Chapter 18

"Umm what is happening?" Kay whispered to Reki as he scanned Eren who was lying motionless on the bed.

"She got hurt" Reki whispered back. Before Kay could take a closer look, Jack stepped and sat beside her. He pulled her hand and kissed it and whispered.

As the scene played out in front of him, his heart became heavy. He had an impulse to tear that hand away from Eren. He wants to be the one to hold his hand instead. Who is he holding his.... Her hand like that? Kay was hit with these thoughts. His hand itched to do something.

But why? Why does he feel this way? That moment, he felt less important. He felt insecure. Was he not important?

"Hey, you have been glaring at them for a while now. No way! Are you jealous?" Reki whispered to Kay. Only then did he realize he was lost in his own thoughts. ' why would he like Eren? A girl disguised as a boy. Utterly ridiculous. He probably felt all those urge because he was Eren' s friend instead of him. That must be it.

"Don't you think you are taking advantage of him... I mean her?" Kay pulled Jack by his shoulder. Getting used to Eren being a boy came with a lot of consequences.

"What are you doing?" Jack glared. Kay smirked, "she is unconscious and do you think she would like someone like you holding her hand and whispering stuff? Give me a damn break"

Jack rolled his eyes and ignored him. "OH now you are even ignoring me. Him being a girl did change your view, didn't it? Pervert!" Kay scoffed.

"Kay..." Reki mumbled as he tugged at his arm. Kyle listened closely to the commotion next room as he sat there in his own quietness. An ice pack to reduce his swollen cheek.

Jack sighed, "Seriously. I thought you were smarter than that. Guess you are just a child". He let go of her hand and left the infirmary.

"Why is she not waking up?" A quiet voice whispered. Reki didn't notice Chloe in the room. It was always like that. Chloe was someone who was a part of the background. It was Eren who had the spotlight on.

"How would I know? The doctors say she is completely healed. Maybe she is just asleep" Reki streched his limbs out of soreness.

But Chloe was concerned. Her eyes travelled from Eren's head to toe. Her eyes almost pleading her to wake up. She needed her to wake up. To see how Eren will be treated. Will she be treated like her or would it change anything?

Reki glanced at her and scoffed. "I am leaving!"

Chloe 's eyes never left Eren.

_________

"Adeena! Over here!" A voice called out. Adeena turned around. The surrounding trees and bushes gleamed and her eyes squinted at the voice.

"Whats up? Caspar!" She felt her own child voice chirping.

"Look what I found, It's a big beetle"

Adeena tried to make out his face but she couldn't. It was like she was in a dream. A dream she never want to wake up from.

"It is! Caspie! You are soo cool" She tugged his arm, her eyes glowed under the hot summer. Her heart excited, her hand warm and her hollow tooth smile.

Then it turned dark. Layla was standing in nothingness. She wondered where she was. "Umm hello...."

But her voice echoed back at her. She turned in circles to see a way out but she couldn't see any.

A sudden blinding light made her cover her eyes with her arm. As it died down, she pulled her arm away and coldness greeted her.

The snow canopied the trees around, the swings and the sliders. " a playground?" She whispered to herself.

She stumbled and fell face first into the snowy ground. Her nose stringed red. "What in the world...."

A burst of laughter echoed. Her insides twisted and her eyes watered. Her eyes searched for the laughter but she found none.

Her hands dusted her snowy little legs as she got up. "Caspie, I know you are in there. Let's not play hide and seek, shall we?" Her mouth moved uncontrolled.

A figure emerged behind the tree. His face was blurry, his shoulder broadened. A bit taller than he was in the last memory.

"Fine me, Addy" He shouted and disappeared.

She took a step forward and it turned dark again. "Am I seeing my memories? God..."Layla turned around for a way out.

Another blinding light.

A city spread out in front of her. The dry cold air washing her face. Her lips numbed at the coldness. Her body freeze but her brain was in rush with adrenaline. The tall buildings appear like carton boxes, cars like hardworking ants,people hardly seen.

In this big world, she felt trivial. Her legs at the edge of the tower as she sat there admiring the city.

A grunt made her look sideways. It was again him. Eventhough his face appeared blurry, she knew it was him. He sat beside her and looked forward.

"We think the world revolved around us. But this view makes me feel insignificant. No one would notice even if I disappeared such is the majesty of its view." She heard herself say.

"but I would lose my world" He whispered.

"Caspie...."

His hand found hers as he closed the distance between them. "Addy, you are not insignificant. You are not beautiful either"

"Excuse me! That is not hilarious!" Her hand tingled on his touch.

He chuckled, "You may not be beautiful, but you are my girl".