"Mr. Home missed you dearly." Dad whispered gently, caressing my hair with affection and worry. It was his way of saying—'You scared me.' Smiling, I heaved a sigh of relief, lavishing the feeling of warmth and utter closeness.

"Tell Mr. Home that I'm absolutely fine. And moreover, I have such a caring dad. What would happen to me? " I tried my best to give him my 'I-am-strong' smile, but the flash of pain in his tired eyes said otherwise.

"Okay, okay, enough talking. Now, speak less and rest more. Do you get it, young lady? " Mom gave me the look that said—'I-dare-you-to-defy-me', which shut me up.

Oh, mother dear!

I giggled as mom and dad went out of the room to let me rest. I huffed, before facing my one and only brother. Ethel sat on the sofa with his face in his palms. Since the moment I regained my consciousness, he has been oddly quiet and weird. I knew for sure that my condition must have disturbed him, but still, something was off with him.

"Ethel, bro?" I shakily called out, instantly gaining his attention as he rushed to my side with a frantic look.

"Yes? Are you alright? Do you need something? Should I call the nurse or... I cut his rambling off, "E, relax! Just calm down. I'm perfectly fine. " He sighed, running his hand over his face before sitting down on the chair next to me.

"What's wrong with you, bro? Are you alright? You seem a little off. Is everything okay? " I voiced my thoughts. He seemed to be at a loss for words for a few seconds before shaking his head in denial.

"No, no problem at all. You're overthinking it. Soph, look what the doc has said: not to overthink and you're..." I again had to cut his rambling.

"Bro! Chillax man!! I was just worried about you. Okay, I won't say anything. " I motioned to zip my lips with my thumb and forefinger, making a small smile dangle on his lips. His smile mirrored mine.

"Now rest, or else mom will bury me alive." He joked, as we shared a heartfelt smile. He leaned in, giving me a light kiss on my forehead. I closed my eyes as he kept stroking my hair, and soon I was whisked away by darkness.

A loud shriek left my throat as soon as I fluttered opened my eyes. There were many faces all around me, making me yelp in fright. It was obvious. If you're sleeping peacefully and you all of a sudden open your eyes only to see six heads staring right back at you like you're from some other planet, then you'll definitely yelp in fright.

"Geez woman, calm down. It's us. "

"Oh, my God! You're awake, Soph, and for real. "

"Thank God! You've scared us all, young lady! "

"Who are you all?" was the first thing that left my lips on registering each face. They seemed to be taken aback by my sudden question. Their faces scrunched in confusion, their brows pulled up in a knot.

"What are you saying, Soph?" One of them asked. She was a redhead with swollen eyes. Her eyes held so much worry, sadness, and confusion in them.

I frowned, my head throbbing with pain again, "Ah! Not again. " I mumbled, discomfort hinging my insides.

"Who are you all? Do I know you? " I again asked as they exchanged each other's glances. They seemed to be completely flabbergasted by my words, as if I had wounded them cynically.

"Soph, it's us. Your friends. Don't you remember us? " Another sapphire-eyed girl stated with a broken voice.

"This is Ivy, your roommate. I'm Mysie. This is Sapphire. Remember, we call her Saphy. And Felix, Damien, no, Damy, as we call him.... " Her voice trailed off, as she struggled to make me remember.

She had introduced each and every one of them, except one. I met my eyes with those frantic ones asking, "Ember Eyes?"

His eyes widened in startlement. "Hazel Eyes?"

"Soph, do you literally not remember us?" The same redhead, Ivy, once again asked with eyes brimming with tears.

"No, I'm sorry, I don't remember at all." I clenched my eyes shut as the ripples of agonizing pain shot through my head.

"Guys, I think it's best we leave her alone. Let her rest for a while. Maybe this whole coma shit had done some tampering with her. "

"God, I hate coma with so much passion."

I heard their footsteps walking away, but before they could go out, a full-throated laugh resonated throughout the room, making them turn their heads around me. Those six pairs of eyes took a few moments to soak in why the hell was I giggling like a stupid school girl, and when they did figure it out, it didn't take them long to lunge upon me within no time.

