"Ouch."
I yelp sitting upright as I feel my forehead burning with pain. My hand automatically touches the place where the pain is. But a hand holds mine before it touches it.
"Don't touch, you'll ruin the stitches."
His calm voice addressed me. My eyes traveled to his face, I couldn't see clearly. So I blink to clear my vision, and my eyes meet his sharp jaw, traveling to small cherry lips, to his straight nose then his honeyed eyes focus on my wounded forehead. He tucked his neck-length jet black hair neatly behind his ears.
"Who are you? And what did you want from me?"
My lips moved weakly, asking the handsome guy that just saves me from that thing and now he's dressing my wounds. He's such a kind person and he seemed familiar but I can't remember where we met.
"Let me finish first then I'll introduce myself, I'm almost done."
His eyes glued on my forehead concentrated on what he's doing and proceeded, rubbing something on my wounds, making me wince in agony.
***
"Who are you?"
He kept mum, making me lazily turn my head to the left side of the car where he sat there driving calmly and look at him. He's helping me out. but I don't know his intentions, or who he was. The only thing I know is I feel safe around him.
"Who are you."
Silence.
"Where are you taking me?"
He kept quiet, driving as if I didn't exist. Ignoring me. Is something wrong with his mouth? Even though I feel safe around him. That doesn't mean I don't want to know who he is.
"But you promised to tell me when you're done."
I continued but it's of no use.
Sighing heavily. What's he hiding, why doesn't he want me to know who he is? I give up asking and concentrate on the road. He looks familiar, and warm towards me, which makes my heart feel at rest to believe he won't hurt me but where did I know him, maybe he's the guy from the shop I always buy groceries for Yeye? No, that boy got short silver hair, did he dye it? But he's not stable enough to have a car.
"Looks like you didn't recognize me at all."
He breaks the silence bringing me back from my thoughts and I look at him one more time, his eyes, ... Where did I know them from?
"Nyla looks like you've forgotten things easily in my absence."
His lips twitched as he teased me. Smiling warmly, revealing his dimple cheek. And brushing my hair with his fingers. But quickly take them back to the stereo. concentrating on the road.
My mouth dropped, eyes wide open, with messy locks caging my face. I know I look stupid. Right now. But my little brain can't take in.
"Close your mouth before you swallow flies."
Gulping hardly, I know these honeyed eyes look familiar, it's been freaking fifteen good YEARS.
"Liuz?"
I murmured under my breath trying to believe what I uttered, is it really him? For real.
He flashes a smile at me. Nodding. I kept quite lost in my thoughts, I could feel tears forming in my eyes. Am I to be happy with him being back or angry at him for leaving for such a long time.
My heart feels a little at ease but cringes at the same time. He's been alive for all these while, I thought he was dead.
"Is this how you welcome your best friend and only cousin brother?"
He tried to cheer me up, but I didn't look at him.
"Nyla."
"My name is Anya."
"Anya, that's such an ugly name. I prefer Nyla.''
He repeated after me but I ignored him. What did he think? To just come back after years and I'll welcome him like it was just yesterday?
Nyla is my birth name. Only my family calls me by it but most people call me Anya. It's been a long since anyone called me that since my parents died. And Yeye used to call me with different names like Mimie, beloved one, or whatever comes to his mind. Since we've moved to Y town I've been going by the name Anya. He can't call me by that now.
Minutes pass in awkward silence, each of us left with his thoughts. I have different questions to ask him, like where was he all this time, how is Uncle? Is he working? But I feel like hitting his chest so badly then cry in his arms like I always do whenever he leaves me when I was little.
"At least let me explain myself."
"What is there to explain about?"
"Everything."
"I don't need your explanation."
I fumed. I'll love to know what happened but. I'm mad at him. I've been living for so long without him and can continue without him, mentally hitting myself LIAR.
I need him now more than ever. He doesn't know about Yeye's death. I rub the silver ring on my hand that Yeye gave me during my first day at school.
"I'm really sorry about Yeye's lost, I wasn't there for you."
Came his voice comforting me making the tears that threatened to fall from my eyes roll down, I sniffed, wiping the tears away. He wasn't there during his funeral, none of them were, I have to console my grieving heart all by myself. Only a few neighbors came. He kept quiet knowing I wouldn't reply to him. Staring at the dim light outside the window I saw the same burning red eyes in the woods. I squint my eyes and it was gone. Heaving a sigh. It's just me, there's nothing there.
I don't feel so good. My forehead aches and my heart wince at the pain I withhold for long. I turned to the other side and hugged myself. And sleep overtakes me.
***
"We're here."
He wakes me up when the car is parked in the garage, I get out the black Benz. It's quarter past ten and the place is dark with white bulbs decorating the house. We entered the house with him leading the way. And a woman in her late 30s answers the door, he hugs her and she sees me behind him.
"Nyle."
"Yes Aunt Wani."
Her eyes brim with tears. I remembered all their name clearly, missing them every single day. She entrusts me into a bear hug before I closed my mouth.
"I've always wished to see you. You've grown up to be a beautiful young lady."
She sobs in my arms. I wrap my arms around her, feeling warm. It's been a long time since I've had a motherly hug. And sat me down in the living room holding both my hands.
I gazed at her teary eyes but didn't shed tears.
"I'm so sorry about Yeye's lost."
She wipes the tears that fall from her eyes.
"We didn't know about it."
She sniffed pausing.
"How are you coping with the loss?"
I nod my head mumbling under my breath looking at my hands held tight by her.
"Good."
"Luiz found out just recently when he went to look for you."
I just nodded if I opened my lips sobs would escape from them. She continues when she sees I'm not going to talk.
"We didn't want to leave but it's for the better good, but you're here with us now."
She finished with a sigh of relief. For the better good? I'm done grieving but they're making me start afresh.
I feel uncomfortable sitting there not wanting to break into tears.
"What's wrong with your forehead? What happened to you?"
She asked after observing my bandaged forehead and my dirty clothes touching my bandage with her finger.
I cringe my eyebrows pulling my head back.
"Ehem ... ahem ... I ... Umm ... It's nothing, I'm fine."
I cleared my throat stammering, I slowly slid my other hand from hers.
She gave Luiz, who was sitting on the opposite sofa, a questioning look. And he responded with his sweet voice that's sound like a lullaby to my ears.
"I don't know either but I've found her fainting with blood all over her face"
"Is she fine now?"
"Yes better, there isn't any hospital or clinic close by and she's losing blood. So I stitch the wound for her, but I call Peff, he's on his way to check her up."
I listened to them, my gaze on my laps trying to find an escape.
"Can I use the toilet?"
I uttered, their gaze turned to me, silencing them. Good idea now I'll have some privacy.
"Yes of course my dear"
Aunt Wani said, turning her gaze to Luiz.
"Take her to her room please I clean the room immediately after you called me"
She addresses him and he gets up to take me to my room straightening his grey shirt as he stands.
"Follow me."
I stood up following him to my new room. I finally find a family to live with.