Today marks the fourth time I've been back in the same hospital this month alone, and it probably marks the 78th tantrum I've heard in the last six months. Let's not even count the ones that fell on deaf ears.
The sounds of erratic beeping and the clatter of rolling carts could be heard everywhere, forcing me to accept my reality.
I've been praying to be fortunate enough to see the conclusion of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" reenacted, but the heavens seemed to be delaying it indefinitely.
Maybe it's for my own good, probably for my character development.
But I could be generous. I'd prefer it if you shared the blessings with someone who actually needed them, like my cousin, Alexa, and her mom, too. You know, sharing is caring.
She needs that and maybe at least three rounds of exorcism. Maybe that would do the trick, or do her in. I'll take what you can give, I pleaded.
My phone's been vibrating. I'm guessing it's my best friend, Rina.
I told her about Alexa's setting for today's show. She was adamant that I inform her of any dealings involving my cousin. Afraid that if no one knew where I'd been summoned to, I'd just end up in some black bag, disposed quietly in some river.
I told her she was overreacting. I'm still a Thornhill. The black bag would at least be bedazzled.
I was informed that today's plot involved getting into an accident after a panic attack.
Of course, the main characters would be me, the villainous mainstay. Then probably Jasper, no, most definitely, Jasper. And then Alexa's innocent and bleeding heart.
"Young Miss, this way, please." The guard's call broke me out of contemplation. And I mindlessly followed him in.
The room was familiar. After all, most visits and routine appointments would be done here. What felt unsettling were the gazes of the people standing around.
"Eliana, you've finally come." He gestured for me with a stern tone that Grandpa only used to lecture troublemakers.
I motioned towards him, intentionally ignoring the intense stare and sniffling of the patient on the bed. She really should've been an actress.
"Grandpa, you called for me?" I asked calmly.
That conflicted look on Grandpa's face confirmed that this was once again related to Alexa and her obsession with Jasper—that rat bastard. I gritted my teeth, waiting to know the extent of my involvement this time.
But Grandpa didn't even get to answer before Alexa started her spiel, as if on cue.
"Eli, I'm sorry you were called here, I…I told them you had nothing to do with this, but they said to call you over nonetheless." She sounded meek, like a harmless chick with watery eyes and jittery fingers.
Bystanders and first-time viewers would easily buy into this.
She's seasoned, a child star who only acted in real life. This one acted without a camera and has always been hard-working in preparing the setting and all the props, just like now.
"She got into a car accident after having a panic attack. Alexa learned that you met up with Jasper earlier, which triggered her." Chimed Alexa's mother while looking at everyone as if to gather more sympathy for her "ailing" daughter.
"Met up?"
Grandpa nodded to the security, and I was handed a tablet with photos of me and Jasper.
"Haa…" I looked at everyone else, checking to see if they'd at least retained a semblance of sanity.
"You realize I'm receiving his papers for our class, right? After all, as the class representative, I'm tasked to receive the documents and mark the time stamp accordingly."
Sniffling, Alexa started as if in my defense, "See, she didn't do it on purpose."
Bitch, of course, I did it on purpose! My purpose is to collect submissions! I can feel my nails digging into my palms as I stop myself from creating an even bigger scene.
"You can tell him to drop out of the class. The representative has always been the top-ranked student, so until I graduate, it will always be handed over to me." I looked at her squarely, daring her to continue amidst the collective gasps of the onlookers.
"How is that even possible?! That's just unreasonable!" Aunt Ingrid burst out for her daughter again.
"Unreasonable? Isn't he Alexa's fiancee now? Is he incapable of listening to her wishes?" Looking at their grimacing faces, I guess they wanted me to sacrifice instead. How courageous, just because my parents weren't here.
"Or did you mean for a member of the Thornhill clan to drop out instead?"
I looked over at Grandpa to ask. "Several articles about our family and my academic achievements just got published. We can have them recalled if that's what you want. We can just tell them that I had to quit because Alexa constantly panics about us having one class in common."
"That's not going to happen. We cannot wrong you like that, " Grandpa said resolutely.
"He's on the verge of flunking that class. It'd actually do him a service if he drops it."
From where I stood, I could feel Alexa gnashing her teeth. She's unhappy about things not going according to plan.
"I didn't mean it like that; I just…" just before she could mobilize her tears, I retorted as if sympathetic, "Do you not trust him? Didn't he propose to you by promising you the world?"
Probably pissed at her script going to hell, she responded, "I trust him, it's just that you were once his fiancee, so I couldn't help it…" She trailed off, pulling on the covers as if embarrassed about it.
"That was just an agreement between the elders." She's going there again, I guess.
"But you were such a dutiful fiancee then! I figured that you've loved him during those three years." She's giving it her all, huh? Clutching the covers, tears welling up while eagerly awaiting my response that she won't even accept. She's really into this.
"I was merely doing my end of the bargain. And like any self-respecting adult with proper morals, I fulfilled my duty to be loyal and trustworthy. Love was never part of the equation." Stop forcing me to admit to loving that toad. I have never been that down bad and desperate.
All I expected from that guy was for him to exercise basic human decency and morals, but even that was a letdown. He had the gall to cheat and with my cousin at that. And now what, you're scared that he'd cheat on you because he was able to cheat on me? How laughable.
What hurt wasn't even his infidelity but the reaction of the family. How can these people support this? I guess this is what happens when they also have skeletons in their closets.
"I don't know if this is going to help you, but he's not even my type," I tell her honestly. Such a malicious person, you're perfect together. Go and operate using a single brain cell.
"It's settled then. Alexa, you should talk to Jasper about assuring you more." Even Grandpa seemed over this; it's not like it was the first time, after all.
"But how can we be sure? She may be saying this just to appease us." Oh, she did not just say that.
"Auntie, is this doubt coming from when Alexa was summoned to explain how they were first caught kissing in a bar? Where she said that it was just an accident because he wasn't even her type?" I was planning on being nice, but really, I can only take so much bullshit.
"You did say not to make a big deal out of it because Alexa was adamant that he wasn't her type." Eat shit, you old hag.
With a green face, she hurriedly attempted to cover up her oversight, "Of course not, I was just concerned that you may be hurt by having to lie like that to appease us."
Arching my eyebrow at my silent uncle, I internally questioned his decision to stay married to this goldfish.
"I wasn't lying. I've long put all this behind me. He's now Alexa's fiance, so my responsibilities have long been over." I shrugged at them and silently celebrated dodging this giant bullet named Jasper.
"You're still angry over that? I admit we were wrong…Maybe you really still like him…"
At this point, I'm willing to pay just to get out of this. I won't even bat an eye about giving away a few properties.
I've long debated what to do when this happens again. Rina once joked about claiming that I've already got someone else, and frankly, the idea sounds so much better now.
Lost in my thoughts, I almost missed it when the crocodile added, "You've never liked anyone else after Jasper. But he's with me now…"
And thank God for that. Birds of the same feathers really flock together.
"Alexa," I paused before deciding to end this once and for all. Raising a finger to count, I say, "One, I've never liked Jasper. Two, I have someone else."
And just like that, I may have fucked myself over.