EVA'S P.O.V.

The serenity of darkness around was unexpectedly relaxing. It felt like I was trying to gain consciousness after ages. 

It was like something was pulling me, not letting me wake up. My head was swirling, making me dizzy even though I was still not awake. I was trying to wake up, but the force which was pulling me into oblivion was too strong. 

The feeling of being trapped started to fill in as I tried to open my eyes. The fluttering of my eyes, caused a strike of bright light to enter my eyes making me wince. I, once again, closed my eyes shut to make myself comfortable. My head was pounding and I could feel something circulating in my hand.

It takes all my strength to open my eyes, because even a single movement makes every inch of my body to ignite in pain. As soon as my eyes fluttered open, a light blue ceiling came in front of me. It was almost as natural blue as the sky. But the next image forming in my eyes was of the beeping machine present beside me. Also a packet of glucose and a tube going into my hands, made sense of the circulating feeling in my hand. I was in a hospital. 

It felt like I had been asleep for years. I looked down at my body but I was still young, no wrinkles or anything could be seen. Ahh, it's not been years then.

I looked around the room, to see if someone was there waiting for me to wake. But there was no one. I guess my life is not so much of a novel. 

But the only thing which was waiting for me was a phone on the side table. It was not mine though. I tried to get up from the bed, but a groan escaped my mouth as a prickling pain shot in my hands. Damn the drip.

I rubbed my hands, as itching surfaced in my hand at the point of contact with the tube carrying glucose in my body. To stop the itching, I peeled away the bandage and the tube which was injected inside my veins.

A yelp came out of my mouth because of the sharp pain that followed.

Finally after struggles, I managed to get up from the bed and lean against the angled bed. These angling beds are the best thing the hospitals have. I am thinking to buy this. I will tell Ace to-

Oh. Ace.

Panic attack.

Secrets.

Oh fuck.

I had a panic attack. Right?

I shake my head to clear the thought but instead a pounding headache follows. Perfect. 

I stretch outwards towards the table to grab the phone so that I can at least call someone or check what date and time it was. As I neared towards it, I saw the familiar black case of the phone. Oh, so this is Mr. Apathetic's property. Smiling, I took the phone from the table and tapped on the screen to open it. It was locked. 

What should I have expected?

At that, the sound of opening of door made my eyes center on the door. There he was. 

When his eyes zeroed onto me, for a second he froze as stared at me. His eyes were surprised as if he wasn't expecting me to be awake. Then a wave of worry washed into his eyes and then it turned into relief. Their was a look of longing in his eyes as a sigh left his perfect lips. He was wearing a black sweatshirt with pale mustard pants. His fringes were messed as it poked his forehead, maybe tickling him too. He looked tired nevertheless and a tinge of darkness was evident making me wonder if he had slept properly. Maybe office stress?

His grey eyes which were till now flooded with relief and longing, were slowly turning dark as anger seem to envelope those beautiful eyes. His anger was certainly directed towards me and it was confirmed when he started stalking towards me. Oh-Oh-Oh.

I looked down to see why he was angry and that is when his phone in my hand seemed to answer my doubts. 

"Ah..Umm..I am..sorry. I shouldn't have taken your phone without permission." My voice was hoarse due to the lack of use. I don't even remember the last time I used it. "I was just seeing what time it was, I didn't know what day it was. I was looking through it. But I won't take your phone again without asking. You can take it. I am sor-" 

I was cut off from my nervous rambling as his warm hand came around me, as he held me and dragged me down to make me lie down. I was still shocked and my tensed body gave that away. I was expecting him to snatch his phone from my hands but he wasn't planning to do that from the way he was acting. He was busy laying me down on the bed and making sure I was tucked in.

"Why the fuck aren't you resting?" His first words since a long time made a way into my ears. Damn, how does he manage to send shivers down my body with his deep voice.

"I..I..was...j-" I stuttered foolishly. 

"No shut up Eva." He shouted making me flinch and wonder what I did.

Ace looked at me and I bowed my head down, not meeting his eyes. I didn't know what to do. I was about to fiddle with my wedding ring like I do when the realization that it wasn't on my ring finger - washed onto me. Oh shit. I lost it?

I kept the phone aside and turned here and there to see if it had fallen around. But there was no trace of the inexpensive ring. But I needed it. 

"Ace." I whispered still not looking at him. He was angry. I didn't want to make him angrier.

"I am sorry." He shocked me with his words. "for shouting at you." He added.

I nodded in understanding, he was trying hard to not let his anger show. I looked down again but my eyes caught the sight of his clenching fists. I stretched my hand and held his clenching and unclenched it. I didn't like the feel of his digging his nails into his palms in anger and that too because of me. His eyes shot at me, daring me to not touch him. I wasn't afraid of him, at least not right now. He sighed in exhaustion.

