Chapter One

The people around kept running away from me. Some of them even stumbled down, out of their own tables, their eyes fused with such fright before they sprint away. I tried looking around but all of them are just gone. I heard screams, and the blurry cries of the children was ringing in my ears.

But why are they looking at me?

I took a step forward just to get a hint of what is going on but my knees trembled, causing it to fall down the ground and my body – my body seemed to splatter down the cold hard ground. There is something buried in my chest and my breathing seemed so heavy--so difficult. Everyone seemed to mind their own lives, that they never cared about other people, they are so scared that it actually disgusts me. No one even came near to help.

How fragile can they be? That they never considered helping those who are in desperate need of a hand, just to save themselves. Cowards. I let out a small chuckle but got choked in my own blood. I-it hurts and it's burning.

Streaming hot tears crawled through the skin of cheeks. I tried to lift my hand to touch the ache in my chest, realizing that it was filled with red liquid. The blood continued flowing out of the hole in my chest--- I felt it scattering on my shirt. It was getting colder. But the pain made me quiver more, it hurts so much that I felt my insides crumbling and pleading for air. All of my organs felt like it's going to explode at any second and the freezing sensation began to envelop my body.

At that moment, the flash of images about how I lived my life reflected on my very eyes.

I had nobody. I never saw my dad and I never met my mom. I was an orphan. I heard that I was found in a box, freezing in the cold night, out on the streets, crying without anything a mother can ever leave away for her child, not a blanket, no anything. It meant only one thing -- I was never wanted in this world, that my own birthmother threw me away in cold blood, to die in the streets even though I was still an infant who never knew anything.

As an orphan, I was raised by the nuns – I lived a healthy life, a gleeful kid until I heard the story about how I was found half-dead in the streets. I just realized how cruel this world really can be that it felt like it is vomiting me out of existence. Now that I have only started gathering my feet up to have a good life, creating progress on my own, proving to the world that I was fated to live for more, I lay here, back in the streets, slowly dying.

I wanted to curse someone, I wanted to blame someone but it all happened so fast that I already forgot how I got in this mess.

Why is it so unfair?

Zach would understand, he was my best friend and he got answers for everything. I wish he experiences something better than this. He's a good person, even better than me.

Fuck.

My eyes started to close.  I cannot feel anything anymore, nor hear anything other than the ceasing beats of my heart. My heart continuously seized its beating and I know I had to go, for I am tired of everything—of living in this cruel bloody world.

"Eve."

An anonymous voice whispered in my ears and I knew I had to open my eyes again, but it was so blurred out. I only managed to catch a silhouette standing before me and then everything turned into a vast of nothingness—only the deep dark pitch black.

*****

There were beeping sounds and chatter that filled my ears. But all of it deafened me, there was something whistling, the beeping made my eardrums hurt, and the voices, all blurred up, gonged down to the depths of my ear. I exhaustedly opened my eyes and the bright light blinded me. It was so painful for my eyes, I tried to cover it with my backhand but a sting prevented me from lifting it up.

"Oh my god! Call the doctors! She's awake!"

Kate?

My eyes slowly became aware and adapted to the sight of the room that I was in. I was in the hospital room and the stings are from the needles attached to my body.

"You don't know how frightened we were!"

My best friend is here and he brought along some of my friends from the studio. Zach's sweet eyes set on me, looking all cloudy and sad. They were all smiling and tearing up at the same time. Kate continued to sob as she caressed my head, with our friends standing beside my bed, towering over me.

"What happened?" I managed to ask with my raspy, tired voice.

"You were in a coma for two months! Yesterday, your heart dropped, the doctors tried to revive you, you were dead for 3 seconds straight!" Kate's eyes never stopped clouding.

2 months? Dead? I don't understand a bit of what's going on.

"You are one hell of a fighter Eva." Zach tried to laugh but failed dramatically as his hand laid over mine. He is a sweetheart, he always cared for me ever since I was out, wondering for life. He was always there for me when I needed him and he always manages to have a drink with me when life is dragging me to hell. I tried to let out a smile and I gave him a soft squeeze on his hand. I was too tired; I could even barely speak. The doctor entered the room and she was a woman in her mid-age.

"Hello, Eva Reiss. How are you feeling?" She checked the IV fluid if it's running well.

"Fine." I nodded my head once but a sting in my head made my eyes twitch.

"Does your head hurt?"

"Yes, a little."

"It's because your brain is trying to adjust from everything. It has lost a lot of oxygen when your heart rate dropped down. It is a miracle for you to be alive, we all saw your heart rate go flat."

The doctor looked at me with her seemingly astonished expression. I smiled at her to assure her that I'm fine.

I think I need to be alone for a while. I want to get my brain working together.

The doctor talked with Zach and Kate while Cathlyn just smiled at me as she held my hand. Her brows were furrowed, it’s like she is restrained as she stared at me. I’m okay. Her lips curled up into a wobbly smile when I grinned at her. Cathlyn is one of our girls, she doesn't talk too often but she always has time to cook. I actually think she prefers culinary more than literature but I haven't asked her about it since it'll mean invading her private life. I don't ask too much questions about my friends nor do I open up too much of my own. I'm just glad that they are here and I'll be glad to be with them once things go loose.

"Do you want anything to drink or eat?" My silent friend asked.

"Yes, please. I also wanted to think on my own for a while."

"Okay." She let go of my hand and took the people outside of the hospital room. I let out a deep breath, gathering my weak muscles on my arm to prop myself up so I could sit down. It hurts so bad that I can just lay down all day, but I cannot stay here any longer.

Two months is a very long time.

