Hearing old people say that once a person is on the brink of death, life flashes before him or her. It didn't happen to me. Instead, I was just falling and suddenly I got sucked in the opposite direction. My body was being pulled by two mighty relentless unseen force. Then a light came streaming in. I shielded my eyes from the light engulfing my entire body.
It was the second time around I fluttered my eyelids open. It was white all around. This isn't my room. The smell reminds me of antiseptic and rubbing alcohol. I'm obviously in the hospital. My body ached all over. I felt thirsty and hungry at the same time. I felt my hand being held by another warm being. I glanced to my right side and found my mother asleep soundly. My father occupying the entire length of the couch, left arm covering his eyes and breathing evenly.
The IV was attached to my left hand and felt pained when I tried to put all my weight to sit upright.
"Myah, you're awake." My mother's mere whisper echoed and her eyes shimmered in relief. She stood up right away a little bit disoriented than I am. "George, Myah's awake." She called to my father who bolted up from his sleep.
"How are you feeling, Myah? Do you want me to call the doctor?" Mom leaned to kiss me by the forehead and I shook my head as a response.
"I'm sore all over. It feels like a huge truck hit me and drag me a hundred yards more." I said with a parched throat and dried lips.
My father beamed into a smile before bursting into a loud laugh. "That's the Myah I definitely know."
"Mom, I'm so thirsty and hungry. I can eat whatever you have to offer me." I squeezed her hand since she can't seem to control her laughter too.
"You stay here while we talk to the doctor and get you something to eat." My father instructed.
"I can't go anywhere with all these contraptions attached to me, Dad." I eyed all the equipment, tubes and apparatuses connected to me. I pulled the oxygen tube from my face and I almost cursed out loud with the tape sticking to the skin.
There was a constant knock on the door and it slowly opened to Zareena's figure followed by Luke.
"Watch over her for the meantime." My mother said to them while pulling my father behind her out of the room.
"Sure, Aunt Adena!" Both chorused.
"Hey, bestie! You're a mess!" Zareena exclaimed moving next to me in a powerful embrace.
"You need not point what's obvious, bestie. And please handle me with care. I'm a delicate porcelain right now." I let go of the hug and bumped fist with her boyfriend.
"Someone's grumpy," Luke commented before settling on the space near my feet.
"Where are the others?" I asked without looking at them but in the hospital gown I was wearing and tried to smell the fabric and myself.
"At school, of course. Luke and I skipped classes so we can see you." Zareena said matter of factly manner as Luke rested his face on her shoulder and arms wrapped around her waist.
My eyes kept on darting on the door. My heart was longing for a face that has become familiar these past days to open the door, smile at me and make all my aches go away. I sighed unconsciously and heard snickers from the couple in front of me.
"Are you expecting another person to burst into that door?" Luke teasingly asked pointing the door slightly ajar.
"What are you talking about?" I can feel myself go crimson red. These guys are reading me so easily.
"Never mind." Zareena tried to contain her laughter. "Let me fix your hair. At least you won't look ugly whoever that person you expected to see appear from that door." I slapped her arms but she just rolled eyes at me unaffected.
"Do you want me to comb it?" My best friend asked and I just shook my head again, feeling her fingers raked my scalp. I closed my eyes as Zareena did magic with my hair for some time. Still, with eyes closed, I can hear the door opened and closed quickly.
"Now, you look more presentable." She said a little bit out of breath. Excited actually.
"Thanks, bestie." I manage to whisper my words and open my eyes.
There he was. He was smirking at the other end of the hospital bed. His gray eyes ever penetrating just staring at me. Chase shrugged a little bit conscious of the funny looks from Luke and Zareena.
"Hey," I said breathily.
"Hey." Chase greeted. "Are you feeling fine?"
I just swallowed hard, a little bit lost for words. I can only nod.
"She's better now." Zareena supplied out of nowhere. " Now that you're here." She added. I glared at her.
Luke cleared his throat. "Hon, why don't we get something to eat? I'm starving."
"Good idea." She winked at me. My grip on her wrist was not strong and she just pulled away from me following Luke who fist-bumped with Chase before going out of the room.
Chase smiled before taking a step and moved to my right side. His eyes never left me. Gray eyes with green specks.
"You had me worried." He uttered and claimed my hand in his. It was warm. The tingling sensations running amok in my entire system. He squeezed it lightly. I stared at your fingers intertwined together.
"I'm sorry if I put you in such situation," I said while pulling another pillow to cushion my back against the wall.
"There is no need for you to be sorry. It wasn't your fault in the first place." Chase sat at the edge of the bed. We stayed quiet and absorbed in our own thoughts.
"How long was I out?" I blurted. "Do you happen to know?"
"Almost two days." He was still holding my hand. I nodded. " I pestered Uncle George every now and then to know your situation. He said the doctor had you sedated coz you had an episode of a panic attack."
Chase came nearer and did an unexpected move by pulling me into a tight hug while dropping tiny kisses on my hair and forehead. I heard myself laughed. "Hug me back please." He whispered to me with begging tone and I complied wholeheartedly. I wrapped my arms around his waist.
"Just don't kiss me on the lips yet coz I haven't brushed my teeth." It made him laughed louder than mine.
"If you say so though I wouldn't mind." He chuckled before I swatted his arm. "How are you feeling now?"
"A little bit better," I told him after disengaging from the embrace.
Then the door opened wide with my parents carrying bags of food and goodies, behind them were Zareena and Luke's goofy faces. There were other voices and peals of laughter that followed them as well. I can see the Marino twins peered from the door. Jessie, Phil, and Randell holding long stem red roses together with Jameson, Seth, Dave while Allen and Kian pushing them to hurry up.
"Who told you to skip classes?" I asked in an authoritative tone.
They all pointed their fingers at the culprit. "Team Captain," echoed Xanthy and Xander. I looked up at Chase and squeezed his hand tightly. He was just smirking all the way. " You should not encourage ditching classes with these gullible fellows. You'll surely get detention."
"If someone reports us," Allen continued.
"And that won't happen, Myah," Kian said confidently.
"Trust us," Seth added with a toothy grin.
"Unbelievable," I whispered to myself.
"Cut the boys some slack," Chase whispered amidst the chatter of the boys as my parents joined the noise.
It's good to have a family.