"I am just worried. You fucking fainted two days ago. I wasn't exactly-" I cut him off at the mention of 'two days'.

"What! I am here since two days? What? How? I thought it was just a panic attack. But two days?" I gasped, shocked as hell. I thought it was long, but two days? Unconscious? 

"Yeah. It was a little more than that. We will talk about it later. When the doctor comes back after his lunch." He said, gritting his teeth. He didn't like the doctor much, it seems.

I nodded understanding. 

"Ace." I asked again.

"hmm." He said looking at my hand.

"Where is my ring? And yeah, my mother's pendant? I can't find it." I asked.

"It's with me, I took all your things when they admitted you in the hospital, the doctors had to get rid of all the jewelry." He said.

"Oh okay." I said. 

What should I fiddle with now? Maybe Ace's neck? Or the hospital bed? Or my tongue?

Nah.

Stoopid brain.

"Can you open the lock of your phone?" I asked unsure, and was expecting a glare from Ace. He wasn't going to open it, you know man secrets. 

As expected he gave me a look, not a glare though, and snatched the phone from my lap. Told ya, he wouldn't want me to go through the contents of his phone. I mean, I am not that dumb to have access to his phone and just look at the date and time. It's like having pizza in front of me and just stare at it, not making an attempt to eat. Idiotic. 

But then my thought process was paused, as a click came and Ace was handing me back his phone. I blinked a few times in shock, unable to process it, and just stared at his handsome face trying to figure him out. Well, it's not that easy.

"Aren't you going to take it?" He asked rolling his eyes.

"Ahh, yes. I- You trust me?" I said clutching the phone in my hands before he changes his mind.

"Of course I trust you Eva." He said shrugging in a 'duh' tone, without hesitating.

I smiled at this, and I am sure my eyes must be shining like Christmas lights. I looked at the screen to see it's two days since I have been unconscious, like Ace told me earlier, and it was almost 3 pm. I then opened the camera of his phone. 

I glanced at my face in the camera, and almost shrieked. My chestnut hair were frizzy and lazily pulled up in a bun, my blue eyes were bagged with dark circles while my face looked it hadn't bathed since days. My disheveled form was telling about my state of being tired and exhausted. 

Can't help it though, I am sure the hospitals don't have face washes and perfumes in their bathrooms.

Ignoring my unladylike and messy self, I first clicked selfies of me making pouts and weird smiles, and then heard Ace snickering beside me. I took my eyes off the screen and raised an eyebrow at him. He just shook his head at me. 

An idea clicked into my mind, and I stretched out of the bed. Before Ace could protest, for anything, I clung my hands around his neck and pulled him into me. He ended up sitting beside me, leaning on me to support himself. We were practically side hugging as I reached up to the phone with one hand and clicked a picture of us. He was not doing anything, just glaring at me while I was smiling like an idiot. I took many pictures, trying to capture all the expressions I could give. And with that I made a very funny face wherein I tried to touch my nose with my tongue making me look so damn weird that I can't tell. But Ace looked at me and then his deep chuckles reached my ears which made me turn my head to him to admire him. I put my one hand on his cheek, caressing the ends of his full blown smile as my other hand captured the picture. In the picture he was laughing, slightly touching his nose on my cheeks, with all his perfect teeth on show. We both were laughing so hard and the picture was do damn beautiful and raw. 

I tapped Ace's shoulder who was still recovering from the laugh, and showed him the picture. He smiled at the photo and I smiled looking at his face. 

"I really love it." I said referring to his smile.

"It's beautiful." He said referring to the photo. 

I shook my head at my lost eyes, and a mischief was coming on. I quickly opened the photo in the gallery and set it as the lock-screen and home-screen wallpaper. Ace realized what I was doing but he was late, it was already done. 

Ace snatched his phone, and was muttered something like 'crazy' and 'I am changing that right now'. 

But before he could do that, the door of the room opened and a man in thirties entered wearing the white doctor coat. He was carrying a file with loads of paper, and a pen was in his hands. He looked quite professional and serious in his work, I wonder why Ace doesn't like him much. He coughed at us, making me scrunch my nose in confusion.

Did the doctor catch cold? Should I tell him the names of some of the best cough syrups? But I am sure he knows that. 

I looked around to realize that we were still hugging each other and it may seem like we were doing  something inappropriate. Ahh. I quickly retracted myself away from Ace who was still glaring at the doctor. I was blushing and I prayed that the doctor doesn't take my temperature right now. Because I am as hot as hell fire. 

See, I told you, I am claustrophobic to hot men. Some things never change, even though books change. 

Wait what? That doesn't make sense, or maybe it does?

"How are you Mrs. Parker?" The doctor asked in a kind voice, and I actually liked him instantly.

