There are flashbacks in this chapter but I don't know how to use italics here so I'll put this * to show it means that it's a flashback.
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Rose's P.O.V|
Crossing the road with caution, I tuck my hands into the pockets of my coat, attempting to keep warm in the freezing weather. A fog of smoke escapes my lips, making me pretend to be smoking like some weirdo, trying not to look like a lost cause as I try to find the gift shop I was after.
"Could've sworn it was around this corner." I mutter to myself, frowning as I stare at the shoe store in front of me. Grumbling, I furiously hit the call button, waiting for Laura to answer her phone.
"Its not here. Can you believe the luck I am blessed with? It just...vanished, poof!" I try to explain the horror of my current situation.
"Rose calm down and stop exaggerating. Where are you right now?" Laura asks.
"Well, there is a shoe store."
She sighs. "Do I look like google to you? Be more specific."
"Well, there's a pancake shop right beside it and- Oh hey, would you look at that, the gift shop is right across the road." I laugh awkwardly as I rush across the road whilst the crossing man is still green.
"Honestly, Rose. I just missed the ending of my show!" She groans irritated.
I scoff and roll my eyes. "Well sorry for being an imperfect human."
"Whatever, bye." She hangs up and I shrug, walking into the warm heated store.
I wasn't sure what Kyle would like for his birthday. I was considering on buying him a cake but with his condition at the moment, I don't think he can really eat. It'll only be me eating a cake whilst staring at his unconscious figure. Would probably be a weird scene.
So I ended up with a potato saying happy birthday balloon because why the hell not? As I was looking through the rack of birthday cards, one caught my attention. It was a birthday card with a cute little Chihuahua on the cover. If it wasn't for the fact that I was in a store, I would have bawled my eyes out right here on the spot.
Thanking the cashier lady, I walk myself back towards my car and on my way to the hospital.
Today is Kyle's eighteenth birthday. He's been in a coma for six months and despite the fact that I have visited him every single day, I'm starting to feel that he'll never wake up, with the guilt of my actions on my shoulders, weighing me down.
"Morning Kyle. Guess what today is." I say softly as I place his balloon and card on the table beside him. "Its your birthday. You know, the day where your mother was in pain as she tries to pop you out. Its kinda weird actually....We celebrate the day where our mothers were yelling in pain for a good few hours. I'd hate my kids if they ever celebrated such a agonising memory." I hold his hand in mine as rub the top with my thumb.
"But I'll say this anyways, Happy birthday William." I smile and kiss his forehead.
Before I even removed my lips from his forehead, I felt a small squeeze in my hand. Shocked I pull back and stare at him with eyes open, searching his face frantically for any signs of what I felt.
Probably my imagination. I sigh, frowning until that it, I felt another squeeze of my palm. "William?" I question, removing his hair from his eyes and that's when I was greeted with blue orbs staring back at me.
I choke back a sob as I stare at him, not believing what my eyes were seeing.
He smiles weakly. "Are you an angel?"
I laugh through my tears, shaking my head no, "No, its me, Rose." I grab him in for a hug, silent tears streaming down my eyes.
"Oh my, he's awake!" A nurse exclaims as she pulls me away from him. "I'm sorry but we need to do a few check ups to see how he's doing.
Kyle still stares at me though. There was something different about his smile though.
"Okay, now I want you to tell me what the last thing you remember is." The nurse asks, a clipboard in hand.
Kyle moves his gaze from me to the nurse. He only stares at her blankly.
"Well?"
"Do you have any coffee?" Was his reply instead and I watch confused.
"William, this is a serious question and I need you to answer."
He rubs his eyes and runs a hand through his hair, grimacing when he noticed how oily his hair was. "Well, I remember being enrolled at a new boarding school."
My world suddenly freezes. That was over eight months ago.
"And do you know who Kyle Anderson is?" She asks, just as a doctor walks in.
"Yeah, I think so. Isn't that the fake identity I was given?"
She nods. "Good."
"Good? GOOD!? HE JUST LOST EIGHT FUCKING MONTHS WORTH OF MEMORIES AND ALL YOU CAN SAY IS GOOD!?" I try to pull my hair only to be held by my father as he tries to calm me down.
"What do you mean eight months?" Kyle questions confused, staring deeply into my eyes, waiting for an answer I was too afraid to say.
"You were involved in an acci-"
I didn't want to hear anymore. I couldn't. I left before I could breakdown into a sobbing mess right in front of him.
