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CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR

ASTORIA'S P.O.V

I could just stop my ears from twitching here and there. I kept the pretence on, acting asleep. I kept my senses glued to the conversation that was going on in the room. It was their usual whispers, but I could now hear them louder and clearer than before.

"I just called Miss Casey Bright. She should he here in any minute.",

"This is quite a surprise!",

"Exactly! I mean, who even imagined she'd be revived? The one and only Jane Doe?",

"Haha! Not anymore, dear. She's now awake. I really feel happy for her... and also relieved for Miss Casey.",

"Absolutely. She always shows up here with a worried look. I'm affirmative today will be different." the two nurses in the room conversed in hush tones.

It definitely was still difficult to comprehend their language, but I was already getting the grasp of it since the days when my subconscious was able to make out what was happening around me.

"Goodness! Wipe the floors faster! She's here!", I hear one of the nurses, obviously the older one saying abruptly to the other.

Who exactly is coming here? A 'she'?

CASEY'S P.O.V

An incoming taxi tyres skidded its way into the City Hospital, and someone hopped out of the back seat. That someone was me.

"Have it," I said in between labored breathing, stretching out dollar notes to the driver.

Whether the money landed on the taxi man's palm or not, I didn't care. Was that supposed to be important now?

I turned immediately and raced for the hospital, oblivious to the fact that my phone fell off my back pocket.

"Hello!", a strange voice called out, "your phone…"

That was when I knew it was me.

"Oh, shoot!", I cursed in between short breaths, retrieving my phone from the ground and mouthed a silent 'Thank you' to the stranger who called out to me.

This time, I walked, but at a fast pace. I sighted the ever slow and annoying nurse who was at the secretary desk. If I wanted to escape her talks about her days as a heroic nurse, then I'd have to speak up first.

"Hello, Casey my—",

"Help me confirm if 123 is open for visiting." I interrupted her.

She was obviously taken aback by my reaction, and silently reached for the telephone by her right. She punched some keys on it and got talking. After dropping the phone, she nodded her head,

"Yes, Casey dear. It is open for—",

"Thank you." I said, unexpectedly abrupt than I intended to have made it sound.

I knew I turned to race for Ward 123, but I could tell there was that look of surprise on the nurse's face. I finally got to the front of the door, and I noticed something that made me fume almost immediately.

"I'd save this for now. First, I have to see Astoria." I resolved within myself.

I walked into the room, the familiar scent of the antiseptic filled my nose. I stared at the two nurses who stood at either sides of the bed Astoria laid in.

I walked up to the bed, resting my buttocks by the side of the bed. I reached out for her hand and felt it.

She was warm.

Unbelievably warm, and it was my first time of feeling her hands that warm—it has always been dead cold and icy, even when the room had no air conditioners working in it.

"Has anyone sighted her awake? Did she open her eyes? Who has she spoken to?" I found myself hurling multiple questions at the nurses out of nervousness.

The older nurse started off with a smile, "She hasn't really… woken up yet, Miss Casey. But we are definitely sure she's out of coma. If you notice, she now has a pulse reading," she gestured to the life support machine, "which used to be a plain straight line when she was in a coma. She has been stabilised, and it's possible she wakes up any moment from now."

I heaved a sigh of relief, wrapping my fingers around hers, feeling the warmth from her hand.

"I need to apologise to you, Astoria. I really wanna do that in person." I said inwardly.

I rose to my feet, announcing to the nurses that I'd be coming back after school to check up on her.

They nodded their heads in unison, and I beckoned on one of the nurses to come along with me. I took her outside the room and pointed at the trash can which was not properly covered. She already knew what I was trying to talk about, so she just remained rooted to her spot, her legs shaking.

"Don't let this happen again," I warned her sternly. "and watch over her. I'd be back by noon.",

"Okay, Miss Casey."

I dashed out of the hospital, not even minding if my phone falls out of my pocket again. The sleeping girl was important, but school was also important! I checked the time.

7:49 a.m.

I still had 11 more minutes before the commencement of my first class.

"Taxi!" I flagged down a car and got into it without inspecting.