Who is paying my bills!?

I gathered my thoughts, recovering the lost memories before I was brought in the hospital, laying like sleeping beauty. I dug up my memories harder but nothing comes in it. I was shot they said, and the wound is still painful after the surgery.

Who would even do that to me?

Shivers ran up my spine when I thought about my chest being holed through by scalpels. I shook my head, the haziness never went away as if I drank bottles of beer the other day and suffer a painful hangover right after. I closed my eyes and arched my back to stretch but images started to fill my head. I held my chest, remembering the hot blood that rushes in my body after I lay on the cold ground. It was so painful and I don't want to experience it again. Tears started prowling in my eyes but I shut them down and breathe.

I never thought I'd live again. I thought it was all over.

"Eve."

An anonymous voice sunk into my mind.

Who was that?

There was someone right there when I was dying but all I caught was a shadow hovering over me. Then that's it. It was a man's voice but it wasn't Zach, he'll never call me Eve. And the voice was solemn, it was deep but it was tuning to hear.

I wish I could meet him.

I lay down on my bed, like a centenarian lady groaning due to arthritis. I let out a raspy breath and groaned in pain. I am so tired this day and I just want to sleep.

"Eve." I woke up to the voice that calls me from my slumber. My eyes batted the whole room but there was no one,

the room was darker than the usual so I closed my eyes and forget about it.

Later that night, there was it again—the voice! I never tried to open my eyes since there's always nothing when I do. But a gentle peck laid on my lips made my eyes sprung open. A man sat down beside me, on my bed and his blue eyes shone, making it even brighter in the dark.

His hair was shiny black and his complexion was fair, his body is fit as well as the shape of his jaws. He wore a pitch V-neck shirt making his chest barely visible, even from my blurry eyes- I know, I know how toned he was. There were chains on his pants, a gothic design that made him look even cooler and hot. He was dazzling—he was gorgeous and I have never met him before.

 What is a man like him doing here?

I felt my heart race through my chest when he leaned down, his face closer to mine. His lashes were long, he stares with his beautiful blue eyes, his gaze was damn sexy, giving me a cold but burning look.

"See you at home." His grin was wicked but it left my throat dry.

"Eva!" I blinked several times after I heard Zach saying my name several times as he waved his hand on my eyes. Was I daydreaming? I was sitting and I didn't even know that there’s people. I don't know how long I've been sitting but the man who just went away felt so real. I laid my finger on my lips, remembering how soft his lips were.

"Hey, Eva!"

"Oh, I'm sorry Zach. I'm just a little bit—uhm, dazed."

"It's okay babe." He pinched my cheek gently as if he was being playful. "Cathlyn and Kate are working right now, and they have sent me to bring this food to you."

"H-how long have you been here?"

Zach's face crumpled in the middle and he pouts, he held his fist on his chest. "Aw, am I not really someone you could lay your eyes on? I have been here ever since the day we met."

I laughed all of a sudden after seeing his jesting sad face. He is cute, his eyes were green and his dark brown hair was trimmed well, with only some strands hanging on his face. He chortles as well, he smiles, revealing his dimples at the side of his cheek.

"Eat now before you spoil your food,” he said.

I nodded. My body felt lighter than it ever was before, and I might have him take me out on a stroll down the hospital. He opened up the wrapped lunch box and the umami scent escaped from it making my mouth water. It was a stir-fried shrimp with java rice at the side, one of my favorite Cathlyn dish. I ate to my fullest—I've never felt so alive! I wiggle my body for every bite since it was so delicious. Zach laughed at me as I did so and I laughed with him.

My tummy felt so full and Zach had already taken away the lunchbox, and washed it on the sink of my hospital room.

"Oh, you still have something left in the side of your mouth,” he says with his expressive emerald eyes. I wiped the left side of my cheek with my backhand. He gets closer to me and stood beside my bed.

"No, silly, on the other side."

Before I could wipe it off again, he brushed his thumb on the right side of my mouth, his smiles can actually melt you, maybe if I hadn't looked at him the way I do now—I can fall for him as well. Nah, both of us see each other as siblings anyway. Still, the innocent look in his eyes and his sexy charm made women line up for him, he never had anyone though. Laugh escaped from my lips.

"Is there anything funny?" He sat by the side of my bed.

"Why don't you date someone? You'll be a good boyfriend." I giggled and his eyes rolled at me.

"What?" I gave him a light slap on his arm as I teased him.

His gaze turned grave as he looked at me, making me drop my jokes off.

"I want to tell you something."

What is he going to tell me? I felt nervous but I didn't know why, I lifted my brows up for him to know that I was listening.

He lifted his hand, and wrapped it around one of mine, but I never pulled away.

"I— "

What is he about to say? I don't even know if I want to hear it.

"I'm gay."

I bursted out laughing, I know he was joking but that got me. I don't know if it's because the joke was funny or is it because it's better to hear him say that than the thing I was thinking. I am scared to lose him, like, I don't want this kind of relationship to end.

"Why? It's true."

He shook his head and his shoulders began shaking because of laughter. My body reached its limit again, and I felt tired. I yawned knowing that my eyelids are turning heavier.

"I'm going to take a nap. Can you take me downstairs later? I need to stretch my legs."

"Sure babe." He loved calling me with endearments, but I never hated it. Zach is too sweet and I love that about him. We've been friends for about five years and we never changed, nor did we try to sleep with each other. The first time Zach and I met, he just sat down beside me and started telling me a lot of stories about the book he is writing. I was amazed by him, he is a talented man and he never irritated me the way other men do. He makes me laugh, and he makes me comfortable with him in just the way I am.