17

Haula's POV:

My eyes feel weak as my whole body numb when I try to open or move them. My eyes keep closing off as I force them open them.

My environment different but also familiar at the same time. It is the hospital, the same one I got familiar with.

I open my eye properly to see the empty room that I am left in, I raise my hand but wince in pain due to the needles and drips connected to it.

Water.

I need water, I'm so thirsty. I stand up going to the fridge to get some when I hear someone come in.

"Haula," I see Maggie coming in as she quickly helps me from bending to pick the water.

"Maggie," I call her as I stand well and hug her so tight. "What happened to me?" I begin to sob lightly.

"Hush now. I'm here," Maggie pats me. "I came in after coming back from my date with Austin and I met you on the floor, you were bleeding on your head," She stops as she releases me from the hug.

"But I..." I stop talking as I touch my head to see a plaster on it.

"I was so scared, you wouldn't talk to me or stand up and you stopped breathing, I was so scared Haula, I didn't know what to do so I called your mom and that's how I brought you here. Thank fully Austin hadn't gone far when I called him back, so we brought you here together and your mom met us here."

Maggie explains as I try to remember what actually happened that day. What is wrong with me? I’m so tired of this.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes trying to remember what happened and that's when it all comes back rushing out like a tap of water.

Theo.

It was because of Theo, I saw him on TV in an army uniform, oh God this isn't a dream its reality.

I begin sobbing as Margret takes me to the bed with the water in her hand. "Here," She gives me the water as I take it and calm down.

"Where is she, my Mom?" I ask.

"She and nick went home to get some things, they'll be back soon they just left." She explains.

"How is she?" I ask.

"She's devastated Haula, she's been crying ever since, she called jasmine and she said she's coming over," Maggie replies.

"Maggie, I..." My words fail as I try to speak but tears stroll out. "It’s Theo, he was on TV, he," I try to talk again but fail.

"Don't tell me he's a criminal," Maggie's face becomes serious.

"No, no not that, he lied to me, he told me he worked for the government and

then I found out, he did work for the government but not in the way I thought. Maggie he's a soldier," I tell her as she gasp.

"Oh my God. I'm so sorry Haula, come here," She drags me closer as she hugs me tight and I cry on her shoulder.

"It’s not your fault, if I had known I wouldn't have involved myself I'm the first place. The thing that pains me the most is that I still love him, Maggie, I love him so much even after this." honestly that's the truth, I still love Theo and I don't know if I can stop.

"Haula I'll tell you the truth, you can't say because you found out he's a soldier and you expect your feeling for him to just evaporate, no, because you really do care for him. And whatever it is that he didn't want to tell you, don't you think he had a good reason not to. If you had known he was a soldier would you have let him? I'm not siding him, but it’s the truth." Margret is right and I hate that she is.

"I know. I wouldn't have if I had known because I don't want to get hurt, I didn't plan on this but it just happened, I didn't even know I loved him this much. I feel like a fool right now, cause he never called or even tried any means to talk to me so what does that mean? He didn't love me," The tears flows down my eyes as I talk while Margret holds my hand.

"Shut up, don't say things like that, you don't know that and I won't tell you if he loves you or not because I also don't know, and I don't want to give you false hope but at the same time you also don't know the truth, so Haula just think about yourself for now, and get well for me, your Mom, Nick and Jasmine.

It’s time to stop thinking about others and take care of yourself." "But isn't that like being selfish?" I ask her.

"No Haula no, it means you're looking out for yourself, you're not selfish and the girl I know can never be even if she tried to be. You're just taking care of yourself." Maggie is right again, it's time I take care of myself.

"I thought you were going to sleep forever, good you're awake," Austin comes in lightning the mood by his statement. "How are you?" He asks looking at me and back to Maggie and then me again.

"I'm alright, been better," I tell him, "Good to hear, everyone was worried, including me." Austin says.

"Well thank you, but you don't need to worry anymore, I lived." I tell him. He smiles at me as he adjust my drip.

