Chp 2: Awakening
.
.
.
.
As I wake up, the first thing that strikes me is the strong scent of medicine, leaving me fairly certain that I'm in a hospital or, at the very least, a nurse's office. Glancing around, I recognize the room—it's the orphanage's nurse's office. Thankfully, the room appears empty, giving me the opportunity to shift my focus to the events of the previous night.
Now, I know the name of the previous owner of this body: Derek Cross. My birthdate is March 29, 1980, which means I am currently 7 years old. Given that the current year is 1987, I have about 4 years to go before the start of canon events.
Apparently, I attend the same primary school as Harry Potter, known as St. Gregory's. We're even in the same class, though we're at best acquaintances. However, that doesn't really matter to me. I have two friends: Ami Linsey, a 6-year-old girl, and Gib Aaron, a 7-year-old boy.
Both Ami and Gib reside in the same orphanage as me, called Green Pastures. Ami's parents died when she was a baby, and with no other family to take her in, she had to come to the orphanage.
On the other hand, Gib has a more tragic origin story. Gib's parents passed away about a year ago. Although he had other relatives, none of them were willing to take on the responsibility of raising a child, so he ended up here as well.
In more uplifting news, Ami is in the process of being adopted by a wonderful family. The couple, to the best of my knowledge, is around 25 to 30 years old. They couldn't have their own child, so they chose to adopt Ami, considering she's one of the youngest and better-behaved among us. If everything goes smoothly, she should be leaving here in about a year. Both Gib and I genuinely share in her happiness, although we are sad to see her go. We know she'll have a happier life with them.
Suddenly, the door opens, and the nurse called Fe Charla enters, breaking my line of thought.
"Oh, you're finally awake. We found you yesterday morning on the floor of your room. Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with your body. You gave us quite the scare, love. Could you tell me what happened for you to collapse on the floor?"
"I'm not quite sure what happened, Nurse Charla. I must have had a dizzy spell or something. I woke up feeling disoriented, and the next thing I remember is being on the floor. It's all a bit blurry. Maybe I didn't get enough sleep last night."
Nurse Charla listens attentively to my explanation and nods understandingly.
"That can happen to the best of us, dear," she says with a reassuring smile. "Sometimes our bodies just need a bit of rest and adjustment. If you ever feel that way again, don't hesitate to let us know. We're here to take care of you. now, off you go."
After giving me some pills for the headache, she lets me be on my way. As I make my way to my room, I see Gib and Ami waiting just outside the door on some chairs. Both react to my presence with relieved expressions and rush up to me.
""Derek!""
Both scream at the same time before enveloping me in a bone-crushing hug, while I awkwardly return the hug, not yet used to my new reality.
"Hey, guys, you alright?" I ask while separating from the hug.
"We should be the ones asking that, idiot!" Gib exclaims while Ami nods before continuing where Gib left off, "Sister Elaine told us you were at the nurse's. What happened?"
"I sort of collapsed because of lack of sleep," I said sheepishly.
""You what?!"" they scream in my face, giving me a slight ringing in the ears.
"Please, can you two quiet down? You're not helping with the headache I'm currently having." I say, now slightly annoyed.
Gib, looking a bit embarrassed, says, "Sorry, Derek. We got carried away. We were just really worried about you."
Ami nods in agreement, her eyes reflecting genuine concern. "Yeah, Derek, we were really scared when they told us you collapsed. We didn't mean to make it worse."
I soften my tone, realizing they were just concerned for me. "It's alright, guys. I appreciate your concern. Let's just keep it down for a bit, okay? I still have this throbbing headache."
They both nod in understanding, and the three of us settle into a more subdued conversation, making sure not to exacerbate my headache further.
As we continue talking in hushed tones, I catch up with Gib and Ami about what's been happening at the orphanage, and the school. Despite my initial headache, their presence and childish conversations help me feel more at ease in this unfamiliar world.
After a while, Gib glances at the clock on the wall. "Hey, Derek, it's almost time for dinner. We should head to the dining hall."
Ami nods in agreement. "Yeah, let's go together. It's more fun that way."
I smile, appreciating their company. "Sure, let's go. Thanks for being here, you two."
We make our way to the dining hall together.
After enjoying a hearty dinner in the cozy dining hall, filled with the chatter of other children and the clinking of cutlery, we left the table with contented stomachs. Gib, Ami, and I chatted about our day as we made our way back to our respective rooms in Green Pastures Orphanage.
As we reached the hallway leading to our rooms, Gib and Ami bid me goodnight with warm smiles, and I returned their well-wishes. We parted ways, each heading to our own rooms, where we would soon be lost in the world of dreams.
Inside my room, I climbed into the small bed that had become my sanctuary in this new life. Despite the lingering questions about my mysterious arrival in this world, the presence of friends like Gib and Ami provided me with a sense of comfort and belonging.
With a grateful heart, I settled under the covers, ready to embrace the night and whatever adventures or mysteries it might bring.
As I lay in bed, surrounded by the dimly lit room, my thoughts drifted back to the enigmatic circumstances that had brought me here. The events of the past days, the sudden awakening in this unfamiliar world, and the knowledge that I now inhabited the body of a seven-year-old named Derek Cross, all weighed heavily on my mind. Yet, the presence of Gib and Ami, the camaraderie we shared, helped ease the burden of the unknown.
The room was adorned with a few personal belongings – a worn teddy bear on a shelf, a picture of the Green Pastures' staff members who had become our surrogate family, and a small window that allowed the soft moonlight to trickle in. It felt like a place where memories were both cherished and created.
As I closed my eyes, I couldn't help but wonder about the possibilities of this new life. What adventures awaited me in this world that seemed so familiar yet different? How would I navigate the challenges of growing up again? The questions lingered, but for now, I found solace in the warmth of friendship and the promise of a new day in an unfamiliar yet strangely welcoming world. With that thought in mind, I drifted off to sleep, eager to face whatever the future held.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
--------------------
A/N : Welcome to the second chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. Your comments and feedback mean a lot and keep me motivated, so please feel free to share your thoughts. I also hope the chapter was clear and easy to follow. Thanks for reading!
A/N 2: I previously mentioned that I'd take a break for a few days to plan ahead, but I couldn't resist sharing this chapter with you all. I'm feeling really positive about how it turned out. Thank you for your support!
Love you all!!
[ Word Count: 1,250 }
If you want to donate you can send me a donation to my c4sh app: $Tiamatthesexiest