Somewhere in the Skies

Chapter 1

When she looks at me, her eyes glimmer like the stars at night.

But I don't see anything special about her.

I make her happy,

But she pisses me off.

I hate her so bad,

But she loved me as much as I hate her.

I wish for her to stop,

But she can't. She just... can't.

Why is she like this?

How can she still keep on going?

That's something I could never understand.

Not until it was too late...

***

"Sir, your new room is ready." The nurse came to inform me.

I was transferred to this hospital for further tests and monitoring. My condition grew worse so I was admitted to a bigger hospital to receive greater medical attention. The weight on my shoulders turned lighter and lighter as I slowly recover day by day, but things can't just go back to the way they used to be. My condition never seemed to set me free from this hell. It... sucks.

"Oh... yeah, thank you," I shook my head to get away from my thoughts.

"W-wesley!"

A loud voice suddenly echoed throughout the halls, people within my sight froze in place to see who had screamed my name. Of course, I was startled. Not even a single person standing in this entire building was familiar to me, so how come someone seemed so happy to see me? How does that person even know my name?

And in the blink of an eye, the arms of a girl were already wrapped around me. She tightened her embrace as she grinned, my body feeling the vibration of her heavy breathing. Her scent was also different the time it crossed my nose, it indicated that she was staying here. It was indescribable. Her scent had like... a hint of disinfectant and drugs in it, yet she still smelled so sweet and tender.

It was a scent that I could never forget.

But I think there's something seriously wrong with me. Why do things seem to happen very quickly on my watch? I haven't even seen her face and she was already here to provide a warm cuddle for me. Who is this girl right in front of me? Why did she come straight here? Why are her arms wrapped around my waist? Heck, I don't even know who she is.

"You're back! Finally, you're back!" She jumped out in excitement.

I lightly pushed her away so I could see her face clearly, yet the smile on her face never withered. She was just about the same age as me. Fair skin, black straight hair, heart-shaped lips, and those dreamy eyes of her that seemed to deliver a thousand words. My lips parted upon surveying her entire body. She was wearing a nasal cannula. Yes, she is a patient here, just like me. She's tall enough to reach my shoulders, but she's unbelievably slender, you can easily tell that she's a patient in just one glance. What's that bag she's carrying on her right shoulder? It looks like a... box.

My eyes narrowed right after losing concentration. "Uhh... do... I know you?"

"Huh? You really don't remember anything?" She playfully touched my forehead, checking if I have a fever.

"Who are you?" I gently removed her tender hands caressing my forehead.

"Quit messing around, Wesley. This isn't like you!" She let out a nervous laugh. Is she playing with me? What's wrong with her? She was too enthusiastic for someone sho's sick and wearing a nasal cannula, huh...

"I'm serious. I don't know who you are. Stop hugging people randomly. It's rude," I wasn't angry at all, I was just shocked. I don't even know her so how come is she so happy to see me? I tried to walk away from her, leaving her dumbstruck.

"Hope."

"Excuse me?" The glimmer in her eyes vanished as soon as I lend my ears to her loud, energetic tone. And on such an ordinary day like this for her, all I ever did to a girl I just met was to destroy her mood, but that's something that can't be helped. I don't know anyone named Hope and I certainly don't remember meeting her or being close to her. Why is she so happy? What did I ever do to her?

"Hope. That's my name."

"Okay..." My forehead wrinkled after her brittle voice crossed past my ear. I broke free from my immovable feet and entered my new room to spoil myself with rest, leaving her standing there. I'm in no state of entertaining such high energy from a person I've never set my eyes on before. After all, it has been a long, tiring trip for me. It's certainly troublesome being tossed from one hospital to another.

***

The loud knock on my door suddenly woke me up after a while.

"What the hell..." My knuckles crumpled my eyes as I strive to wake myself up. I mustered up strength in my legs to stand up and tear the door open, only to see that enthusiastic girl right in front of me. Her impression never changed at all, like she came all the way here in my room only to piss me off.

"Hi!" Her graceful manner even woke my soul up. Huh? What on earth is she doing here? How come she's already standing right here in front of my door?

"What are you--"

She stepped a foot inside my room without even hearing a single sentence from me. "How come your room is bigger and more spacious than mine? It's unfair!" She complained. How should I know and why must I hear this complaint from her? I'm a patient here like her and not a medical staff. She's an entitled kid, huh? Nothing less expected from a creep like her.

"Why are you here?" I asked her in monotone. I certainly don't have the energy to entertain her. I literally just woke up, and now she's here again? I don't even know anything about this weird, random girl in my room!

"What else? I have come to see you!" I was trapped in her hazel eyes as she showed her party teeth. "Can I stay here for a bit?" She examined the entire room one more time.

Crap... what an uncertain situation for me. I don't want to say yes since I barely know her. She's all weird, I don't possess the same, high energy as her, and having her stay will develop an awkward atmosphere inside my room, and I don't want that to happen! Whereas... denying her means that I will look rude and too timid, and who am I even trying to impress in the first place?! What has gotten into me?!

"Fine..." Well, she did say 'for a bit', I guess that won't be an awful time to endure. But... I still don't understand. What is it with me that made her so excited? As if I have been with her for a long time. I don't even know anything about her, let alone why she's here and what she's been through.

"It has been a long time since I saw you," She surveyed my body and wrapped it up with a shimmer in her mouth. "Look at how much you've changed!"

Changed? But... this is the first time we met... right?

"So tell me..." She casually sat down, shaking her legs like a little girl. "What happened to you back there?" She looked so carefree to be with me, as if I know her, or I gave her a lottery ticket, or something.

I folded my arms and raised an eyebrow at her. "How... do you know me?"

"Nope! Wrong answer, Mr. Wesley!" She sounded like a kid! "I asked you first." And... come to think of it, she even knew my name without asking me, it's as if her actions were almost convincing. But should I really draw myself into it?

Is it okay to believe her?

"It's... okay," I answered in monotone. Is it really? The tests and treatments were painful for me. I mean... is it okay to tell her what I felt? Well, maybe not. After all, it's not like she'd understand even if I tell her everything.

"Really?" She refused to throw off a convincing look. "That's the first time I heard that word from a fellow patient." Why does she care anyway? And who would ever be interested listening to a boring story about getting therapy and other treatments like that?

"How... do you know me?" I arched a brow one more time. I was getting confused and impatient. This is all her fault!

She stared into a blank space, as if she was in disbelief right before answering me. The tip of her itching nose was then silenced through a gentle scratch. "I still don't understand why you don't remember me, and I honestly think you're just playing dumb."

"Don't put it that way," I shook my head in disagreement.

"But believe it or not, you and I, we were..." Why is she randomly throwing out a cliffhanger in every line? Does this situation look like a joke to her?

"We were... what?" Leaning closer to listen to her next words, I waited patiently. Her lips looked taped together as she seemed hesitant to answer me, then it eventually opened slowly and tenderly, only letting her slightly raspy yet mellow voice out.

"We were connected."