Chapter 116: Someone Had to Do It

Chapter 116: Someone Had to Do It
Stacy drifted down the corridor as if someone was leading her soul. Her mind reeled with the conversation with Hank. The weight of the decision stacked up on her former problem. It was bad enough to lose her memory. She didn’t want to lose her sanity as well. But finding out the truth was as important. Guess it was the risk she had to take in order to achieve what she wanted.
At some point, she stopped. ‘Where am I? What was I trying to do?’ She looked around, not realizing where she had walked to.
“I said I’m okay, Jack,” a familiar voice caught her attention. “Just go, you don’t have to stay here. For God’s sake!” Her voice faded in and the door swung open. Stacy’s eyes widened as she came face to face with Jack. He was just pushed out of Nelly’s door. “Are you sure you are alright? Is there anything you need?”
“You sound like a mom,” Stacy said as she watched them in amusement.
“Oh, you’re here. Great!” Jack’s face lit up. “I have duty right now. Could you please look after Nelly?” Nelly frowned. “I’m not a child, Jack. Just go!”
“You were having a fever! That’s not nothing.” Nelly’s hand went up to her forehead. “Not anymore. I know my own body. I won’t die if you just look away for a second, for God’s sake!” She looked like she didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry.
"Don't worry, Jack. I’ll be here. Hurry up and go for your duty,” Stacy urged.
After much fuss, Jack left reluctantly, but not before leaving a lot of reminders.
Nelly sighed as she closed the door. “He’s even more long-winded than Neil.” The comment made Stacy chuckle. “It shows that they care for you.”
“Maybe a little too much,” she said as she sat on her bed. Stacy leaned against the window with her arms folded. “Well, how are you doing? Like, really?”
There was a moment of silence. “I’m fine,” Nelly said, not sounding entirely convincing. “I’ll be,” she added, “I’ll get used to this.”
Stacy didn’t say anything but continued staring at her till she shifted under her gaze. “Um.. you don’t have to be here, you know. Jack’s over reacting. Don’t have to listen to him. As you can see, I’m fine,” Nelly shifted her gaze, suddenly finding fault with the arrangement of books on her table.
“Are you afraid of me?” Stacy asked suddenly. Caught off guard, Nelly accidentally pushed a book to the floor. Then, she rushed to pick it up. When she tried to straighten her body, she hit her head against the edge of the table.
Stacy burst out laughing. It was loud and unfiltered. Spending time with Nelly indeed helped lift her mood. The easily flustered girl was actually interesting to be with.
Her hand went to the spot her head was hit. “Look at the clumsy me,” she said sheepishly. The question was ignored altogether. Soon, Stacy calmed down from her laugh. None of them spoke. The elephant in the room was hard to ignore.
“Don’t mind if I stay here, right?” Stacy tried acting normal as she went to the table and grabbed a random book. Nelly’s eyes followed her very actions.
She sat at the edge of Nelly’s bed like how she did before the fight. Nelly neither moved nor looked away. She flipped the book and scanned through the pages.
Nelly watched her carefully, as if she was doing an experiment. Ignoring how Nelly was studying her, she laid down on the bed.
“This is a good book,” she said. “It’s about vascular surgery,” Nelly responded, eyes still glued to her every action. “I have no idea,” Stacy simply said. She threw the book into the air. It spun up and fell back into her hands. “I just think that it’ll be easy to spin,” she said, aware of how Nelly straightened as she threw the book.
And that was why she did it again. And again. And again.
Finally, Nelly jumped from her position and snatched the book. “Books are for reading, not throwing,” she mumbled and put it back on the table.
“Well, talk to me. I’m bored,” Stacy pouted. Nelly blinked. That was what she used to tell Stacy when she was retreating into herself, refusing to talk to anyone. Her heart skipped a beat. “Did you regain your memory?”
Stacy observed her expression. “I hope so. Too bad that’s not what happened.”
Nelly’s eyes lingered on her suspiciously. She was sure that Stacy regained at least a part of her memory. The side of her that she showed in Cecilia’s room, that was a huge change from her usual behavior after she woke up. And what she said just now, was exactly what Nelly always said to her when she was sick.
“Really,” Stacy laughed, “do you not believe me?”
Nelly shook her head. “Anyway, are you alright?” Stacy gaped. That was her question and now Nelly reflected it back to her.
“I’m alright. I was asking you if you were alright, not the other way round!”
Nelly smiled. “And yes, you really scared me back then. Guess I’m lucky I’m on your team. I can’t imagine if I were your enemy.” She shivered and ran her hands up and down her arms. “I was so scared back then.”
Stacy laughed. “Well, you don’t have to worry. I won’t hurt you. And to answer your question, yes, I’m alright, from whatever you think would cause me trouble.”
Nelly nodded. “I guess so. You should be used to this kind of thing.”
“You are a brave one, I’d say,” Stacy commented. Nelly’s brows furrowed in confusion. She pointed a finger at herself. “Me? You’re teasing me, right? I almost peed my pants.” Stacy shook her head. “Really. I mean, Cecilia’s not related to you, but you would sacrifice your life for her. That’s braveness.”
Nelly looked down at her hands. “Well, she’s my patient. Everyone was busy. I guessed I’m the only one left to do the job. Someone had to do it. I doubt anyone would remember her otherwise.”
Stacy nodded. “You have a point. And doctor, actually I do have something else troubling me right now.”
Nelly straightened. “What happened?”
Stacy pressed her lips into a thin line as she thought.
“What do you think about hypnosis?”