"You fucking bitch! I'm so gonna kill that stupid head of yours! " Ivy yelled in my ears, making me hiss with pain.

"Guys, I'm in a hospital bed, dammit! Get off of me! " As if registering my words and suddenly realizing that I had awoken from a goddamn coma just a day ago, they gave me enough space to breathe in fresh air.

"Dang gal, you fucking scared the daylight out of us. Don't. You. Ever. Dare. Do. That. Again." Mysie warned me with a motherly glare.

"Jesus, I was fucking blown. Like at first we were happy knowing you're awake and then you suddenly screamed... But worse, when you were like—'Who are you?' Geez, there you dropped the mega bomb." Felix said, making strange kinds of faces, making me smile.

"Never in my life have I ever felt so foolish and clueless as I feel now. Ah, young lady, you've got to pay! " Damy said in his—'You-better-watch-it' tone.

"What were you thinking, huh? Literally, gal, what the fuck were you thinking? "

"Guys, chillax! I just pulled out a really good damn prank. At least appreciate that. I mean, you should have looked at your faces. " I burst out laughing, ignoring the throbbing pain. "You all looked like buffoons." They soon joined me in, with misty eyes.

I smiled at them, heartfelt, "Thank you, thank you so much for being with me the entire time. For taking care of me. For bringing such awesome gifts and, more importantly, reading those beautiful quotations. I might be sleeping all the time, but I know how much time you all have put into me. I've literally no words to tell you guys how much you all mean to me. Thank you for everything. How did I get so lucky? Damn! I wiped my eyes, as more tears made their way down.

The room was dead silent. They all smiled at me, as their own eyes betrayed them. We spent our moment for a few more minutes before Felix interrupted, "Sheesh gals, can't you keep your Barbie tears and girly thingy with you? A man needs to man up! " His words earned him a chorus of laughs and a playful pat from Saphy.

"So, Hazel Eyes..." Senior Chase, aka Senior Ember Eyes, cleared his throat slightly, gaining my undivided attention. "You haven't forgotten someone named Aylwin Eldred, have you?"

Those words did something to me. Those words stirred my insides as if an inhumane feeling of longing flooded inside me, destroying every ounce of sanity left within me. Delusion had its ever affecting control on me with déjà vu having its own good fair shares. Result? Easy-peasy! It was leaving me on the stake of separation till the not-so-alluring waves of desperation knocked me out.

"How're you feeling now, Ms. Jasper?" Dr. Slade asked in a humble tone. His thin-framed square glasses were perfectly set on his nose while he went through my test results.

"Much better than yesterday. But weakness and restlessness are still there. Otherwise, all is good. " I replied with a kind smile.

He nodded, "Good. Weakness will persist for a few more days, probably weeks. That completely depends on your recovery speed. Anyway, how about pain? Is it still there? "

"Umm... Yeah, the pain is there, but not too much. Less than it was just two hours ago. " I faced my parents and brother, who seemed focused on our exchange, listening intently to each and every word as if afraid of missing any word.

"Very well. No need to worry, Mr. Jasper. Your daughter's reports are better than yesterday. There's been major progress in her condition. So, have faith, in a few more days she'll be ready to run a marathon. " He explained, and then faced me, "And Ms. Jasper, now you need to be very conscious of your health. Eat healthy and drink plenty of water. Okay? "

"Yeah, Dr. Please, now you just tell her. We've been tired of saying this thing to her. 'Eat. Eat. Eat.'" Mom complained, making me glare at her, to which she glared at me back, making me smile sheepishly at her.

"Ms. Jasper, you have no idea how complicated your case has gotten just because you're anemic. Starting now, you have to be careful. Health is not a joke, rather it's a necessity. You're grown up, youth, you know better. " All I managed to do was nod. It felt like middle school all over again as I was getting scolded by my teacher. I mean, c'mon, I wasn't eight or something, I was eighteen for God's sake. A college girl, but there I was treated more like an eight-year-old. Huh!

"About pain.... it'll be there from time to time because the surgery is still very delicate. But don't fret, these meds will help alleviate the pain. " With that, he excused himself, leaving me with my family.

