Tangled in Notes

Chapter Twenty-Two

“Hey, Julia!”

I turned and saw Armin looking at me.

“Don’t forget to see your doctor today. I’ll try to come with you.”

I nodded with a smile and he finally walked away. I did make it up to him the other night. Partly because I knew he wouldn’t stay mad at me.

After the talk with Jared, I thought it was time that I say sorry to Armin. I stood from where I fell and walked towards the reception. I entered and saw him talking to one of his friends, Won Woo. I noticed him point at me then Armin turned looking at me.

I bit my upper lip and walked towards him anyway.

“I’ll go ahead, man.” His friend said leaving the two of us.

I cleared my throat and gripped the cloth of my dress. I looked at him and he was looking away. “So.” I started and he turned to me.

He did not say any word.

“About a while ago, I. . . uh. . .” I stammered. “I’m sorry I made you worried. I know I should be thankful that you care for me instead, I made fun of you. I’m sorry if I was too playful.” I looked down and I could see the red carpet they were using to cover up the floor.

“Julia,”

I looked at him with a nervous expression. I don’t know if I should be worrying right now that he might yell at me in front of all these visitors but I figured, he wasn’t that type of guy.

He smiled. “Come here.” He chuckled and pulled me to his chest for a tight hug.

I didn’t hug him back. I still felt awkward somehow. His hug this time gave me a different feeling. He pulled away and made me look at him.

“You know I hate hearing apologies yet here you are.”

“Sorry.” Oops. I covered my mouth with wide eyes then looked at him in realization.

He chuckled.

“Sorry.” Gosh. I truly am clumsy. I cursed in whisper and pressed my lips together. “S—”

He covered my mouth with a smile.

I frowned and slapped his hand away.

“What was that for?!”

“We good now?”

He creased his brows.

I smiled. “Good. I’ll go get some cupcakes.” As I turned away, I chuckled. If Armin hated hearing ‘sorry’, I hated saying ‘sorry’ as well.

It was yet another day for me and I reminded myself to meet my doctor today which was why Armin reminded me before he left after dropping me in front of our building.

I entered the room and a bunch of my classmates were goofing around already. I sat down to my assigned seat and brought my notebook out. I started writing my essay for my English class. I didn’t want to do it later after all my classes because I still have tons of projects to be made. Monday. Great.

“Hey.” I looked up and saw a smiley face of a guy waving at me up really close.

I smiled. “Hey, Ji Soo.”

He took the vacant seat next to me and pulled it closer to mine. He rested his cheeks over his palms and stared at me like he was having a daydream.

My heart began to race. I chuckled and looked away blushing. “Is there something wrong with my face?” I asked not looking at him.

“Sorry I wasn’t able to entertain you yesterday. We were just really busy with the event that I didn’t even have time to eat.”

“No. No. It’s fine.” I shook my head and finally looked at him.

“I wanted to stay with you though—”

“Hey man. I’ll meet you later for the group report.” A tall man yelled over at Joshua. He turned to face him then turned back to me. “But my sister kept telling me to entertain her uncle and aunts.” He continued after the guy he was talking to left.

I looked down not knowing what to respond. “I was with Armin so it’s cool.”

He smiled. “I know. But I invited you last night to… you know, hang out with you. I wanted to know you better.”

I stared at him flattered. I tried my best to hide my smile but I couldn’t. I looked away laughing. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“What? Why?” I could hear him chuckle though I wasn’t looking at him.

I shook my head still head down. “It makes me uneasy.”

He stared at me with a smile.

I looked away looking down.

“Julia,”

I looked back up and saw him.

“I want to take you out.”

I was on my way to the hospital to meet my doctor once again. He wasn’t surprised. I came here every other day so why would he? After he asked me questions like ‘Have you been taking your medicines?’ ‘Have you been avoiding smoke and other emitting gases?’ I finally asked him what’s been bugging me the whole day. “Doctor, yesterday, I didn’t know what happened but I suddenly –?”

“You had an attack?”

“Sort of. I don’t really know. I just felt my heart squeezing and it was really painful.”

“But you got back up?”

“I did. I was able to stand up and get back inside.”

“Tell me honestly, Julia, are you really avoiding the things that might be bad for you?”

I stayed quiet. “Maybe I didn’t. A little.”

My doctor sighed. “Julia, listen. If you want to stay alive for the next ten years, you have to listen to me. I am your doctor and it’s my responsibility to help save you. You had an attack because you might have done something that your body couldn’t take. Are you tiring yourself?”

“Uhm. . . Maybe because I lack sleep these past few days.”

He shook his head. “I learned from your friend that your parents died when you were younger and I’m so sorry to hear that. He told me you were under the care of your aunt. Have you told them?”

I shook my head. I hated the fact that Armin comes here and asks things. That should be breaking a doctor’s protocol but I was too lazy to even argue about it. “If possible, I want to keep this for myself doctor. I don’t want Aunt Sue to know about this. I might just be a burden to them again. Armin already knows and that’s too much as it is.”

He nodded. “I respect your decision. But that friend of yours, claims himself as your brother. Is this true?”

I smirked weakly. “Not by blood thought.” I smiled at my doctor and he flashes me a pitiful smile. “He often says that. Like it was something to be proud of.” I smiled recalling memories I had with him.

“You two must be really close. He came here worried and told me that he needed to know because he was sure you wouldn’t let me tell your parents and true enough.”

“He’s all I have now, doctor. If there was someone I can really trust right now, it would be him.”

He smiled. “Don’t you think being siblings like this – is too over the top to call it like that?”

I creased my brows.

He smiled. “You may leave now. But please. Take care of yourself. From now on.”

I nodded and stood. I turned the knob of the door and suddenly remembered something I wanted to tell my doctor. “And doctor, please, next time Armin or any other people who asks about me, don’t tell them. Armin knows a lot already and I don’t want him to worry no more. Tell him I’ll be fine – that I’m fine.”

He nodded. “Don’t worry. We carry a very important protocol to not say any information of our patients to civilians. Of course he was an exception before since I didn’t know you weren’t really siblings.”

I smiled. “I’ll go ahead, doctor.”

“Okay. And Julia. . .” he paused as I stood. “Make the best of your life.”

I nodded and finally stepped out of his office. Sorry doctor. But I can’t do that unless I do everything that makes me happy – If you want me to make the best of my life.