"I finally get to meet you, Terra. Alex never stops talking about you," one of his friends says with a teasing grin.
Alex jumps in quickly, "Don't listen to him—it's not like that at all. He's just being ridiculous."
I smile politely. "It's alright."
"You okay?" Alex asks.
"Huh? Yeah. Of course," I reply quickly.
"If you're not feeling well," his friend cuts in, "I can cheer you up. Alex doesn't seem too interested. I think we'd make a great pair. What do you think?"
Alex snaps, "As if she'd even consider you. Stop being a jerk."
"It's fine," I tell Alex, waving it off. "By the way, you didn't tell me your name."
"It's Ben. But you can call me baby," he says with a wink.
I laugh, genuinely this time. "Oh no, not you too! Don't be cheesy. I hate that."
"What's wrong with a little fun?" he grins.
I ignore the question and turn away.
Then I hear Ben mutter to Alex, "I think she's my type."
Alex glares at him. "Don't even think about it."
We're at an amusement park. It's been so long since I've laughed like this—really laughed. Being with friends, with Alex… it feels good.
At home, I'm always thinking. Always overthinking. But right now, for once, I'm present. I'm not stuck in my head. I haven't even thought about—
Wait. What was his name?
Did I ever ask?
Why am I thinking about him again?
"Terra, Terra!" Alex's voice pulls me back.
I blink and look at him.
"You just froze," he says, concerned.
Since the accident, I sometimes lose time like that. Everything stops, and I get stuck. I take a shaky breath. "Sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?" he asks softly.
Then, dizziness hits me. Everything blurs.
Alex reaches out, "Terra? You're not okay. We need to get you to a doctor."
His voice shifts—becomes strange, distant.
I try to move away, panic setting in. I stumble. Just as I'm about to fall, someone catches me.
It's not Alex. Not Ben.
It's him.
The therapist. I don't even know his name. But I admire him. Somehow, I trust him.
He holds me like I'm something fragile, and tears begin to spill down my cheeks without warning. Why am I crying? Why does he make me feel this way?
He's not kind. He's not safe. He's… an asshole.
But in this moment, I cling to him like a child clutching their mother's hand. I feel safe.
When I open my eyes, I'm in a hospital room. I scan the space, heart racing, but he's not there.
My mom sits nearby. "Where is he?" I ask.
She looks confused. "Who?"
"I… don't know."
Tears pour out of me, heavy and unstoppable. "I don't understand. I don't know why I'm crying, or why I'm thinking about him. I feel so lost, Mom. What's happening to me?"
She pulls me into her arms, holding me close. "It's okay, sweetheart. Everything's going to be alright. You're going to be fine."
After some rest, I feel better physically. But something's still off. I don't know what happened that year I lost. Why did I forget? Why do I miss something I can't even name?
Then I hear yelling outside the room.
"What the fuck is wrong with you? How many times do I have to say I can visit her whenever I want?" The voice is unmistakable—Alex.
I sit up slowly, heart pounding. He's here. He might be here.
Alex's voice again: "Just leave her alone. Stop making her life miserable again."
What is he talking about?
"Just leave, Bright. Before she wakes up. Don't come back."
Bright?
Without thinking, I walk toward the voices and gently place my hand on one of their shoulders.
He turns.
It's him.
His name is Bright.
I look at Alex, stunned. "What do you mean? How do you know his name?"
Alex looks uneasy.
Bright answers, "I told him. He called me a bastard, so I introduced myself. As for your other question—well, you should already know the answer."
He steps closer. "What did you tell him about me? He seems to hate me now."
"I didn't say anything," I stammer. "Right, Alex?"
Alex nods. "She didn't say a word. That's why I asked you to leave. I didn't know you at all."
Bright looks at me gently. "Are you alright? You're still recovering. You should rest."
He holds out his hand. "May I?"
I let him take it.
When I glance at Alex, he seems… different. I ask, "Are you okay?"
He smiles faintly. "Of course. Are you okay?"
I nod. "Yeah. I'm okay."
There's something about Bright—something I can't explain. I don't know why I'm so drawn to him. But after everything I heard today, I know one thing for sure:
There's something between us.
And I'm going to find out what it is.