When you're about to release an arrow, what is it that you do? You pull it back before letting it go forward. The same goes for life, so it's certain that when life puts you through some bad situations, it's because it's about to launch you into something good.
Getting grip on reality with the headache was something we all human beings hated but we're still doing it again and again. Most of the time, we do it after we get wasted on some party or whatever. However, that wasn't my problem at the moment. My headache was caused by other reasons. Unknown reasons.
"So what's wrong with her, Doc? Is it something serious?" I heard a male voice in the background ask. My eyes felt heavy. I was back to the headache part and started wondering what had happened. I definitely haven't been to some party and got drunk, so . . . Oh, right. I fainted. Wait, who's that guy? Doctor? Was I in the hospital?
"Say Max, are you her boyfriend? Moreover, I'm disappointed in you. That's your profession, so how come you don't get it?" another voice asked. Who was that? Wait, was I really in the hospital then? Hold on, hold on . . . boyfriend? And what did he mean by profession? Was he an expert in fainting? No wait . . . Max? What was Max doing here? Frick!
"Yes, I . . . somehow. Wait, what? No way!" Max said in disbelief, and I groaned trying to open my eyes. Oh, you little fake expert in fainting, just wait until I get my hands on you! It was one thing to joke with me on a daily basis, but to present yourself to other people as my partner was an entirely different deal!
"Yes way, so are you or not?" the doctor asked and just as I opened my eyes, I closed them immediately because of their sensitivity to the light. Damn. How unlucky could I be? I prayed that Max wouldn't confirm the answer to the doctor's question, for his sake, not mine. Because once I get my hands on him . . .
"Yeah," he said and for some reason, I surprisingly got the strength I needed to open my eyes. Oh, now he's done!
"Alright, then. From what I can see, she hasn't been eating properly, I can see absence of vitamins in her body, you know that this is a critical period for her andâ" He stopped when I groaned louder, hoping that they'd notice after letting my eyes adjust to my surroundings. White ceiling, white walls, white everything. I was there once again. I really loathed hospitals and it took me all of my willpower not to escape right that moment.
"He's not my boyfriend. I don't have one," I stated. My throat was dry. It's been killing me, and this guy thought he could come in here and say whatever he wanted and listen about my problems? I remembered throwing up. No wonder I had a feeling that someone ripped out my throat. I shot a meaningful glare at Max's way. If looks could kill, he'd be under the ground for a long time.
"Awe, why are you so cruel to me, Kay? I can have an imaginary relationship with you," he chuckled. I was going to kill him! I didn't care if I ended up going to hell for this or jail, but he did not just pose as my boyfriend in the hospital like it was no big deal.
"Max, right now I'm contemplating whether I'll be cutting one or both of your balls." Although I sounded like a dying hyena, I managed to grin as I saw him gulp and turn a few shades paler. But then I started coughing, destroying my act before giving up. Kill later, relieving my thirst comes first.
"W-water," I choked out and he immediately went to pour me one. The doctorâI assumed he was one since he was the only one in white in the roomâwas glancing between the two of us in confusion and ultimately shook his head. He put away the papers he held in his arms before taking out some weird lamp that he then pointed in my eye.
"Follow the light," he instructed. I tried to before he removed it and moved his finger instead of it. I knew what he was doing, checking my brain activity. There was one time when my parents were still alive that I wanted to be a doctor. I used to get fevers intentionally so my father could take care of me and spend his time teaching me. He was a doctor. My mom didn't have any specific work, just an ordinary housewife. I missed those times.
"Do you recall what happened?" he asked and I nodded. More or less, my head was killing me just like my throat, but I did my best to give him a clear reply.
"I fainted at work. I was feeling rather ill. I got a headache and then threw up before fainting. That's all I remember so far," I responded and he nodded. He checked my heartbeat and pressure as Max finally came back with my water.
Thank the heavens. I immediately drank it as the doctor continued with the tests to make sure that I was alright.
"So, she's not going to die?" Max suddenly asked, making me glare at him. Couldn't he spread his negativity somewhere that's not around me?
"Max, I swear to everything that's holy to you, I'll suffocate you with pillows!" I threatened as the doctor only chuckled. He was rather calm. Max wasn't so polite around him, making me wonder if they knew each other.
"You wouldn't. Admit it, you'd want a lot of mini me running around," he said and I chuckled.
"Yeah right, like one of you isn't enough for my life to be miserable," I joked with him, completely forgetting that there was a doctor in the room.
"You know you love me," Max argued.
"Do not!"
"Do!"
"Do not!"
"Do!"
"Do not!"
"Do!"
"Alright you two, stop this banter," the doctor said with finality. "This is a hospital, and you're both adults. I suggest you both act like it."