"I am fine now Mr.......Doc." I smiled at him goofily not knowing his name. 

"Good. And it's Mr. Johnson." He said.

"Oh. Okay Mr. Johnson." I said not knowing what else to say.

"And I am really glad that you are okay now, your husband was so worried that he was hell bent on punching me for taking time to judge your symptoms. He really was restless and I am sure that he woke half the hospital up with all his shouts." Mr. Johnson said causing my eyes to widen. I looked beside me to see Ace who was looking anywhere but me. So he really did that. Great. 

Unexpected. 

This explains why Ace doesn't like the doctor much. The doctor must have said something to Ace about not disturbing the hospital premises, to which he probably would have scowled.

"I apologize from his side, doctor." I said because there was no way in hell that Ace would have apologized. These are the instances which prove my nickname for him, Mr. Apathetic, correct. 

"Oh no no. Except for the disturbance caused by him, there wasn't any more damage. You are lucky have someone to care for you that much." He said smiling. 

I just smiled back at him, putting up the front we had been putting since months. But I don't think his care was an act. He was genuinely worried about me. I am not going to question Mr. Apathetic on this, because he was going to flip and change the topic. 

"Okay, so coming to the main reason why I came - to talk about what exactly happened with you. So, first answer some of my questions to help me diagnose  the problem accurately." He said becoming professional again. I nodded at him but I was anxious as I didn't know what he was going to ask me. I was not ready to shout about my past in front of anyone yet. 

"So what is your full name and age? I need to know that you aren't facing some memory problems." He said explaining his question when I quirked one of my eyebrows up in confusion. 

"Uh..my name is Eva John Parker. I am 21 years old." I said. Thank god I remember that. I don't want to forget everything. Including my friends, Jenna, Ace, Aaron and my mother.

Also, how would I annoy Ace if I forgot about his very existence?  

No, that can't happen. 

"So what was the last thing you remember? And when was that?" He asked. I thought trying to concentrate and the last thing I remembered before waking up in the hospital bed was - being with Ace in the forests. I was going to tell him everything. 

"I was..in the forests with Ace. I was - we were talking. It was two days ago." I answered disclosing as less as I can. 

"Okay, so were you stressed at that time, the last moment you were conscious?" He asked while noting some things down in his notepad.

"Stressed? No. I was a little...frightened. I was -" The doctor cut me off.

"Frightened? Of whom - Mr. Ace?" He asked.

"Yes, I mean not frightened that he would do something, he wouldn't do anything to hurt me I know that. It was just that we were talking and I was afraid...that he might..judge. It was just psychological. " I said honestly. 

The doctor nodded hearing and noted things down. 

"I see. I agree with you. The problem is mostly psychological. Okay, so answer this question - did you recently go through any accident, or situation which might lead to some kind of trauma?" He asked making me recall the horrifying hours of when I was kidnapped by none other than my own father. 

I wasn't able to speak as flooding memories of that time came in front of me, making me shake slightly. 

He isn't here right now. 

He isn't here. 

You're safe. 

Warm hands enveloped mine and a shiver of safeness went through my body. I shook out of my trance and turned myself to look at the man, who  confused me like hell. Why is he being so nice and civilized to me? Wasn't I the same girl who made his life hell by coming into his life? 

Fuck the questions. 

I need someone to be there with me right now. 

"Why the heck are you asking these dumb question?" Ace said gritting his teeth. 

Boy, he really dislikes this doctor.

"Mr. Parker I am just doing my job. I need to know what she is feeling before I diagnose the issue. Please cooperate." The doctor said explaining. 

I clasped onto Ace's warm and safe hands, as I took a deep breath and looked above at the concerned doctor. It wasn't his fault, he was just doing his job. 

"Sorry doctor from my husband's side. He is just worried about me." I said giving a small smile. Ace's hands tightened around my hands at this, and I didn't know what to think of it. I just ignored the tingling feeling on my skin which was hot from his mere touch. Can I ever deny this physical attraction? And the emotional too- ?

The doctor nodded at me. 

"I was..kidnapped a few days ago. Maybe that is the cause of this..." I said, my voice faltering at the end.

"Yes. That explains it." He said and after making some notes in his notepad, he finally put the pen he was writing with, in his pocket and looked at us. 

"So, I am predicting that you might have been having Recurrent dreams or flashbacks, inability to sleep, sudden anxiety, palpitations when thinking of the time you were kidnapped, having difficulty concentrating, being unable to stop moving or sit still because of the fear that you are not safe - right?" He asked listing down some symptoms which I had experienced.

"Yes. I have that." I said, now worried for myself. Was it something serious? Am I going to die? Oh no. 

I am going to die a virgin!

Heyyyyo my lovely readers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so excited for this book, I have so many plans and hopes for it.

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