Why?
Why does this happen to me?
This is the exact reason why I didn't want to feel. The exact reason why I tried to stay away from Kyle.
And now....I don't even exist to him.
It's like the universe is trying to get me back for putting Kyle in this situation. But I said I was sorry and wasn't the guilt enough? My chest shakes as I try to hold in my tears.
"Rose, Kyle wants to see you." My father says softly, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"He doesn't remember me..." I sniff.
"I know, but he says he wants to talk to you, or well the 'Angel that was in the room earlier.'"
I close my eyes tightly, biting my lips. "It hurts." I whimper, turning around to hug my dad.
"Shh, it's okay." He strokes my hair before grabbing my elbow and pulling me towards Kyle.
Upon entry, Kyle looks at me and beams a smile so big, I couldn't hold in the small laugh that had escaped.
"I have to get back to the boarding school. Bye sweetie." My father kisses my forehead and leaves me alone. With Kyle. Or well...William.
"Are you my girlfriend?" He asks randomly, causing me choke on my own saliva.
"I-I...uhm- well....No...Not exactly."
** "You..." He says lowly, stalking closer to me. "I try to get along with you, I try to be nice but you only give me every excuse possible as to why I'm not needed here." **
"Why are you standing at the door. I don't stink do I?" He asks a little panicked as he sniffs himself. "Look, I know I haven't showered in six months-"
"Kyle, it doesn't matter." I interject, walking closer to him. My heart flutters wildly inside me as his eyes follow my every movement.
"Why'd you call me Kyle?" He asks warily, patting his hand on the bed, indicating that I should sit there. So close to his mesmerising face.
Gosh so many questions! Cant you just shush and let me admire you!
"Well...You did attend the boarding school as Kyle for six months and so...I'm sorta used to it."
"So we knew each other?"
** "All I wanted was to be loved again. All I wanted was someone who I could trust, someone who could be beside me always so I could function properly and stop myself from becoming insane..."**
"You could say that."
He shuffles closer, giving me his all too familiar smirk that, even though I'd hate to admit, I've missed.
"You're messing with me right now. I know we used to date." He says confidently and to say that holding back my eye roll was difficult, would be an understatement.
"Aren't you worried that you've forgotten a bit of your life?" I say instead.
He shrugs. "I will eventually remember. So help me out here and tell me everything there is to know about our relationship. How do we know each other?"
I bite my bottom lip, avoiding eye contact. "You'd hate me." I whisper, a tear rolling down my cheek.
** "If you want me dead that bad Chi chi, then you could of just said so." **
He laughs. "You? I don't see how someone could hate you." He gently wipes the tear that has betrayed me.
I force out a laugh.
"How did I know you and not at least try to date you?" He questions.
** "Me? Oh, so now you're blaming your pathetic suicidal thoughts on me? Wow, aren't you a darling." I scoff, rolling my eyes. **
"Well...You see, I sorta didn't want to date you- not because I hated you or anything but it was the whole identity you were given that put me off."
"Ah, the whole 'bad boy' thing huh?" He chuckles softly.
I nod, pretending to be interested in my nails that need a bit of trimming.
"So you're saying that I hated you because you wouldn't date a 'bad boy'?"
** "...this may come as some shocking news, but not everyone loves you! Okay, so stop following me around like some fucking annoying psycho who has to pretend to be someone else!" **
"No...You actually told me the truth about your life a-and you...you ended up like this because of m-me..." My voice cracks.
He stays silent, pulling me closer to the point where I was sitting on his lap sideways. He hugs me and rubs my back in a comforting manner.
I don't deserve his comfort. I deserve to be hated.
"I'm sorry, I have to go. You would hate me if you remembered what happened."
** "NO! I am so fucking sick of you. You're always controlling me, making me feel things I don't want to, touching and kissing me without my permission and you expect me to listen?" I let out a humourless laugh. "You mean nothing to me William." **
"No wait! I'm sure you had a reason for what ever it is that you did!" He calls after me, but I bolt straight for the door.
** "...you weren't just another person that I have met, you were someone that knew the whole me, someone that I stupidly spilled my secrets and weaknesses to. I regret ever meeting you Chi- Rose."
I regret ever meeting you Chi- Rose."
I regret ever meeting you Chi- Rose."
I regret ever meeting you Chi- Rose."
I regret ever meeting you Chi- Rose." **
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