"St Gregs High School," I announced, scanning my schoolbag to see if I had all my school materials in check. I always did that before leaving home every morning, but not today when I heard Astoria was out of coma.

I noticed the taxi wasn't moving, and I looked up to stare at the taxi driver, who was obviously shocked by how I got into the vehicle.

"St Greg's, man! Don't you know the way???" I yelled.

He seemed to come back to reality as he jerked and turned to the steering wheel, restarting the car's engine and zooming off to St Greg High School.

ASTORIA'S P.O.V

I woke up to find myself in the middle of a vast grassland, but something felt off: the land was bare of green grass, and an awful smell enveloped the air. I got up, my hand covering my nose. I was in my human form, but somehow, I haven't gotten accustomed to standing on my hind limbs like humans do, so I remained on all fours.

I decided to start running and at least get out of this wasteland so as to know where exactly I was, but I found the crust crumbling, and it opened a huge hole, taking down what was once a part of the earth's crust together with me.

The scenery changed and I found myself in the thick of the forest, running like my life depended on it. My senses picked out the sound of feets skimming through blades of grass, and voices yelling in anger and fury. I tried to sync with my feelings, to try understand who or what I was running away from, but I couldn't bring myself to. If I was running, then it means something dangerous is seeking for me.

I ran till I was completely out of the woods, and I found myself on a decorated walkway, designed with small shiny black stones. I didn't hear the sounds of footsteps or the cry of probably angry warriors from behind me anymore.

I was free.

But then, a blaring horn and a light so bright will come and sweep me off the ground, my body somersaulting in the air and landing head first into the decorated walkway.

I jerked right up from the hospital bed, immediately reaching for my head and then the rest of my body. I was okay. I was fine. I was still in the hospital, and that was just a dream.

My mind wandered back to the dream, wandering. Even when I got back to my full consciousness hours ago, I never had a dream. Does this mean I was slowly remembering what happened to me in my past life?

I found my mind drifting back to the good Samaritan. I wasn't sure how they (the nurses) pronounced it, but I guessed well from their conversation her name was Casey. She mentioned something about wanting to apologise in person.

What could she possibly mean?

CASEY'S P.O.V

"You're a lifesaver, man. Thank you so much." I said, stuffing dollar notes into the taxi man's palm.

I dashed for the school gates, but I was stopped by the security guards. With their noses scrunched up like goblins from The Lord of the Rings Movie, the last thing I wanted now was to contend with them.

"What does your time say, Miss?",

"Well, I don't have a watch." I replied sarcastically.

"It's 8:30 a.m, and here you are just stepping into school.",

"Goodness! Can you at least just spare me for today? I promise this won't—",

"You said this the last time also." one of the guards shot back. "Carey," he beckoned the other security guard, "get the telephone. I'm phoning your mother.",

"Please please, don't—",

"Stay back!" the guard ordered, making me jerk backwards.

I closed my eyes silently, praying for any sort of miracles to happen - either my Mum isn't close to her phone, or a miniature Jesus comes to save me.

Jesus did come, and it was Tanner.

TANNER'S P.O.V

I still couldn't fathom how fast I ran to school. I was busy pondering about Lia the entire day, and after my conversation with Leo, I was a bit disturbed. I kept pondering about Lia's whereabouts till I fell asleep. I woke up to a tirelessly vibrating alarm, reading 7:50 a.m. instead of 6:30 a.m. Did I really sleep that much?

With no time to ponder, I jumped out of bed, rummaging through my closet for a new pair of shoes and stockings. Luckily for me, I ironed out my uniform before drifting off to sleep the previous night, and I left it hanging on the wall.

I dashed out of home, ignoring the presence of my Mum and also breakfast. I felt my 'Wolf' beckoning on me to use him, but no. I wouldn't succumb to his ruthless dominance once more. I haven't mastered reigning over him, so it was risky business.

I mean, who wants to end up at school, furs covering all his skin, his teeth jagged and no clothing to show? Of course, not me. Even when I admit how hard it is controlling my 'Wolf', what's more difficult is hiding it away from my friends, Casey especially.

Speaking about Casey, I took another turn to the school and saw her standing outside the school gate.

