a smiling face, he waved back.
"Are you okay? I mean after yesterday…" she trailed off.
He smiled reassuringly, "I am fine. I feel you aren't though." She held his hand with concern. He patted her hand and said, "Come on, let's put some food in you."
Amy didn't want to let go of his hand. She didn't want any harm to happen to him. She made sure to protect him wherever he went.
She texted him occasionally to know that he was safe. Seeing him die like that had given birth to a motherly instinct in her. Even if Hobi didn't remember, she and Hobi were in love, and will be.
The next weekend, as Amy woke up, she felt satisfied. Things were finally looking up. It had been a few days and all was going good. She and Hobi were dating. One would even say that they were boyfriend and girlfriend. But she decided to give him time to make that decision.
With a smile, she took her phone and typed.
Amy: Good morning ♡
Leaving her phone on the bed, she decided to freshen up. Hobi didn't really spend much time on his phone. He was rarely online and hence his replies were slow.
A few minutes later, as she walked into her room, her phone buzzed.
Hobi: Good morning
Amy smiled.
Amy: How are you today? What are your plans?
A few minutes later, when she had gotten dressed.
Hobi: Just hanging out with friends.
Amy: Going somewhere?
A few minutes later, while she walked to the park nearby.
Hobi: Yeah. We are going to this mountain for trekking. It has a beautiful view
Mountain? Trekking? Amy felt a little scared.
Amy: When are you returning?
A few minutes later, as she sipped on a cup of coffee sitting on a park bench and watched people pass by.
Hobi: We are thinking of camping out there. So, maybe monday morning.
Amy felt worried. A whole weekend she wouldn't be able to see her Hobi or protect him. And trekking? Does he want to die?
Feeling worried, she typed.
Amy: Isn't it dangerous? Can you not go?
She knew that he may not listen to her, but she needed him to understand how dangerous the situation was.
As she sat, lost in thoughts, her phone suddenly chimed. Fast reply. So he must be online.
She unlocked her phone and checked his text.
Hobi: I think we need to talk