"So??" Mom asked with a raised brow. I gave her a perplexed look.

"What did the doctor say? That Sophronia don't eat healthy food. Don't keep up with your health. Don't think about yourself. Eh?"

Mom!!!!

I looked at Dad and Ethel, only to see them stifling their laughs. "No mom."

"Then?"

"I get it, mom. I really do. "

"You're gonna eat only healthy food."

"Yes, mom."

"No fast food."

"Yes, mom."

"Lots of water."

"Yes, mother."

"Complete rest."

"Yes, mother."

"Light exercise."

"Okay, teacher."

"Ahh! When will you grow up? "

"Yes, teacher." I kept mimicking, making Dad and Ethel chuckle.

"Now rest!"

"Yes, Hitler." That time, dad and Ethel burst out laughing, and me and mom soon joined them. Our laughter echoed throughout the room, making me feel content and calm. For the first time since I woke up, they all seemed genuinely happy.

"We're here!" Ivy and Senior Chase popped into the room, carrying a laptop bag. They were well-dressed. Ivy donned a white blouse with a casual navy blue jacket and matching slacks, while Chase wore a three-piece navy blue suit. She looked elated and thrilled.

"Shouldn't you be at Uni?" I asked, frowning at their unexpected presence. After all, it was such a momentous day for everyone. They had gone to great lengths to make the event enthralling and spellbinding. Instead, Ivy made a goofy gesture, and Senior Chase rolled his eyes at me.

"Wow, Hazel Eyes, thank you for letting us know how welcome we are." A smile crept over my lips as he muttered a sarcastic remark.

"No-no, I didn't mean that. It was just... wasn't the function going on? "

"Yeah, it is. There are many people on my behalf to handle there, especially this Senior Boyfriend of yours. Moreover, we're here to enjoy the show with you. " They took out the laptop and placed it on my bed. The bed was reclined, so I was basically sitting-sleeping on it.

"Has the program ended?" I inquired, my gaze locked on the ticking clock, which indicated that it was past six o'clock in the evening.

"Not yet. There were still a few performances remaining by the time we departed. But it will soon be over. Probably till eight o'clock or so." I responded with a hum.

Ivy slowly began to fill me in on all of the minor details of the event, from the beginning to the end. She played me a few tapes wherein she blabbed about the chief guest and how great our university looked.

"And why won't it look good? After all, it's our Pa Uni's happy-happy birthday. "

Senior Chase's phone rang, interrupting our conversation. He picked up the phone and flashed Ivy a thumbs-up, who enthusiastically returned the gesture. I gave them a quizzical look.

"Hey Drew! All set? " It was a video call.

"Yup man! Everything is set." Senior Drew's voice came out of the other line. There was a lot of noise and disturbing voices booming across his background.

"Connect the laptop."

Ivy swung the laptop into my lap. I probably looked like a buffoon, with the amount of uncertainty oozing wet off my face like the dark melted chocolate dripping off the delicious chocolate cake. Was I really comparing confusion to cake?

Yuck! I'm positive I banged my head rather hard.

I couldn't figure out what was going on. Ivy and Senior Chase simply smirked at me, but there was an entire different story buried behind those smiles. Exhaustion gripped every cell of my being, like a sickly-sweet host tending to its guest. My gaze followed the fuzzy and hazy movements of the screen, which were followed by screeching and yelling noises.

"What's going on?" I inquired, stifling a yawn. I was really tired and restless.

"Have some patience, my dear patient."

Everything went dark at once. It seemed as though a shroud of gloom had fallen over the once-bustling area. It seemed fishy. Then a thin streak of light fell over the area, illuminating it faintly. Still, I couldn't make out anything. Curiosity was creeping its way through me. A very soothing, placid, and slow melody, swirling, dove into my ears out of nowhere, gifting me with the essence of tranquility in the process. My focus got deeper and denser as the notes intensified. My eyes darted to look for the cause of my strange uneven heartbeats. Then, once again, a beam of light descended on the center of the stage. At that time, everything around me seemed to have come to a halt. The tingles and warmth coursing through my body were not worth jotting down.

