Chapter 2 ~Kiss and Heartbroken~

While Kristi glanced into the room from the bathroom, she noticed the doctor and wondered to herself, 'Doctor? What brings her here? ' She didn't made any noise, despite her confusion.

 

After the doctor departed, she went looking for her shoes and found them next to the bed. She hurriedly put her shoes on and covered her face, hiding it entirely. Slowly opening the door, she peeked around to make sure no one was there. Fortunately, nobody was in the hallway. Swinging around swiftly, she fled as quickly as she could.

From the moment she entered her room, she collapsed onto her bed and cried out in agony, "My back hurts. D*mn it! My body is in anguish throughout." She quietly stared at the ceiling in an effort to calm her mind, and she let out a worn-out and agonizing sigh.

"I was with Rick last night. How did I get there? I must have gone with him otherwise how could I be at hotel by myself? He must had left earlier before I woke up. That explains the pills. If it's Rick, I'm sure nothing bad happened." It was a trust for him that was built throughout their five-years relationship but even so, somewhere in her heart, she had a doubt. "I can't recall anything that happened after we shared a drink. However, he did inform me that it was alcohol-free." Sighing heavily, she murmured underneath her voice, "Why am I unable to remember anything? Was I just tired?"

She rolled back and forth twice in the bed before turning to the corner. "I'll just call him and confirm everything!" Just when she was about to call him but just realized that she doesn't have a phone. "Oh yeah! I forgot to bring my phone. I think it's still in that club or maybe in that Hotel? Let it be since I don't want to go back to any of those two places." She had such a severe case of exhaustion that she could not even bother to eat before falling asleep.

In the evening, she awoke and turned on the light. She turned to look around given that she was getting ravenous. She immediately went to the kitchen and began cooking. She prepared dinner before sitting by herself at the empty dining table and beginning to eat.

~~~

When she was just five years old, her parents lost their lives in an accident, and shortly after the tragedy, she started experiencing a condition called post-traumatic amnesia, which caused her difficulty on remembering things due to the traumatic event.

As a result of the doctors' compassion, she was placed in an orphanage. Although police made an effort to locate her family's relatives, they were never successful in doing so. She therefore had no family since she was a little child. Even worse, she has no photos or memories of her parents.

She learned from the doctor that her parents tossed her out of the car window during the explosion in order to protect her. That's why, she only had a little injury from falling and a little burn area in her lower back.

Even though she could no longer recall her parents any memories, she always held deep appreciation, cherished and valued her late parents who protected her life in exchange for their own. Her life was something exceptionally significant that she received in exchange for her parent's lives, thus she never once complained about being left alone or anything else.

So, after everything how could she just complain about anything with her parents, right? After she started high school, she started to live on her own. At first, it was difficult but later on, she was used to it and was able to live on her own in a small apartment given that she didn't want to cause any trouble or difficulties in the orphanage where she grew up, the place which gave her a feeling of a home and supportive environment.

That was when she met Rick and fell in love: her first love.

~At morning~

She went directly to Rick's apartment but was unable to come across him. She called him through a cheap phone she bought beforehand, but he didn't respond. She went to her university but was unable to locate him there either. Anxious, she gave him another call.

"Where might Rick go? Is he alright?" Fearing for his well-being, Kristi muttered. When she arrived at her classroom, Lily and Silu were together. As usual, they were having conversations and laughing together. Since high school, they have been her only close friends and the people she address her best friends. "Lily! Silu!" She hurried to move towards them and cried out to them tensely.

Silu and Lily gave her a quick glance, and while their expressions changed somewhat, they quickly returned to normal. They waved a hand and grinned! "Hey, Kristi!"

"Have you seen Rick around the area? Has he reached out to any of you, that is? He's not been reachable since yesterday." With anxiety on her face, Kristi said, "I'm really worried."

"You know how Rick is?," sighes Silu as she folds her hand. He's a party creature, so I'm sure he's having a great time somewhere. Calm down, Kristi. Take it easy at this point.

With a tiny smile, Kristi responded, "I know, but I'm still worried about him." She was still unable to let the fact out of her mind that he hadn't spoken to her since yesterday. She had been extremely concerned. 'I can't tell them that since Rick was gone from the hotel when I got up in the morning, I haven't been able to get in touch with him at all,' she told herself.

Lily sighed and put her hand around Kristi's shoulder, patting the area and uttering, "He's okay, Kristi. Try not to worry too much. If not, you'll merely grow older. Thus, as Silu said, Calm down."

"A-Alright! If you know anything about him, please let me know," Kristi said, forcing a grin onto her face.

"All right! Alright. Silu gave a thump-up grin.

~Almost a week past~

"Why am I unable to reach Rick? He always acts in this way; why? At least he could have got in touch with me. I'm concerned. Kristi turned to face her phone and paced back and forth. She reached her breaking point. Her breathing was ragged and her heart was racing. "Sincerely! Now, where precisely is he? Is he even okay?" She was unable feel at ease since her mind was racing with absurd thoughts.

She waited for a few minutes before hurriedly calling Silu. "Silu! How are you doing? Have you heard from Rick, or have you discovered any information on him? I'm unable to reach him, and he hasn't gotten back to me yet. Somehow, I'm uncomfortable. What if he has experienced some—"

"Oh, Kristi!" From the other end of the call, Silu abruptly interrupts. She spoke with a sigh of frustration that Kristi couldn't help but notice. "It's okay, I told you. You know how exactly he is honestly. Well, I'm currently at my sister's house. I'm sorry; Rick did not get in touch with me nor do I know anything about him recently. Anyways, at the moment I'm busy. Goodbye."

"Si—" The call was abruptly cut off, causing her to sigh heavily. "She must be annoyed since I've been calling her numerous time." Her heart ached in an odd way. She called Lily while holding back her tears, expecting a different response, but instead she received the same one.

She approached the dance club where Rick had taken her the previous time, hoping that maybe if she could find just slightly information she might get in touch with him. Luckily, she spotted Rick as she was ready to head to the club, which relieved her of her anxiety. "Rick?" However the joy she had on her face disappeared when she saw him leaving the club with a young woman while holding hand who looked way attractive and sensual.

At the door, they bid each other farewell with a passionate kiss. Rick, holding a cigarette, moved to the left.

When she caught him making out with another woman, she felt dumbfounded and incensed but even more devastated at the moment. She was breathing heavily as she felt her heart shattering into a million pieces. She never once imagined that he would be unfaithful to her. She had always believed in him, regardless of what transpired between them, but now she was completely destroyed.

Like a torrent, the tears in her eyes streamed down to her chin. She nibbled on her trembling lower lips. She wanted to hear every word from his mouth, every truth and lies. She wanted the answer.

She was so astonished to see the situation just as she was ready to go to him. Her entire body froze. It was simply too much for her to believe what she was witnessing. "What?"