~RAINBOW
I remembered the way I burned as the fire licked at my skin.
I could still hear the echoes of my screams. I was never supposed to be there that night. I could have waited for the fire brigade to come. But I had to save him. I could not let him die.
My wolf had even tried warning me to stay away but I was too worried and stubborn to listen. I had been determined not to lose anyone else that night. Yet there were consequences for saving the one I loved. I was rewarded with scars. . .
"Rainbow?" I heard a voice call and this broke me out of my reverie.
I flinched and relaxed again when I remembered that I was just in the hospital. The doctor was examining my scars to see how I was progressing.
The accident had happened six months ago. I should have healed immediately after but the burning pain had been so intense that it rendered my wolf dormant. No matter how hard I tried to reach her, she never came. This rendered me wolf-less. But I had made it my life's mission to keep it a secret from the pack.
It was already hard enough that they mocked me for being scarred. It would make matters worse if I got exposed.
"Are you thinking of the accident again?" The doctor asked.
I blinked multiple times, in an attempt to hide it. "No, Doctor. I just got lost in my thoughts. . ." I trailed in an attempt to lie.
The young man sighed. "Just because I have successfully become a doctor doesn't change the fact that we're friends. We went to school together. I know you, you can't lie to me and stop calling me Doctor. You're making it sound like I'm some old man. Call me Miles like you always used to," He said and tried to lighten the mood toward the end.
I giggled at his words. He was dressed in a blue overall with a white coat over it. His brown eyes twinkled when he talked. They had always done that since we were younger.
"Now that you're smiling again, I'll go ahead to give you the news," Miles moved on.
My heart sank as nervousness sipped in. He had been giving me bad news since the entire checkup session began. It always spoiled my mood and broke my heart but I never gave up hope and it was all because of him— Jean; the one I was in love with.
"I'm listening," I said in a small voice.
Miles grew serious. "For the first time in months, your wolf is showing signs of awakening. Before, it was as if she never even existed but now, there are traces of her existence," he revealed.
My eyes widened with surprise and I snorted a short laughter. "This is good news ri— right?" I stuttered as I was too scared to rejoice and later find out it was bad; and go back to being disappointed.
"Of course it is!" Miles exclaimed. "Once it awakens, you'll heal and go back to being the beautiful and confident Rainbow I remember you to be. No girls could stand in your path but now, they have the guts to call themselves more beautiful," he said in irritation.
I laughed again. "I think you're taking this too personally," I said. At this point, he had dropped all his professionalism and was acting as my friend alone. However, when he wanted to be Doctor Miles Cole again, he knew how to easily switch.
Miles cringed before stopping and looking around the room. "I don't see Jean here, did you come alone again?" He asked in disbelief.
I only chuckled. "Yes I did," I answered confidently.
Miles gave me a disapproving look. "Shouldn't he be with you on these sessions every time since he's the reason you're in this condition in the first place?" He demanded.
I waved it off. "He could have come if he had to but he said if I learn to come out on my own without needing him every time, then it will help boost my confidence level," I explained happily.
Yet the look on Miles' face did not fall away. He was obviously not buying any of this.
"You have nothing to worry about. Jean loves me and he said he'll stand by me no matter what. He does not care what I look like because he's in love with who I am within," I tried to convince him and could not help blushing like an idiot toward the end.
Miles only sighed. "This session is over. You may go now, I'll see you again next time, Rainbow," he only said.
Then he walked out of the room. I exhaled sharply and changed out of the hospital wraps and back into the clothes I had come in.
Half of my body was affected by the fire and I had abstained from looking into the mirror, too scared of what I would find.
Yet I caught a glimpse of my reflection as I left the room. I was in long loose pants, a long sleeve blouse and a shawl was over my face. All this was so that I would hide my scars even if they knew that it was there.
Yet as I stepped out into the open, I could still feel people's eyes on me. As hard as I tried to be invincible, people always noticed me when I showed up.
"Isn't she the one who got burnt for love?" They mocked.
"I wonder why she dares to show her ugly face to the world," another group said.
"If I were her, I would have locked myself away forever," they added.
It hurt to hear these words but I forced myself to look on the bright side. They would never understand why I did it because they were not in my shoes.
Miles said I was getting my wolf back anyway. I could be back to the old me and I would finally be able to accept Jean's marriage proposal.
I blushed when I thought about the way that he had proposed to me. I wondered how he would react when I broke this good news to him. He might even want us to eliminate all delays and go ahead with the wedding.
I blushed again. I wanted to make it special when I told him about it. So I stopped at a cake shop I came across. Jean loved chocolate cake.
I pushed the door to the cake shop open and went over to the counter. "Hi, I would love to purchase a chocolate cake, please," I requested politely.
The shop attendant smiled. "Do you want the small one or this medium sized cake?" She asked as she gestured at the cakes on display in the show glass. She was a woman old enough to be my mother.
"I think I would prefer the medium sized cake," I answered.
"I'll pack it up for you, dear," she answered.
I nodded and as she started preparing my order, I noticed the people in the shop staring. They were so obvious about it that they did not try to look away when I caught them. I started feeling suffocated inside the space and wanted out. I pulled my shawl forward in an attempt to hide the scarred part of my face again but that did not help.
The moment I got the cake and paid for it, I wasted no time in hurrying out of the shop. I ordered a cab immediately after I stepped out.
"Where to, Miss?" The driver asked.
"Dale Street, House four please," I answered.
The driver nodded and without another word, he drove me off.
I tried to forget the people by thinking positively again. Jean was in those thoughts as always. He had a way of brightening up my mood every time and I smiled, obviously feeling relaxed again.
He pulled up before the house and I paid for my ride. It was his parent's home but they were never around. I walked through the lawn to the front porch and pushed the door open without knocking. I was no guest.
"Babe, I'm home!" I called with excitement.
I was about to go further when I met Jean hugging another woman in the center of his lounge.
They broke away immediately they sensed my presence and when the woman saw me, she screamed.
