Stay… Forever
Mira’s hand trembled on the doorknob, her mind a whirlwind of suspicion and fleeting hope. She kept glancing over her shoulder, wondering if someone was following. Every step toward Talia’s house felt like stepping deeper into a trap. Yet, despite the fear coiling in her stomach, she couldn’t stop herself. At least Talia’s home was safer than the streets outside.
Finally, she clicked the door open. The faint sound of it closing behind her made her jump, her heart hammering as if it might burst from her chest.
The moment she stepped inside and reached for the light switch, she froze. Talia was already there, standing in the living room, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. A faint smirk tugged at the corner of her lips—as if she had been expecting this exact moment.
“Where do you go?” Talia asked softly, her voice smooth and unreadable. But to Mira, it sounded more like a threat than a question.
“I… I… I went out,” Mira stammered, her words barely escaping her lips. At the same time, she shifted slightly backward, instinctively reaching for the doorknob as if she could escape.
“You never told me you could stand and walk now,” Talia said, glancing at the clutch Mira was holding. “I thought I left you in the wheelchair this morning.”
“I… I just found out… this morning as well,” Mira stammered, her heart hammering like it might burst.
“That’s great improvement,” Talia said, stepping closer towards mira . “So, I guess you went out for exercise… to train yourself?”
Mira instinctively took a step back, shaking, her hand reaching for the door. “Ye… yes… exercise. I felt bored at home and… went out for exercise,” she said, her voice trembling.
Talia continued moving toward her, calm but deliberate. Mira finally got her hand on the doorknob and clicked it open, rushing outside—but her injured leg betrayed her. She stumbled and fell falling over hands .
Talia was immediately at her side, lifting her into her arms. “Where are you going? What happened? Why do you seem so scared?” she asked, her voice gentle but firm. “I only wanted to get close to you… to collect the clutch so you can show me how you’re feeling… how you’ve been managing to walk.”
Mira felt a small wave of relief but still tensed, unsure if Talia’s care was genuine or another act.
Talia gently carried her inside and laid her on the sofa, carefully lifting her legs checking for injuries and began asking questions. “Are you hurt? Is it painful? What’s been happening these days? You look scared… is your memory haunting you? Why are you suddenly acting like you are scared of me ?”
Mira’s eyes widened, unable to answer. She kept watching Talia, trying to gauge whether she was truly an enemy or just pretending to be good .
Talia cleaned Mira’s wounds with careful hands. Mira’s palm had been scraped when she fell. Talia retrieved the first aid kit, cleaned it properly, and gently applied a plaster, she does this kneeling in front of her as Mira sat quietly watching her .
The room fell silent for a moment. Finally, Mira broke it. “Talia… didn’t …you go to work already? Why are you back so soon?”
Without lifting her head, Talia replied softly, “I came back because of you. I felt you weren’t looking well this morning, and these past few days you’ve barely eaten anything. I called the number I gave you, but you didn’t answer. I was scared, so I rushed home to check on you.”
She shifted slightly on the sofa, trying to gauge Talia’s expression without making it obvious. “But… if you were so worried, why didn’t you just call me again?” Mira asked quietly, almost hesitantly.
Talia finally looked up, meeting her eyes with a calm, unreadable gaze. “I did,” she said. “Several times. But you didn’t answer. And then… I realized maybe you needed me here in person. I kept thinking… maybe something happened while you were trying to stand, or maybe you regain your memory and leave without saying goodbye.”
Mira’s throat tightened. The sincerity or at least the appearance of it made her heart skip. She wanted to believe Talia, but the shadow of doubt lingered. “I… I went out for exercise and left the phone inside,” Mira whispered.
“It’s called a handset for a reason,” Talia replied softly, sitting on the sofa beside her. Her gaze lingered on Mira’s injured leg and scraped palm. “Always take it with you whenever you go somewhere. That way I can reach you and won’t worry so much.”
Mira swallowed hard and nodded, a strange warmth stirring inside her chest. Part of her wanted to reach out, to let Talia in. Another part warned her this could all be a trap. She hugged her arms around herself, leaning back against the sofa.
Talia noticed the gesture but didn’t push. Instead, she gently adjusted Mira’s legs on the sofa, inspecting them again with careful hands. “If you’re worried or scared about anything, don’t be. I’m here. I’ll protect you at all costs. I’m stronger than you think, and I’ll do everything to keep you safe,” she said quietly, smiling at her.
Mira stared at her, wide-eyed, caught between relief and suspicion. Was she really safe? Or was she simply playing into Talia’s hands?
The room fell silent again, but it was different this time. Not tense it was quiet, almost intimate, filled with the small, careful sounds of breathing and the faint ticking of the clock. Mira’s heart was still pounding, but the fear felt… slightly less suffocating.
Finally, she whispered, almost to herself, “What if I never regain my memory… forever? Will you still let me stay?”
Talia’s lips curved into the faintest of smiles, her hand brushing lightly over Mira’s arm not threatening, but firm. “Then stay,” she said softly. “Stay… forever.”
“What if I am a criminal hiding?” Mira asked, looking directly into Talia’s eyes.
Talia paused for a moment, then said with determination written fully on her face, “Then I will keep you hidden… and make sure you are never found. As long as you want to be hidden, I will hide you.”
Mira nodded slowly, a surge of conflicting emotions washing over her. She wondered was Talia truly caring, or was this just part of some hidden plan?