Chapter 6

"There's a newly-opened coffee shop in Amyria! Let's go?"

"Really? Let's go!" Dorothy said in glee.

Mia nudged me which made me stop texting. I turned to them who are both waiting for my reply. "I'm sorry. I have somewhere to go. Maybe, next time."

Dorothy smiled. "With your loverboy?"

I chuckled before shaking my head. "No. I'll meet... someone," I answered.

They bid me goodbye before going to the said newly-opened coffee shop in the next town of Durem. I waited for them to disappear before checking my phone for any messages.

From: Nathaniel

Are you coming?

Me:

Yup!

I sighed before putting my phone in my pocket. Revi is still in class and I think it will end later at 8 in the evening. My class ended quickly and I was planning to go to the near mall to buy things that I would need for the nearing Midterm Exam but I think I would cancel that for now because I need to visit someone.

I didn't have my car with me. My parents gave me a luxury car as a present on my 20th birthday but because I don't know how to drive yet, it was just parked in our house in Gravetto and was unused. I don't want to sell it because it was my parents' present for me and I treasured it preciously. I was also thinking that I would probably take an interest in knowing how to drive in the future.

As of the moment, I don't have any plans on practicing how to drive yet. My boarding house from my university was just a walking distance and if I would go somewhere far away, I have Revi.

I hailed a taxi as soon as I got out of university. "Saria," I told the driver before he maneuvered his taxi for a go.

Right after going out of the taxi, cold wind brushed through my face and blew a few strands of my hair. I stared at the three-story building in front of me and my eyes were glued to that certain room's window on the second floor.

"Hi, Ma'am! Welcome to Saria Psychiatric House where we build everything back together!" A woman in his 20's greeted me in frolic as soon as I reached the counter.

Right. I am at Saria's Psychiatric Hospital to visit someone very close to me. I smiled at her before glancing at the busy hallway and the wards of the floor.

"Uhm... I'm here for Nathaniel Savamonte," I said.

She nodded before typing something on the computer.

"Oh, a visitor!" She said, surprised. I wasn't shocked by her reaction anymore because I grew used to it already. After visiting for how many times, I always get that reaction from them. "Room 205, Ma'am. Second floor."

I nodded and bid my goodbye before going to Nathaniel's room located on the second floor of the building. I stopped when I am only one room away from Nathaniel's room because someone beeped me up. I fished my phone out from my pocket to check the message I just received.

From: Revi

Where are you?

I never expected to receive a message from him at this time. He's supposed to be in class unless he secretly did it. I shook my head at the naughty side of my boyfriend.

Me:

I'm somewhere to visit someone.

I waited for a minute for his reply but I received nothing. I think he's still in class so I pocketed my phone.

"Oh, look who we have here... Amelia!"

I immediately turned to the direction of that voice and saw Dr. Ambra behind me.

"Hi, Dr. Ambra."

She chuckled. "You grew beautiful every time I see you!"

I laughed shyly.

"You're here for... Nathan?" She asked before glancing at Room 205.

I nodded.

"I am doing rounds. What impeccable timing and I am now checking the rooms here on the second floor. But I am still in Room 204. I'll go check Nathaniel right after checking 204, okay?"

When Dr. Ambra went inside Room 204, I was just staring at the closed door of Nathaniel's room. I inhaled a large breath before knocking on the door.

When I heard nothing from the inside, I slowly opened the door. My mouth gaped at the sight of the once white colored wall and now painted with Starry Nights by the famous artist, Van Gogh.

The room was almost filled with different paintings. The once-white wall was now painted which made it evolve into a much bright place. The whole place was lively which might make people think that the one living in this room is... in her right mind.

I walked to the bed despite the urge to stroll around the whole room. My eyes wandered at the whole room, fascinated by Nathan's paintings on it.

My eyes were glued to the direction beside the huge bed and found a woman with her long black hair that welcomed my sight and with her back against me. My grip on the handle of my shoulder bag in my front tightened as I looked at her painting on the wall. I silently observed every move of her wrist from her back while my lips were pursed.

"Done with your class?" She asked without glancing my way and continued painting.

I cleared my throat and let out a smile as if she could see it when her back was against my direction. "Yes. I went straight here right after class," I said.

"Are you with someone?" She asked, still not sparing me a glance.

I swallowed the lump on my throat. "No. I am alone."

She placed the mixing palette on the floor as well as the brush she's holding on the other hand before standing up.

"How about Dad?" I could hear her sound of hope.

"You know Papa... he's busy with his business."

"I see," she mumbled. "So you visited me alone again."

