Chapter 25
----- Stella -----
It felt like I was in a thick forest.
I had been walking for hours but didn't see any living thing apart from the trees and leaves.
It feels like I was walking in circles and couldn't come out of the forest.
It felt like a force was holding me back from finding my way out.
Then, I suddenly saw myself in a large and deep tunnel.
At first, as I was trying to get out of it, a force was pulling me back but soon it stopped and I was able to move faster and then I began to see light at the end of it.
I began to work towards the light.
Continuously I did and everywhere grew brighter and brighter and at the last minute I got out.
My eyes opened up slowly and I began to adjust to the light.
White ceilings, white walls.
These was the first two things I detected.
Where am I? I thought.
Just then I felt moisture drop into my hands.
I turned my eyes sideways and I saw a lump of hair.
Dark brown hair.
Then I heard her voice.
" Please wake up, Stella! I miss you! Please wake up! "
Who's Stella? And Why is this girl crying?
I was confused.
" Hey. " I tried to say but it only came out as a whisper but I think the girl beside me heard me as she suddenly stopped crying at looked up at me.
Our eyes met and I saw that her eyes were red and Swollen.
I could also see the shock in her eyes.
" Stella! You are awake! " She Exclaimed all of sudden and I was confused again.
Who's Stella? And why is this girl calling me her?
I looked at her confusedly, " Who are you? " I managed to ask.
I didn't know why but my voice felt very hoarse and I was feeling tired.
I could see the shock and sadness in her eyes.
" You don't remember me? " She asked in a shaky voice.
" Who are you? " I asked instead of replying to her question, for some reason I didn't want to say that I don't remember her as I thought that it will hurt her more if I do.
Though I couldn't recollect anything about her still I couldn't bear hurting her.
" I am Steva, Steva Ellison. We were Best Friends. " She said. I guess she was trying to make me remember something but I couldn't.
Anything but I couldn't! It was all blank!
" Were? " I asked and I could see the sadness and regret in her eyes.
What's going on? Why is she so sad?
" Yeah, we were best friends but I was stupid! I didn't trust you enough and ended our relationship. I am sorry. " She whispered as tears streamed down her face.
" Don't cry. " I said involuntarily Holding her hands that were already in mine.
" Hmm, let me inform the doctor that you are awake. " She said and soon disappeared from my sight.
I was left alone with my thoughts.
What's going on?
Why can't I recollect anything?
Why?
***
--- Steva ----
I was so shocked to hear Stella's voice.
At first, I thought I was dreaming.
Perhaps it's because I have been very eager to see her wake up that it felt like I was hallucinating.
But when I looked up, I saw those Ocean eyes staring at me.
' She's awake! ' I screamed in my mind.
Then it Dawned on me that Stella is indeed awake!
" You are awake! " I Exclaimed.
I was expecting a smile or a ' Yes ' but I got a shocker when I heard the three words.
" Who are you? "
For the first time, I hated the fact that these three words existed.
It felt like my whole world came crashing down the moment I heard those words
I tried to explain who I was to her but all I got was a blank stare.
Does this mean that she had forgotten about me? And everything?
Everything?
Or is it only me she didn't remember?
I don't get it.
I excused myself from the room to call the doctor.
The minute I got out of the room.
The tears I had been holding back came down.
I completely broke down.
<< Who are you. >>
Those three words continued ringing in my head.
Then I remembered the three words I said to her months ago out of Rage.
<< I hate you. >>
All of a sudden I felt like I deserved it.
Perhaps this was the punishment for my crime.
I left the door and began to wander along the corridors.
Somehow I found myself in the Attending Doctors' office and told him the news.
He was completely shocked when I told him this.
Well, it was probably expected as he happened to be one of the doctors who thought Stella wouldn't wake up.
As a result of the impact of the injury she sustained.
He went out of the Office into the corridors I followed him out but I Didn't continue following him to the room.
I just stayed a distance away from the room.
Perhaps it's because I don't want to see her dull eyes.
I sat on the long iron seat there and just stared blankly at the walls.
I didn't know how long I was there but I only recovered when I heard a worried voice beside me.
" What Happened, Eva? Why are you feeling so sad? "
It was Mark's voice.
He had been accompanying me this past few days.
Seeing that I didn't reply.
He crouched in front of me, he stared at me intensely.
I could feel the worry in his eyes and voice.
" Please talk to me, Eva. What happened? Is it Stella? " He inquired.
