Chapter 8 ( The Guy with the green eyes)

I was definitely lying on someone—but who? 

Whoever it was had a strong, athletic build. My heart skipped a beat as I dared to look down, meeting a pair of mesmerizing green-golden hazel eyes framed by thick, dark lashes. His features were so striking that I found myself holding my breath. 

I swallowed hard, my thoughts scattered, when I heard his deep, captivating voice ask, "Are you okay?" 

That voice sent me into a daze, but I quickly snapped out of it. Adjusting my body, I moved off him and sat beside him, my pulse racing. 

 That was when I noticed the necklace lying nearby. I grabbed it swiftly, clutching it tightly in my hand—only to realize that I was no longer in Wonderland. 

Instead, I was somewhere unfamiliar. A park? 

I turned back to the young man, who had also adjusted his position and was now sitting upright. 

"Where am I?" I asked, my voice laced with confusion. 

Everything looked different here—too different. Could this really be Wonderland? 

"You're in Manhattan," he replied, his eyes meeting mine. 

My brows furrowed. "Manhattan? What world is that?" 

Wonderland had no such place. I glanced around, taking in the towering trees, the paved sidewalks, and the wooden planks people stood on, rolling forward as if by magic. What was that noise filling the air? Everything felt so foreign. 

"Your knee looks pretty bad," I heard him say. 

I looked down to find him gazing at my injured knee. His concern startled me, but what truly made my heart pound was the way his green eyes locked onto mine. 

For a moment, I was lost in them. 

"I got hurt," I murmured softly. 

He studied my face, his expression unreadable. "I take it you're not from around here?" he asked. 

I swallowed hard, nervous under his gaze. "I'm from Wonderland," I admitted hesitantly. 

I figure he never hear from wonderland because he start to frown and was looking at me if I was crazy . 

I took in my surroundings, trying to push myself up from my sitting position. My knee still throbbed, but I attempted to stand despite the pain. 

The young man rose as well, his voice calm yet firm. "Take it easy there." 

I looked at him properly now. He was so different from the people at my school—even his clothing style was unfamiliar. 

"Do you go to Ever After High?" I dared to ask. He looked like a student, and he seemed to be about my age. 

His brows furrowed deeply before he replied, "I go to Manhattan High." 

Now it was my turn to frown. I had never heard of such a school. Where was I? 

Before I could ask more, he spoke again. "I think I should take you to the hospital—your knee looks really bad." 

I glanced down and felt my stomach drop. Blood streamed down my leg, staining my skin. The reality of my injury hit me all at once, and dizziness threatened to take over. My body wobbled, my strength faltering. 

Before I could collapse, I felt a strong arm wrap around my waist, holding me upright. "It's okay, I got you," the young man assured me. 

I turned my head slightly to the right, where he was supporting me. "I'm Madie," I managed to say, clenching my teeth against the sharp pain in my knee. 

"I'm Lucas," he introduced himself. 

Despite everything, I found myself smiling just a little. "I like your name," I admitted softly. It had a nice ring to it. 

He smirked. "Well, Madie, let's get you to the hospital." 

Hearing my name from his lips sent a thousand butterflies fluttering through me, and I couldn't help but daydream for a moment—until the pain in my knee reminded me of reality. 

With Lucas's help, we kept walking. Every step felt like an eternity, but with him by my side, I somehow managed to push forward. 

There was a hospital near the park—a large building with people constantly coming in and out. 

As we approached the receptionist's desk, I couldn't help but notice the people around me. They all dressed oddly, wearing jeans and simple-collors of clothes. Where were the ball gowns? And why did some of them have such messy hair? 

Before I could dwell on it further, a woman behind the desk spoke. "Miss, do you have any kind of ID?" 

I snapped out of my thoughts, looking at her in confusion. "What is an ID?" I asked. 

The woman sighed heavily, clearly unimpressed with my question. 

"An ID is a document that shows what year you were born," Lucas explained beside me. 

Seventeen years of my life, and I had never heard of such a thing. But I did know my birth month. 

"I can tell you my birthday," I offered. "It's June 8th, and I'm seventeen years old." 

The woman nodded and scribbled something down. "Okay, that will do. Any parents or relatives we can call?" 

