6. Déjà Vu

I will destroy you in the most beautiful way possible.

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!!

I'm snapped out of my peaceful sleep by the annoying sound of something beeping in my ear. I opened my eyes and it's like déjà vu. I groaned, blinded by the bright light shining down on me and shut them close before opening them again, this time usisng my hand as a shield. I looked around the room, confused of my whereabouts and

turned my head sideways. Dr Sanchez sat in a sofa not far from the bed I was laying in, with a newspaper in his hands.

“Dad??” I croaked.

Looking up, he said “You're awake” his lips stretched upward in a relieved smile as he folded his paper close. I nodded, smiling back and tried to sit up straight but winced quickly dismissing the idea when a short sharp pain shot up my scalp like lightning from the back of my head. The sudden pain causing my vision to blur a little and my head to spin.

“... don't move just yet” Dr Sanchez hissed, quickly getting up from his seat and rushed toward me. 

“...rest, I'll call a doctor” he said, gently pushing my shoulders back and I let him. Lowering my head back on the soft pillow, I closed my eyes to listen to the pain and only opened them when I heard a door opening. A doctor walked in with a nurse following close behind him with a cart. He smiled when he noticed me awake and approached the bed.

“Good morning Dr Sanchez, miss Sanchez” He shook Dr Sanchez's hand begore turning to me “... how are you feeling?? I'm Dr Santiago'' He asked, just as the nurse pushed her cart inside and stopped on the other side of me. 

“Like I'm having a migraine, my head feels like it is about to split into two” I said honestly, making him let out a soft chuckle.

“That's expected after your attack, it's a surprise you don't have a hematoma” he said as he checked my vitals.

“... do you remember where you were last night??” He asked putting his tablet away and got his stethoscope from around his neck.

“Yes, I was attending a charity event with my dad” I answered, he turned to dad as if to confirm my words to which Dr Sanchez nodded.

“In that case, take a deep breath in for me” He came closer to me and put his stethoscope on the center of my chest. I did as asked, taking in deep breath before letting it out and repeat as he moved the stethoscope around to get a good reading of my heartbeat.

“... well done, other than a minor concussion everything is alright. Just remember not to sleep for the next 24 hours and you'll be back to your old self in no time” he said with a smile, standing up straight and putting the stethoscope away.

“Thank you” 

“You're welcome, nurse Regina will give you painkillers for your headache and you're free to go… excuse me” He said before walking out of the room. On cue, the nurse held out a small plastic cup to me containing the said painkillers. Taking them in one hand and a glass of water in the other, I tossed the two tablets inside my mouth and gulped them down with the water. Mumbling a small thank you, I gave her the glass back and wiped the corners of my lips clean with the back of my hand before turning to Dr Sanchez.

“What happened last night??” I asked just as she made her way out of the room too. Dr Sanchez let out a heavy sigh and said

“The auction got robbed and you got hit in the back of your head with a gun by one of the robbers” I groaned at the memory, hopefully the criminals will be caught soon.

“... I brought you some fresh clothes” he said, pointing at the black duffle back on the floor near the sofa “... go change so we can go home” I nodded and slowly got off the bed. I walked into the joint bathroom with the bag. I changed out of the hospital gown and put my clothes on, tied my hair up in a neat bun before leaving the room.

I met up with Dr Sanchez in the lobby and we made our toward the hospital's exit. Stepping outside, I took a deep breath in of the fresh air and got in the passenger seat. Dr Sanchez drove us to our house before the media embossed us with questions.

Later that day...

I sat in the living room with the tv playing, a mug of hot coffee in my hand and my laptop open on my lap. To keep me awake for the night I had decided to busy myself by writing a few chapters for my current ongoing book.

“Take this dear” Dr Sanchez said, holding out a mug of hot coffee for me to take.

“Thanks dad” I mumbled, accepting the cup and took a deep breath in of the strong aroma before putting it down on the coffee table. He went to seat on the one seater couch near me and crossed his legs into a four. He opened one of his project files and continued working. Shaking my head, I focused back on the screen in front of me. I tried to get him to sleep so many times buy all in vain. He stubbornly refused to leave me on my own, I think he's afraid that I'd end up sleeping and never wake up if he didn't keep an eye on me.

My fingers froze over my keyboard when my phone suddenly stared ringing. I ignored it for first couple of times and continued typing but the caller wasn't one to give up easily, he kept calling and calling and calling until i couldnt ignore it anymore. Groaning, I sat my laptop on the couch next to me and leaned forward to get my phone from the coffee table. I turned the screen toward me and immediately frowned at the unknown caller ID. I swiped my thumb across the screen to receive the call and held the up to my ear.

“Hello??” I hesitantly answered.

“Hey baby” a familiar yet annoying voice said from the other side of the call.

“Mr Magliolo” I said, trying not snarl.

“Dino” he corrected, making me roll my eyes.

“Where did you get my number??”

“I have my ways but don't worry, I didn't call to fight with you”

“Then why did you call??”

“To check on you, I wanted to stay at the hospital with your father but mom thought it would be inappropriate since we just met” he explained.

“I'm fine Mr Magliolo, you really don't have to worry about me and please refrain from calling this number again” I told him before hanging up and smiled at Dr Sanchez, taking my coffee back in my hands.

“Your plan seems to be working very well” Dr Sanchez said, I nodded taking a sip of my coffee. Of course it was, Dino Magliolo was used to girls always throwing themselves at him and begging ro be seen by him. I was probably the first girl to bluntly refuse his advances and I bet my life that an egotistic man like him doesn't know when to accept defeat. My cold, disinterested demeanour was only stringing him along closer to his death.