4

Peeking through my eyelashes I realize this room is bright, like the bright that hurts so bad, it's annoying.

"Jessica, you're awake." someone says while squeezing my hand.

"Am I in heaven?" I asked like I know stupid me, but I only see white.

"No silly, you're in the hospital," Jane replies.

Jane...

Oh shit.

Sitting up straight a little too quickly, everything starts spinning again.

"Whoa there, you should lay down," Jane says while pushing me back against the bed.

Urg.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, Prof Triston is with the doctor now..." She replies a bit hesitant.

"Jane..."

"Yeah."

"What's up?" I asked, I know something is off and she sucks at secrets.

"Well..." She replies in a whisper while fiddling with her fingers, "our Prof is scary, he....his yelling at the doctor and...his flipping, I'm scared that this is serious." she finishes off while sobbing.

Pulling her into a hug, moving my fingers over her hair, "Hey no, don't cry.... it's just a panic attack...." and asthma but that's not that big of a deal to share.

"What if it's no-."

"Good evening, Jessica, how are you feeling?" The doctor asks while entering the room.

"I'm fine...." I replied, his expression is one of the many I know well enough, blank.

"Good, well as you know you fainted?" He asks.

"I did?"

"You did, you don't remember?" He asks while writing something down.

I don't like doctors.

Urg.

I know they save lives but still.

"I...I don't."

"Well Jessica, we have to do a few more tests but, so far it looks like you're not receiving enough oxygen and your heart isn't pumping at a normal rate..." He finishes off while taking my blood pressure.

What...

This is why I don't like doctors.

"Ohhhhh Kay. Doctor, what does that even mean? like am I dying? and how long do I have? if I'm not dying, how many surgeries? How many transplants? how many liters of blood...how many needles? ho-"

"Stop." Triston cuts me off.

"First of you're not dying, not if I have any say, secondly breathe!" he takes a seat next to me, pulling my hand in between his two big ones.

Am I missing something?

Like when did this happen.?

Still staring at our hands, the doctor goes on and on about what he thinks is wrong, but I'm not concentrating.

And the scariest of it all, I don't mind being touched by him.

Am I losing the cool that I have worked on for so long?

If anyone besides him or Jane tries this, they would be joining me in this place.

" Jessica?"

Like when did I become this weak, open person with feelings?

"Jessica??"

When did I start to feel for him?

"Jessica!!!!!" Triston shouts in my face.

My reaction was I slapped him....its instinct.

"What the fuck Jessica??" Triston asks while rubbing his cheek.

"Sorry i-you scared me!" closing my arms around my body, I lean my head back against the pillow.

" I wonder who's scaring who?" he mumbles making his way out of the door.

And it hurts when he leaves...

Like really bad.

I'm screwed, fucked!

"So you have an appointment in one week, on the 24th okay? please be on time, you may go home." The doctor finishes off by leaving the room.

"Help me up Jane, I need to get home."

Luckily she doesn't ask questions helping me stand, if I said I felt dizzy, it's an understatement.

"Holy shit, I'm turning, why?" I ask no one in particular.

"Maybe you should lay down, I'll get a wheelchair," Jane says while sitting me back down.

I couldn't even form a protest, my brain is on vacation.

"Come on let me help," Triston says while making his way over, picking me up bridal style and walking out of the door.

I'm not gonna lie it felt like I was meant to be in his arms.

"Jane open up." He whispers.

Maybe he thinks I'm sleeping?

And then I was cold, he sat me on the front seat.

I wanted to pull him close...

What am I thinking?

Opening my eyes slowly, I was shocked to see we were driving in my jeep.

Jeep??!

"How-when...how?" I ask while gesturing around the jeep.

"Well.." Jane begins, "I kinda showed him where you live...." she shrinks back against the seat.

"Okay...how did he pass my security?" I asked like I need to worry about this.

"They recognized me and your car..." Jane trails off.

You know what...whatever.

Triston gets into the driver's side, buckling me up and then himself.

"Safety first." He says with a small smile.

I have nothing to reply to.

Making our way out of the hospital parking area, I lay my head back again, this headache is killing me.

"Jessica are you okay?" Triston asks pulling me out of my almost nap.

"Yeah..." I replied, turning my face in his direction and opening my eyes.

"Please stay awake okay...?we're almost home." He says while glancing every few seconds to my side.

"Sure..." I replied exhausted.

It feels like I stayed up for days, not just waking up...

There are so many questions about my new... so-called emotions... it's overwhelming in more than one way.

What if-

I was pulled out of my thoughts when Jane starts squealing like a teenager receiving the best glittery thing ever.

Opening my eyes to the sight in front of me was like dreaming.

Un-fuc-king-believable.

Like are we visiting a queen?

This is a castle... Like...what!?

Gawking at the most beautiful sight in front of me...I'm so dreaming.

"Where are we??" I asked, cause the last time I checked I don't own a freaking castle.

"Velez Grace" Triston replies.

"Like the royalty palace??" I ask disbelievingly.

"You know about the royals?" He asks.

"Yeah.....I do!" I breathed, I was innocent once, dreaming to marry a prince blah blah, "why are we here?"I asked.

"You're staying with me," Triston replies.

"You're not...."I trailed off, this can't be.

" I am....my real name is Theodore Wallace, crowned prince of Riveter.

I died....and this is a dream.

It has to be.

Or it's official, I'm crazy!