Chapter 7: Chanced Encounter

Chapter 7

Eliana's P.O.V 

“You had a fever, and had been unconscious since last night. When I got home this morning, you were still in your school uniform,” I explained. “How are you feeling now?” I asked.

“I'm fine,” she responded.

The doctor entered, and after confirming that she was okay, I sighed in relief.

“Are you hungry?” I asked Leah, and she gave a slight nod. 

“Okay, I’ll go get you some food and fruit. Be good, okay?”

On my way out, I spotted a plastic bag on the table. It was the same one I had used to buy fruits last night.

“Excuse me, did you see the person who dropped this?” I asked the nurse who was fixing the drip on Leah.

“Yes,” she nodded. “He said you left it in the car.”

I was puzzled at first before I remembered the man from last night, whom I had brought to the hospital. 

***

I had bought food for Leah, and after feeding her, I peeled some fruits for her. I hadn’t had time to chat properly with Leah until now.

“How was school yesterday?” I asked.

“It was fine,” she responded.

“That’s good,” I said.

“Due to some issues at work, I couldn’t come home last night. And when I got home today, I saw you lying on the bed, still wearing your Wednesday school uniform,” I explained, though not telling her the entire truth about being in the hospital last night.

“Really? I thought I had freshened up,” Leah said.

I smiled and shook my head. “It must have been your fever that made you assume things that didn’t happen.”

Leah’s P.O.V

Mom fed me fruits as we chatted. When she said she didn’t come home last night, I kind of felt bad that I wasn’t there to call her when she was going through a lot at work.

I wanted to ask what had happened at her workplace, but I decided not to, because I know she would say everything was fine now.

Also, I was puzzled when she said I was still wearing my school uniform when she got home.

“It must have been your fever that made you assume things that didn’t happen.”

“Oh,” I said quietly. That’s true. Whenever I have a fever, I always see things. That also explained the dream I had.

It was so weird to have a dream like that in my normal state of mind. It’s been a long time since the last time I read scary novels, too. Thinking about reading, I remembered my textbooks, and then… “School!” I blurted out.

“Huh?” Mom looked at me.

“I’m late for school!” I exclaimed and rushed to leave the bed.

“Calm down,” Mom stopped me. “School would’ve probably closed before you got there,” she added, and I couldn’t help but ask, “What time is it?”

“It’s almost six,” Mom said.

To me, it felt like I just returned from school, maybe about a few hours ago.

“On a Tuesday?” I asked, just to be sure.

“Yes, on a Tuesday,” Mom confirmed.

“Then school…” 

“I called.”

Mom interrupted before I could finish. “I told them you were sick and in the hospital.”

“Oh,” I said and relaxed my back on the pillow. 

***

Mom fell asleep, and since I was bored and had nothing to do, I begged the nurse to let me take a stroll. She didn’t want to let me go at first, but when she finally agreed, she wanted to follow me. I wasn't comfortable with the idea of having a stranger following me around.

“It's just a fever, I didn't undergo surgery. Do you really find pleasure in making your patients feel uncomfortable? I'm not a baby — I won't get lost.”

“Miss, it's not safe to let you go alone. I can—”

“If you don't let me go, I'll sit here, and refuse treatments. If you force the treatments on me, I'll bite my tongue to death!” I said in a restrained voice.

“I—” 

“If you insist, I'll scream and tell everyone you were trying to tamper with the IV drip.”

“Okay, but don't go too far,” she advised.

I walked down the hallway in the hospital, holding my drip stand. After walking for about two minutes, I decided to go back because I was tired. If I had my phone with me, I wouldn’t have to go through this stress of taking a walk.

As I turned back, I bumped into someone whose eyes were glued to his phone as he walked. His phone fell, and though it wasn’t my fault entirely, I felt guilty.

“I’m sorry,” I apologized and instinctively bent down to pick up the phone.

“Ouch!” I winced because I had hurt the hand the needle connected to the drip was inserted. So much for taking a walk.

“It’s okay,” the person said. He bent down to pick the phone as he said comfortingly, “I’m also at fault.”

“Let me see where you’re hurt,” he stood up and took my hand in his.

I froze when I saw his face. “Sky?!” I screamed inwardly. What was he doing here?

Probably because he was engrossed with looking at my hand, he hadn’t noticed that it was me, as he hadn’t stared at my face properly.

“I, I’m fine,” I took my hand from his and turned away before he could look at my face.

He definitely wouldn't recognize me from behind because in school, my hair was always packed in a pony or a bun, but now, my hair fell freely on my shoulders, which explained why he didn't recognize me without a proper glance.

I held my drip stand and kept going forward, further away from my ward. I thought this encounter would end the second I turned away, but I was wrong. He chased after me, saying, “You’re not very friendly, you know. I was just trying to apologize…”

“No need,” I cut him off.

“But at least, can I get your name? I’m Sky,” he said, still tailing behind me.

“I’m not interested,” I responded, increasing my pace.

“Why is it that pretty girls like you are always arrogant?” he held my hand and made me face him, though he did so gently.

Facing him, I quickly wished the ground would open and swallow me.

“Leah?” he called, puzzled and amused.