"Because Maggie won't stop crying," Austin says glancing at her.

"You cried?" I ask her. I tell you this girl could fill an ocean with her tears.

"What was I supposed to do? You wouldn't wake up and I got scared, and you didn't have to tell her," Maggie pouts like a baby making Austin smile fully at her while staring at her like she's the only woman on earth.

Hello, I'm a patient here, I'm sure they forgot about me as they stare at each other.

"Do you have a minute?" Austin asks gesturing for them to go out. Maggie looks at me and I smile telling her it’s okay.

"Austin," I call back as he turns." Do you know what's wrong with me?" I ask hopefully I can get a positive answer.

He looks at me sadly and that answers my question. "I'm sorry Haula, but we haven't seen anything yet that matches it," Austin replies as Maggie looks at me with a sad smile.

I nod telling them it was okay, as they leave. My heart sinks and all I can think of is Theo and my disease and back to Theo again. I miss him so much but as Margret said, it’s time for some personal time, its time I push Theo aside and look after myself.

Maggie comes back in with a smile plastered on her face. "So you and Dr cute huh?" I tease her.

"Yes I and Dr cute," She says plopping beside me.

"I didn't get the full gist of what happened on your date," I tuck her hand with mine.

"Okay, I've been waiting to tell you ever since I came back, but then I saw you on the floor and my whole mood changed, anyways," I stare at my friend in content knowing I can always trust her to be with me all the time.

"So he took me to Albanio restaurant and we stayed at the VIP section, he was really sweet during the whole time, he was always complimenting how beautiful I am and I kept smiling like a fool," She says and I laugh loudly."After we left, before we came home he asked me if I would like to go on another date with him,"

"And what do you say?" I ask impatiently curious.

"Of course I said yes, duh and do you know what he did next?" She whispers like they are people in the room with us.

I lean in closer to her wanting to hear what she has to say. "He kissed me on my cheek and I blushed so much that I was afraid my lips were going to stay like that forever,"

I laugh as Margret laughs out loud too and it feels as though I had forgotten what it was like to laugh so happily before and now its feel...it feels good.

"I'm so happy for you Maggie, I am. He does really seem to like you a lot," I tell her.

"Well how could you tell?"

"It’s written all over his face, duh," I tell her as she laughs and I do too.

"Haula," I turn as I stare at my mom making her way inside. I stand up and rum to her while carrying the drip stand with me.

"Mom," I bury my head at the crook of her neck, as I inhaleher scent. How I've missed her.

"How are you?" Mom asks as Nick comes inside.

"Don't ever do that again," Nick hits my arm taking my attention off as I just realized how scared they had all been.

"I'm sorry, don't worry it'll never happen again," I hug him and he hugs me back before we go back to sit.

"Thank you Margret, I really do appreciate everything you've done. Thank you," Mom tells Margretcaressing her hands.

"You don't have to thank me, Haula is my friend and if anything happens to her, I don't know what I'll do." Maggie says as my eye becomes watery.

We talk and laugh with my mom, Maggie, nick as we all eat and dine together.

I guess after all these trouble, we found happiness and that's all that matters. "Hey Maggie, have you seen my phone," I stand up looking for it.

"Oh it's here with me, sorry I forgot to give it to you." She hands it to me. "Oh and someone called, but I didn't know the person, he just called your name and that was the time I got back home," She says handing over the phone to me.

"Let me see," I take my phone from her and open it when I saw a message from an unknown number. I open the message, reading it as my heart begins to beat faster than usual.

"Maggie who did you say called?" I ask her again as the ending of the message is written as love, Theo. I look at her shocked, as Mom gets up.

"I don't know, he just called your name, I thought it was your mom because I didn't check the caller ID and after rambling about how I met you to the person on phone, was when I realized it wasn't her, but I apologized and they were like it was okay and I hanged up. Who was it?" Maggie asks.

"It's Theo."