<Chris P.O.V>
It's weird getting to know the 'Real Me' after finding out that I suffer from Schizophrenia it's been really stressful. Tiana has been helping me every step of the way. It kills me that she's not in love with me like how she was before...in my dream. Everyday when I see her I fall deeper in love with her. I want her to be mine but I don't know how.
I was in my room drawing in my sketch book waiting for Tiana to come so she can bring me my meds.
She'd come at 8:30 every morning and she would never be late. It was 8:29 and I was becoming eager to see my beautiful lady.
A minute later I heard a knock and Tiana walked in with my meds and a cup of water.
"Good morning Christopher"
I looked up and smiled at her "Good morning Nurse Williams"
"Chris you know you can call me Tiana, I don't mind" she smiled back.
"I know"
She walked up to me and handed me my meds. I swallowed them and drank the little cup of water.
Then she asked "Chris what are you drawing? Do you mind if I see?"
"Come sit" I patted down at the spot next to me.
Tiana sat down and I handed her my sketchbook. She admired each picture as she flipped through page by page.
Then she stopped at one picture and she looked at me "This is beautiful, is this me?"
I nodded "Yeah.... I drew it a couple of days ago, I couldn't get you out my mind so I had to draw you out."
"You're really talented Chris...Am I always on your mind?"
I grew a little nervous but I answered "Always"
After that I looked down at the floor but I felt Tiana looking directly at me burning a hole on the side of me head.
".... I have something planned for us today and I think your going to love it" She said touching my hand.
The little things she did for me felt unreal.She cared so much for a man she barely knew.
"What you got planned?" I asked.
Tiana responded "Its a surprise, put your shoes on and follow me."
"Uh...O-Okay sure."
I grabbed my shoes and put them on and I looked up to see Tiana smiling by my door. She reached out for her hand and I grabbed it gently before she led me out of my room.
As we were walking hand and hand down the hallway I couldn't help but notice the stares I was getting, mostly from the nurses.
Tiana looked at me and saw a worried look on my face then she noticed why I began to feel this way. "Don't worry about them, you're safe with me."
I nodded "Ok, but can you please tell me where we're going"
"You'll find out"
We walked downstairs to the lobby and I started to panic "T-Tiana What Are We Doing?! I'm Gonna Get In Trouble!"
I tried to back away but she calmed me down.
"Christopher look at me....it's going to be ok. I got authorization from your doctor that we can go out today, we just have to be back before 4:00"
I nodded and calmed myself down. Tiana grabbed my hand and brought me outside, I've been outside before but not like this.... I felt free.
We walked in the parking and went straight to her car. I don't know where she was taking me but I was ok with it. I sat in the passenger side and put my seatbelt on. I turned to my left to see Tiana putting the key in the ignition. She started the car and began to drive out of the parking lot.
Minutes past and there was pure silence, it felt odd to me because Tiana is a real talkative person.
"Your car is really clean..." I didn't know what to say but It was the only thing that killed our awkward silence.
She smiled while focusing on the road "Thank you."
"You're welcome"
Damnit she probably thinks I'm a corny ass nigga right now. Your car is really clean? I could've came up with something better. She probably can sense that I'm nervous so she's cutting me some slack.
I stared out the window and sighed quietly. The ride was so quiet it bothered me but I decided to let it go and just because I knew I would make myself go crazy over this one little thing.
Then we finally arrived to our destination and Tiana was all smiles "You Ready Chris?"
"....Yeah, where are we?"
"I know you love to draw so....I decided to bring you to my cousins art studio."
I responded "Thank you Ti"
"Don't thank me yet, the day has just begun. Now come on I'm pretty sure she's about to start her painting session"
I smiled and hopped out of her car and we both went inside the art studio. When we walked in there was at least 15 people there sitting around in a circle.
Me and Tiana sat at the empty chairs at the circle and her cousin walked up to us.
"Hey TiTi I'm so glad you can make it, who's your handsome friend?"