I guess this was the last straw as I broke down once again.
He embraced me and began comforting me.
I didn't know how long we were there but we were interrupted when we heard Jack's voice which was followed by Footsteps.
" What's going on here? "
I looked up from Mark's embrace and wasn't that Suprised to see that it was Stella's parents.
I stood up but due to how quickly I stood, I almost fell back but Mark held me so I didn't fall.
" Well... " I was about to speak up when the door to Stella's room opened and the doctor came out.
Immediately he did.
Stella's parents and Jack walked towards him.
" What happened,, doctor? how is Stella?" Mrs. Ellison asked Worriedly.
" Well, Stella is finally awake now. " He announced.
" Oh my God! How? When? " Jack's voice rang in the corridors.
" It was a few minutes ago, Steva here came to inform me about it and that's when I knew. " He said and almost immediately everyone's eyes turned on me.
It was like they were asking me the question, " Why are you so sad then? "
And as if knowing the question on their minds, the doctor spoke up after a long pause. " She's awake now but she's suffering from temporary Amnesia, so she might not be able to recall what had happened in the past. " He explained.
Silence followed his words.
" Can we see her? " Stella's mom asked.
" You can but make sure not to bring up topics that might make her stressed. " He warned.
" Alright. " They said and soon the trio walked into the room Leaving Mark and me alone in the corridor.
The doctor went back to his office.
" It's going to be fine. " Mark said wrapping his hands around me.
****
Over the next few days, I stayed in the hospital taking care of Stella and after the doctor permitted for her to be discharged from the hospital.
She was taken to her house.
By now, Stella was completely fine.
The only problem was that she hadn't regained her memories but she was comfortable with us being around and had begun opening up.
" You Know, I feel like this has happened before. " She said all of a sudden when we were both in the sitting room watching a Harry Potter movie.
I looked at her in shock. " Really? " I asked her.
" Yes. " She Nodded.
Just then I remembered the doctor's words. " Making her do things she had done before and taking her to places she had been before might trigger her and make her regain her lost memories. "
So far I had been doing just that and it had been going well I guess.
I hoped that she regained her memories soon.
Unknowingly, my hands that were holding the remote shook, and my thumb accidentally Pressed a button on it and the video was converted to a news channel.
By the time a regained me, breakings had started.
I was about to change it back when.
Breaking news: The High School building that caught fire has been reconstructed. Parents and students would be informed as soon as the building is confirmed to be in a good condition as to when to resume back to school.
Soon, there was a video of the fire incident. How the kitchen burnt.
The fire is spreading. The firefighters trying to curb the fire and all of that.
I was so engrossed in all of this that I didn't notice that Stella who was beside me was sweating profusely while holding her head in pain.
" Steva! Fire! "
Before I could react I saw her falling back on the couch
She became unconscious immediately her head hit the firm leather.
I went towards her and began shaking her.
" Stella! Please wake up! " I panicky called out but got no response.
I called the ambulance before Calling Stella's parents and soon we were on our way to the hospital.
Stella's parents along with Mark and Jack got to the hospital not too long after we did.
She was rushed into the emergency room as soon as the ambulance stopped.
" What happened to her? " Stella's mom questioned me.
" She... " I then proceeded to tell her all that happened.
She was silent for a while before speaking up.
" I hope she's alright. "
***
--- Stella ----
My eyes stared opened and I saw myself in the hospital.
What happened?
Then it all started coming back to me.
All the memories I had lost.
Steva, my parents, Jack.
The fire.
Everything.
I remembered everything.
Later when Steva came into the room.
I looked at her and smiled.
" I remember now. " I told her and I could see the shock in her eyes.
" You remember? " She asked me as if confirming what she heard.
" I do. " I replied.
Before I knew what was on, I was pulled into a warm embrace.
Then, I felt hot moisture falling to my back.
" I am very, Sorry, Stella!. Sorry! I am sorry for hurting you. Sorry for not trusting you. Please forgive me.. Stella. " She hiccuped.
" Hey. " I broke the hug.
I reached out my hands to her cheeks and then wiped away her tears.
" I had forgiven you a long time ago, Steva. You don't need to apologize anymore as you had already earned my forgiveness. " I told her.
" Really? " She asked.
" Yeah. " I nodded my head with a smile hanging on my lips.
" Oh my! Thank you so much, Stella! " She said hugging me again.
My mom Came into the room later on followed by dad and Jack and we all had a Happy reunion.