"I told Papa to come with me but he... humbly declined because he has some business to take care of."

The plan was to visit Nathaniel this weekend but she texted me unexpectedly earlier. I couldn't ignore it so my visit was unexpectedly this day. I was planning to have Revi accompany me on that supposed day but knowing Nathaniel if I won't come here today... she'll throw a fit.

It was true that I asked Papa to come with me if I'll visit Nathaniel but he refused without a second thought. He could postpone his work just fine but I think it was just his scapegoat just so he wouldn't have the time to visit Nathaniel.

It was hard for me to... lie but I cannot hurt Nathaniel in any way. If lying will make her feel tranquil then I am willing to lie. I cannot sacrifice her mental condition just to tell her the truth.

She turned to me with a big smile on her face. She has slanted eyes and every time she smiles, her eyes become more chinky. The heaviness I was feeling faded away when I saw her smile.

"It's alright. Dad will visit if he's done with his business, right?"

I don't think so. I attempted to tell him that for how many times now but he always has his reasons so that's why it was always a fail for me.

I nodded slowly. "Papa will visit, Nathan. He will."

I hid the hopeful sound of my voice when I told her that. I don't want to make her feel indifferent when it comes to Papa.

"Well, everything's alright as long as you're here."

She sat on her bed and gestured the couch near her for me to sit. I placed the basket of fruits on her bedside table before sitting on the couch.

"Your room is nice. The last time I visited, that was the only wall who has paintings on it," I said while pointing at the wall near the door.

She looked at the wall I pointed. "That's just a beach painting," she said like it was nothing.

I raised my brow. "It's wonderful! I always knew that you're an art person."

I was fondly looking at the paintings on her walls. She filled the entire room with glorious paintings. She really likes painting since then and she has a lot of artworks already but when Papa decided to let Nathaniel stay here in the hospital, she stopped painting. Maybe, she lost interest in doing it which was sad and tragic but I was happy and surprised to see her doing what she loves to do once again. Not to mention that these paintings in her room's wall are of grandeur beauty.

"And you're always the smart person," she said which made my smile fade.

I awkwardly looked back at her who's sitting on her bed while her hands are on her lap. She was wearing a white spaghetti dress which was tainted with paints and her hands still have remnants of painting. It must be hard to wash it all away.

The tension always builds up every time the conversation is about our differences. Well, I'd rather not call it 'difference' because it sounds dysphemism to me so I would call it our 'uniqueness'.

"That's what I am only good at. Unlike you, I can't do a painting."

She chuckled. "I got this from my mom. She's a famous artist back in her days."She looked at the ceiling, contemplating.

I let out a small smile. "She's amazing and so are you," I said, carefully looking at her.

"If I am then why am I here?" She asked, piercing me through her intent gaze.

She was a proud artist back then. But after being brought here... she lost all that compassion, pride, and trust towards herself. She always compares her works and her mother's. She always compares herself from her mother and if she ever feels inferior, she'll start to throw things everywhere and worst, destroy her artworks.

I went speechless. I couldn't say a single word. I was out of words because of the fear that whatever my answer will be would make her lose her control... just like what happened before. The memory I had with her was pleasant except for that day where she destroyed all of her paintings to the point where she was about to threaten my life.

I sliced the apple with care for the knife not to slip on my fingers. Nathaniel was just watching me on doing that.

"How's my prince charming?" She asked in her usual soft voice.

The paring knife suddenly slipped on my finger. I saw blood coming out of my index finger from just a small cut. I sighed and got myself a tissue to stop the bleeding. I am a Nursing student. Panicking for just a mere small cut would be a shame. Let alone, take care of it frantically. Nathaniel ate one of the sliced apples while looking at me, waiting for my answer.

"He's fine," I answered.

"Are there still a lot of girls surrounding him?"

I shrugged and stood up to wash my hands on the sink. "I think he won't ever lose that. It became part of his life."

Nathaniel giggled. "He can have fun all out but playing around is over the moment I get out of this shitty hospital."

I raised my brow. "Do you think so?"

She nodded with determination. "Yes! That is why you stay with Revi because Lincoln is mine! Mine! Mine!"

I laughed while shaking my head before turning the faucet off.

"I don't know about you," I chuckled while drying my hands by wiping it with a clean towel.

"I can't wait for my wedding day with Lincoln Gael! And of course, you'll be the bridesmaid, my older half-sister!"

Yes, Nathaniel Savamonte is my half-sister. And yes, she's obsessed with the guy named Lincoln Gael because she has an Obsessive Love Disorder.