I took a deep breath and bit my lower lip. "I have a father. His name is Mad Hatter." 

The woman's expression turned even more puzzled. "I mean a real name," she clarified. 

I frowned. "But that is his real name. We live in Wonderland." 

The way everyone was looking at me made me uneasy, as if I had said something completely absurd. Before I could say anything else, Lucas spoke up. 

"Call Rose," he said, rattling off a long series of numbers. I wondered why she needed so many numbers just to call someone. 

The woman typed on her computer and then nodded. "Alright, you can take her to the emergency section." 

Lucas gave her a nod before I once again felt his strong, warm arm wrap around my waist, guiding me forward. We walked down a long, white hallway before stepping through double doors into a section filled with hospital beds, each separated by white curtains. 

Lucas helped me sit on one of the beds. I glanced around. Wonderland had hospitals too, and despite how strange this world was, there was something familiar about this place. 

"Are you okay?" Lucas asked, taking a seat in the chair beside me. 

I nodded but glanced down at my knee. "It still hurts," I admitted. My leg was covered in bloodstains, and the dried blood on my skin had turned a rusty color. 

Lucas studied my dress. "Were you at a party?" he asked. 

"Sort of," I replied. "We had a ball at school." 

I looked around again, noticing a strange machine next to my bed and a vase of daisies on the bedside table. Before I could take in anything else, a nurse entered. 

She wore a blue V-neck shirt and matching pants, her neatly braided hair resting on her shoulder. A warm smile crossed her lips. 

"Miss Madie," she greeted. "My name is Betty, and I'll be helping you with your knee." 

I nodded, inhaling deeply. 

I had never been bothered by injuries before, but something about this felt different. 

"I'll wait outside," Lucas said, standing up. I watched him as he walked out, suddenly feeling nervous without him there. 

The friendly nurse helped me clean my wound, gently wiping away the dried blood from my leg. She then handed me a warm, clean cloth. 

"You look like you've been crying. This will help with the smudged makeup," Betty said with a kind smile. 

I was grateful—I had completely forgotten that I had been crying, let alone that I was wearing makeup. 

"Thank you," I said, taking the cloth and carefully wiping my face. 

By the time I finished, my leg was neatly wrapped in a bandage, and I was cleared to go home. 

As I limped out of the emergency room, I spotted Lucas sitting in the waiting area. My heart swelled, and I couldn't help but smile. A stranger—someone I had never met before today—had waited for me. When he noticed me, his face lit up with a smile of his own. 

I hobbled over to him. "I'm all good," I said. 

He rose from his chair and looked at me with warm green eyes. "You look better," he said. 

I nodded, meeting his gaze. For a brief moment, there was something between us—something unspoken. I felt my cheeks flush, and I quickly looked away. 

"Would you like to get something to drink before heading home?" he asked. 

Home? 

The word stuck in my mind. I had put the necklace around my neck, but I had no idea how to actually get home. Still, the thought of tea sounded comforting—if only I had my hat. 

"I forgot my hat at home," I mumbled, feeling the top of my head instinctively. "My tea is in it." 

Lucas chuckled. "Okay, well… I meant we could get some real tea at the cafeteria." 

"Oh." I felt a little awkward but quickly added, "Yes, tea would be lovely." 

We made our way to the hospital cafeteria and took a seat near the window. Lucas ordered a cappuccino, while I ordered tea. Everything here felt so different from my world—so unfamiliar, yet fascinating. 

I decided to make small talk. "So, you go to Manhattan High?" I asked. 

He nodded. "Yeah, it's not far from here. My friends and I go there." 

A woman arrived with our drinks, and I stared at my cup in surprise. It wasn't a delicate teacup—it was a large, heavy mug. I tried to play it cool. 

I spotted sugar packets on the table and reached for them. Now, I love a good, sweet cup of tea, so I grabbed six packets, tore them open, and dumped them into my tea. 

When I looked up, Lucas was staring at me, his mouth slightly open. 

"I have a sweet tooth," I said with a small smile. "I like my tea to taste good." 

He nodded, amused, before taking a sip of his cappuccino. 

We both sat there in silence for a while before Lucas finally spoke. 