Tiana responded " Egypt this is Chris, my friend and Chris this is my cousin Egypt"
Friend? I'm not gonna lie that hurt but I keep forgetting that I'm not hers. She's already taken.
Then Egypt greeted me "Its nice to meet you Chris. I'm glad Tiana finally met somebody who can put a smile on her face"
"Egypt" Tiana said getting nervous.
Then she continued "Girl I'm serious, you must've left Trey's ass because I never seen you smile this hard"
"Can we not talk about this right now? I brought Chris here today so we can paint" Tiana responded.
"Ok, well it's nice meeting you Chris. I hope to see you around more"
I smiled and watched her walk away. I turned to Tiana to see that she was feeling embarrassed so I tried changing the subject.
"Hey, what's your favorite movie?"
She looked confused "What?"
"Your favorite movie" I smiled.
Then she responded " Don't laugh but it's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"
"Harry Potter?" I laughed out. "You serious?"
She smiled at me "Yes I know it's a wizard movie but hey, I can watch all the Harry Potter Series all day long"
"Aww Babygirl your such a nerd"
"Boy shut up" she tapped my arm lightly. "So what's your favorite movie Chris?"
This was easy.
I smirked "Cloud Atlas"
She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion "Ok now you're just making stuff up Chris, I never heard of that movie"
I laughed "No I'm serious it's a real movie"
"If this movie is so Real then what is it about?"
Then I explained "It's about an exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future, as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution"
"Wow that's....interesting"
I nodded "Yeah my girl Halle Berry is in it, she acted her ass off in that movie. Same with Tom Hanks"
"The guy who plays in the movie BIG ?"
"Yeah fun fact he also played Woody in Toy Story"
She looked into my eyes in amazement "Wow somebody knows there movies"
"I mean that's all I do at the hospital when I have free time ... I watch movies"
"Well now you're gonna spend time with me on your free time."
I smiled and got up to get me and Tiana canvases and some paint. She already had the paint brushes and the other tools and we began to paint.
"What are you gonna make?" I asked.
She turned to me and smiled "A rose... my favorite flower"
That took me back to when I gave Tiana her first rose and the letter I gave her confessing my love to her.
If only that was real she would've been mine. She is already mine but she didn't know it yet.
"A rose is very symbolic...." I looked at my blank canvas and thought about what I was gonna create.
Then I had an idea of what I was gonna paint.
"How about you Chris? What are you gonna paint?"
"I'll explain it to you when I'm done"
She nodded "Ok sure" then went off to paint her picture.
I began to start on mine but it took time and patience, I was putting my feelings into this one painting.
After a good 30 to 45 minutes I can say that I was finally done.
I looked at Tiana and asked "You ready to see my painting?"
"Yes you took forever and a lifetime" she joked.
Then I showed her my painting.
"You like it? I call it Heartbreak on a Full Moon"
She admired my painting then she asked "What's the meaning behind it?"
I responded "The night of my heartache....the night I lost yo-someone that I loved in my life. It still effects me till this day but I learn how to live and love. It also represents the new chapter in my life"
"You're painting is really beautiful"
"Thanks"
After we got done painting we left the studio and she brought me to another place that I didn't recognize.
We parked in the driveway and she turned to me and asked "Are you... comfortable with me?"
"Um yes....why you ask?"
She sighed "Because before I take you inside I wanna know if you feel comfortable being alone with me"
"Alone?"
"Yes...Alone"
The word alone sent shivers up my spine. I wanted to know what she meant by Alone. The way she was saying it seemed like there was a deeper meaning behind this word.
Then I confessed "I'm always comfortable with you, alone or not you make me feel like a different person"
She stared into my eyes for what it seemed to be a lifetime then she finally spoke "Well follow me"
I don't know what we were about to get into but I trusted her. Tiana hasn't given me any reason not to feel comfortable around her. She was so calm, so sweet, it made me yearn for her.
___________________________
-How was Chapter 1 so far?
-Where do you think Tiana is about to take Chris?
-Do you think Tiana has hidden feelings for Chris?
Stay Tuned For The Next Chapter 🤗💕