Uh-oh, he's mad. Max and I both muttered our apologies, both feeling extremely childish.
The doctor started. "Since you don't have any relation with the patient . . ."
"Imaginary doesn't count." Max then turned to glare at me. Talk about not having a sense of humor or a funny bone in his body. Ha, funny bone!
". . . you must step out of the room," the doctor finished. Max pouted but got out anyway. No one wins a war with me.
"So, what is wrong with me doctor?" I finally asked once I made sure that Max was no longer in this room. Nervousness kicked in as I started twiddling my thumbs together. Don't tell me I had some illness like Ayden, that would be too twisted for someone like me.
"Do you have a boyfriend or a husband?" he asked, looking through a set of papers in his hands.
"What? No, why do you ask?" What kind of doctor is he? Wait is he trying to flirt with me?
"I see. There's a way to solve your problem. I can't legally tell you what you should do, but I recommend you to take a few weeks to think about it, but the faster you make a decision the better. Though, I wouldn't even think of it in your place, but truth to be told, it's up to you after aâ"
"What do you mean?" What is he talking about? Why wasn't he just getting to the point so that I could get out of here?
"You are pregnant, but it's just as I have said. Don't rush this over. I have a daughter your age and I'd still support her no matter what if she were in your place, so I'd suggest you to take some time and eventually talk with the father of baby, whoever he might be." The doctor spoke again, but I paid no attention to what he said after those words. I was pregnant, at just eighteen. The name I was avoiding to think of so hard came back to me, reminding me of his particularly blue eyes, haunting my sanity.
Blake. It was his child. The man that simply walked into my life taking my pride and left like a tornado. I did not know how to react for a while. I say that I don't hate him, don't mind his existence, but a part of me still stubbornly hates him.
"Are you alright?" he asked. I nodded and asked him if he was sure, to which he confirmed. "From the blood test we took, we found hormones you can only find in pregnant women. It's impossible for them to be released in blood if an embryo hasn't been created," he explained and I nodded, closing my eyes and biting my lip.
Oh, God. What were the chances of that happening to me? It's been just one night. Who the hell gets pregnant after just one night? I tried not to cry. No, I promised not to cry anymore, I couldn't cry.
"It's okay. Seeing the times we live in today, many young pregnant women fear the consequences of having to raise a baby, especially if they are alone. That's precisely why I'd recommend you to talk through this with the father. Also, you should speak with your parents, I'm sure that they'll be a great support. They might get angry at the beginning, but don't worry too much, they all do. But, they'll eventually come to see the bigger picture and shower you with love like they'd always do." He continued. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I didn't have parents to confront me. I was all alone. Sure, I had Ryan, Melissa and Ayden, but I didn't know how I could speak about this with them. And Blake . . . what would be the use in trying to get to him anyway. He'd probably just get angry to find out that he'll be having a child out of nowhere.
Hide these feelings. Put on the mask. That's precisely what I did. I faked a smile before thanking him and telling him that I'll do just that. I've been hiding my true feelings for so long now that I've felt like I might lose who I really was. For two years, I've been faking that I was fine. After Ayden got ill and I slept with Blake for money, I've been faking that I was fine. Even now when I had no damn idea what to do, I've still been faking that I was fine, which would eventually turn out to be my downfall.
After he left, Max came in not too long after, with a frown on his face. "That doc is such a pain in the butt. He was glaring at me all the way down the hall like I'd killed his cat. I did it once actually, the damn thing slept the night in my car. I haven't seen it. That aside, did you tell him something about me? And to think I thought of you as my . . . Are you alright?" He stopped dead in his tracks and rushed toward me before sitting on the edge of the bed once he had noticed my sobs.
I just couldn't take it anymore. It was too much for me. First that, now a baby. Like it wasn't enough that I had nightmares of that night. That night I cursed with my soul. I couldn't even do anything about it, so I cried. For me being so young and going through so much for my brother, for my parents, for the baby! His baby! A baby I didn't know if I could even take care of. And for the life I had, not deserving most that's happened to me, the aunt that wanted nothing but money!
I stopped pretending to be strong in a world that didn't care about me and allowed myself to replace numbness with pain and tears. I accepted it gladly. So I did something any other person would do in my place. I hugged Max and cried on his chest. He didn't say a word, but instead he just hugged me back and whispered all kind words to me, but I was too busy thinking about past events to realize what he was even saying to me. So I cried and cried, hoping that was all just another nightmare I'll soon wake up from.
We all run from the present we don't know how to deal with, eventually letting it become another part of our past. But we only realize it once it becomes too late, that one way or another, the past will always catch up to us when we expect it the least.
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Ugh, I feel immortal. It's the fourth chapter in the row that I edited.
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