"What kind of ball were you attending? Because your hair and dress are… well, not exactly ordinary," he said, taking a sip of his cappuccino. 

My hand drifted to my messy curls. My hair had a mind of its own, always finding a way to stand wild. 

"It was a ball for the Royals and the Rebels. At these balls, you can dress up as much as you like," I explained. 

Lucas took a moment to absorb my words, then simply nodded and returned to his drink. 

I lifted my cup and drank my tea in one go, realizing just how thirsty I was. As soon as I set the mug down, my stomach let out a loud grumble. I winced. It had been a long day—first with Revan this morning, then the ball, and I hadn't eaten anything at all. 

"Do they have any food here?" I asked, looking around. "I can pay with jewellery." I reached up and started taking off my earrings. It was all I had to offer. 

Lucas stared at me for a long moment, as if trying to figure me out. Then he shook his head. 

"You don't have to sell your jewellery." 

I swallowed hard. "Sorry, I don't have anything else. Everything is back in Wonderland." 

Lucas gave me a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. I'll pay. What do you want to eat?" 

He waved the waitress over, and she walked up with a notepad in hand. She listed off a few specials, but my attention was elsewhere. 

"Do you have pie? Or maybe something sweet like candy?" I asked eagerly. 

The waitress smiled. "We have cheesecake and blueberry pie." 

My mouth practically watered. "Could I have the blueberry pie, please?" 

She nodded and walked off to get my order. 

Lucas watched me with a curious expression. "You don't want a burger or something more filling?" 

I shook my head firmly, frowning. "No. My dad and I love sweet pancakes, and for supper, we usually have cotton candy or pie." 

Lucas blinked, clearly surprised, but then he just smiled and shook his head. "Well, that's… different." 

I smiled at Lucas. "Don't you eat anything sweet?" 

His expression was serious at first, then it softened. "Well, I do, but I like my burgers and real food. I eat sweet things occasionally." 

I frowned, slightly baffled by his food choices. It reminded me of school—Cerise only ate steak and meat, while Raven would eat just about anything. 

"Well, me and my dad love our tea time. We have biscuits, and sometimes, we even have donuts for supper," I said proudly. 

The waitress returned with my pie, and it looked absolutely delicious. 

"Thank you," I said eagerly. As soon as she placed it down, I grabbed the nearest spoon and dug in. I was starving. 

Silence settled between us, but I was too focused on my pie to care. 

Once we finished at the cafeteria, we made our way back to the park, where we had first met. 

As we walked, I couldn't help but look up. The night sky was breathtaking. 

"The sky here is so beautiful," I murmured, gazing at the stars. 

"It is," Lucas agreed. 

For a few moments, we walked in comfortable silence. Then, as we reached the spot where we had met, Lucas turned to face me. His green eyes were full of life, shining under the moonlight. 

I looked up at him and noticed something new—dimples. A soft smile played on his lips, and my heart swelled. A warmth spread through my chest, and I felt a rush of heat rise to my cheeks. 

"Do you know your way home?" he asked gently. 

I took a deep breath. Not really. I had no idea how I was supposed to get back. 

"Sort of," I said, looking up at him hesitantly. 

My fingertips brushed against his hand, and a spark jolted through me—like a chemical reaction firing through my veins. Our eyes locked, and for a long moment, neither of us moved. 

Then, his voice broke the stillness. "Madie… you're the most interesting woman I've ever met." 

His words made me smile, and I couldn't help but blush. 

"You too, Lucas," I replied warmly. 

I felt his hand take mine, and I glanced down at our fingers intertwined. His hand was warm, strong—somehow, it fit perfectly with mine. 

I looked back up into his eyes, but before I could say anything else, something strange started to happen. 

The ground beneath me trembled. A familiar darkness swirled at my feet, twisting and churning until it formed a black hole—the very same one I had fallen through before. 

Panic surged through me. No! Not now! 

Before the black hole could fully consume me, I grabbed my necklace, yanked it off my neck, and pressed it into Lucas's hand. 

"Use this to find me. It will lead you to me." 

His eyes widened in shock. "Madie—" 

Before he could say anything else, the ground gave way, and I was swallowed by the darkness once more.