"Please, don't tell me she's gotten into trouble." I wondered.

When I got closer, I noticed she was actually pleading with the security guards. What possibly could be wrong?

"Please, please don't do this. Okay, I'd—",

"Good morning, sirs?" I started off, and then regretted doing so afterwards when I saw their cold gazes fixed on me.

Their expressions softened and I heaved a sigh of relief.

"Tan, how're you doing?",

"I'm fine. How're you doing, sir?",

"Very well, Tan. I take it that you took a night's shift.",

"Y-Yeah, I did." I smiled, trying my best to hide any hint of fear.

"Alright. Step in." the guard gestured to the school gate.

"Hey! You're letting him in???" Casey screamed, "What about me? I also work and… take night shifts too!" she stuttered, her lips forming a pout.

"Please, let her go for today, Sir Gareth. I might just…" I took out a rumpled dollar note from my breast pocket, "have a little something for you."

The security guard seemed to cool off at the sight of the money. His frown was immediately reverted into a smile.

"Hahaha. I was just kidding! I was going to let her in, Tan. I was just pulling her legs!" he laughed.

Tan saw the look of shock on Casey's face, and he couldn't help but laugh too.

"Come on," I beckoned her, "let's go."

She swatted my stretched out hands away and stormed her way into the school.

I couldn't tell whether Casey was truly angry at me, or whether she was simply faking it, but I could deal with her ignorance anymore. She refused to take a glance at me ever since we got to class—a class we got punished for not meeting the first lecture.

The school bell rand for a break, and I took to the idea that Casey might be headed for the cafeteria. I know that much about her, so no one should expect less. I took a glance at her seat, only for me to see her already walking through the front door. I followed suit, trying to keep up with her pace.

Just like my thoughts had suggested, she was taking the path to the school cafeteria. I watched from a few feet away as she rested her hands on the counter, obviously ordering for food. I decided to walk up to her, but my courage will immediately flop when she turned back, a plate of food in her hands. I turned back in a haste to give an impression I was never staring at her, but I knew that was a foul play; she already noticed me.

Even when there was a cacophony of sounds and chattering in the cafeteria, I was able to make out her approaching footsteps. I gritted my teeth in regret, waiting to hear her tell at me. To my surprise, she called out to me in the sweetest and calm voice I believe I've ever heard.

"Tanner,"

I turned to face her. Her smile confirms it. She definitely was cool with me.

"ARE YOU CRAZY??? WHY ARE YOU FOLLOWING ME, HUH?",

… or maybe not.

Her screams filled the entire cafeteria. Everyone was clearly staring at the two of us now.

"Hey hey, Casey, it's not—",

"It's not what, Tan? You this…", she looked down at her plate of food and I immediately processed what she intended to do, "... idiot!"

She flinged the tray, the content (hot sauce and chips) flying towards me. I already second-guessed her actions, and with my 'abilities', I was able to duck away just in time. I still made out the sound of a splash, and I groaned, thinking the hot sauve caught my uniform.

I stared back to see if anyone was watching this embarrassing scene, but a guy clutching at his face and screaming made me realise: the hot sauce got to his face instead. Casey morphed a face of shock and apology, immediately regretting throwing her food at Tan.

"My goodness. I'm so sorry! Please…", she shrieked.

Unsure of what to say or do next, she ran out of the scene. I wondered why Casey was being such a drama queen. She is never this way, and it ain't am exaggeration or a lie when I say that this is the first time I'm seeing her like this. I walked up to the guy who was still dabbing his eyes with his now stained uniform.

"Sorry, man." I apologized to him, taking out a handkerchief from my pocket to help him out.

CASEY'S P.O.V

I ran back to the female's restroom and pulled out my phone from my skirt.

Hey! Don't think naughty! I have a pocket.

I wished that I could come out clean with Tanner, but sometimes, there are things that are meant to bother you and you alone, right?

I checked my phone to see if I received any new texts or messages, and that it probably was from the hospital.

-MUM(2 HRS AGO)

I bet you won't get to sleep in this house if you actually took your phone to school.

-TAN(JUST NOW)

Hey! Can we just talk???

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