The camera zoomed in even further until all I could see was an angelic face and a black piano in the precise middle of the grand stage. He sat at the piano, his gaze riveted on the white and black keys. It felt like an eternity since I last saw him. With each passing second, the sense of loss and hollowness grew more and more bitter. Seeing him again after such a long time only confirmed how much I missed Senior Poker Face.

However, the call was abruptly disconnected, and another window popped. And before I realized it, my eyes had already clashed with the ones where my tranquility blossomed. The ones where I found my solace.

His face was passive, devoid of any emotions. His hard as a glint eyes continued to stroke my insides, passionately soaking me wholly. Just like every time, they made me their captive, and I more than willingly became their victim. But it wasn't just like that. There was more to it than that. Those dark pools possessed red rims, hinting that he must have awoken numerous nights for his work, for the program, for his fresher.

When his fingers delicately played with the keys, it felt like the strings of my heart were being tugged. Ironic, how the hues of the piano keys were eerily similar to those of his own damn life. Somehow, there was more in the picture.

Colors and shades abound in life, each creating strikingly distinct and stunningly beautiful patterns. The only difference is one of perspective. He saw life in only two colors: Mr. Black and Mr. White. It was Mr. White. Not one of them was Ms. Huh! Macho man! He sorted all the colors of his life into two colors, and both of the colors were just like him. Dark, deep, sensuous, and highly... grrr!! That word???

Seems like I'm at a loss of words. Not my fault, though. Got some major brain damage, remember? Yup, after surgery issues!

I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to save me

This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy

I need somebody to heal

Somebody to know

Somebody to have

Somebody to hold

It's easy to say

But it's never the same

I guess I kinda liked the way you numbed all the pain

His eyes never strayed from mine, as if they were conveying some sort of message to me. Under the secrecy of the darkness and the spotlight of the world, those mellifluous melody became the enchanted messenger. The veils of orbs hid them safely within them until we would collide. The way his lips moved, it reminded me of all the intimacy we shared. His voice held slight wavering in them yet it healed my inner wounds.

Now the day bleeds

Into nightfall

And you're not here

To get me through it all

I let my guard down

And then you pulled the rug

I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved

I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to turn to

This all or nothing way of loving got me sleeping without you

Now, I need somebody to know

Somebody to heal

Somebody to have

Just to know how it feels

It's easy to say but it's never the same

I guess I kinda liked the way you helped me escape

I fluttered open my eyes. And when they again collided, there was something different in them. Something so far shocking, so far disturbing, something more than heart-wrenching, but still the most delicate and beautiful of all. I felt a layer of moistness in his eyes.

Did he just...? Tears? No-no... it can't be! Maybe I'm just hallucinating?

He turned away from me. Eyes no more meeting mine. His shields were up, trailed by his closing eyes as the melody transpired into painful wails. The same lyrics, the same tunes, the same melody, yet it felt foreign to me.

The next moment, he fluttered open his eyes. They were back to normal. Like Aylwin Eldred's signature eyes. Just as swiftly as they came, the more hastily they flew by. Nevertheless, what he failed to realize was that his veils were finally down. He was giving himself punishment for no reason. His suffering was more harsh and brutal than my own. His sacrifices were tearing me apart.

I had to prevent myself from breaking down. I had to prevent myself from calling out to him. I had to prevent myself from doing so many things I wanted to do to him, with him, and for him. Just to him. Just with him. And lastly, just for him.

Now the day bleeds

Into nightfall

And you're not here

To get me through it all

I let my guard down

And then you pulled the rug

I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved

It felt like someone was stabbing me. The stabs kept on coming because the tears of agony weren't less than mere physical stabs. When you're getting stabbed, you bleed physically. The pain is all physical and subsides with painkillers. But when you're stabbed with words, emotions, and gestures, then you bleed in all ways, whether it's emotionally or mentally. Heck, your mind, body, and soul all wreck havoc. A Havoc of Pain. The worst part was that there were no meds for such pain.

And I tend to close my eyes when it hurts sometimes

I fall into your arms

I'll be safe in your sound 'til I come back around