Dani?

*A week after the hospital discharge*

It has been a week since I was discharged from the hospital.

I have been much better but can't really do many things yet.

From time to time, I have a killing headache and nausea, which makes me not want to eat, even if it is the food that Olivia cooked.

Of course, I have to take medicines, but it is not that bad.

Nathan had been with me every day in the hospital.

After I came home, he visited me regularly to check if I was okay.

I really sometimes feel like he is just a dream of mine.

I can wake up anytime and be back in the nightmare I was meant to live in.

It makes me scared and brings me back to reality each time, but I hope with all my heart that he will never leave my side, just like how all my loved ones have been doing.

It is like I am cursed.

Nathan noticed that I had nightmares at night when we were in the hospital.

He would always put me in a tight hug, which always calmed me down.

He has soo much effect on me.

I wonder if he knows.

I know everyone deserves an answer, but I just can't seem to speak about how I feel.

I feel like I am a burden to them.

I made them worry unnecessarily.

Someday, I promised myself I would tell them because they deserved it.

Today was Saturday, and Nathan texted me he would come to visit later.

I was so excited to see him, although I saw him just two days ago.

I still tell him to go to college, although it took me ages to convince him to go, but I finally did it.

He would visit after his lessons ended and study with me for an hour every day so that I could catch up on things.

I happily go down for breakfast.

"Good morning, sweetheart. Please don't walk fast on the stairs. You may trip and you are not fully recovered yet," says dad.

I give him my brightest smile.

"I see someone is thrilled to see someone more than her father," he says, acting like he is hurt.

I go to him and give him a kiss on the forehead, just like he does every morning.

Good morning to you too, dad. I am totally fine, don't worry. I am taking great care of myself. And yes, I am excited but not more excited to see you every morning. I say, teasing him.

He chucked and read his newspaper.

Good morning. I say, facing my stepmom.

I still didn't know what to call her.

I tried calling her 'mom' a few times but couldn't say it.

It's like something was holding me from speaking whenever I wanted to say it.

"Good morning," she says, not really looking at me.

"Good morning. How are you feeling?" asks Emily.

I smiled at her.

Emily and I are luckily on good terms.

She always asks me how I am doing and checks up on me.

I am grateful for her.

Although I felt something was bothering her, I decided to wait until she told me or anyone else.

Good morning Emily.

I am more than okay.

Did you have a good sleep? I ask her.

She nods her head, smiling.

Stepmom looked at her weirdly, but I just ignored the sting in my heart.

I walked to the kitchen and saw Evelyn and Olivia talking.

I ran and put them both in a hug.

"Mia! Can you not do that? You haven't healed yet wholly. You have to be careful!" screams Olivia at me like a grandma.

"She is right. Please, you have to be careful," says Evelyn.

Evelyn, not you as well. I say, whining like a kid.

"Well, you are giving me no choice," she says.

Okay!

I will be careful. I say, giving in.

They gave me a satisfied smile.

"So when is he coming?" asks Olivia.

Olivia and Evelyn have become fond of Nathan.

Even dad likes it when he comes over!

It is like he is the son and not my boyfriend.

But I like that he is welcomed here just like he was part of us all along.

Oh, he is coming in the afternoon. I say.

"Someone is blushing," says Evelyn, nudging me on my shoulder.

Can you just leave me alone? I said to her, acting like I was annoyed.

Olivia giggled, and so did Evelyn.

I glared at them.

They had too much fun messing with me.

"Breakfast is almost ready. Do you want to eat some fruit while waiting?" asks Olivia.

I nod at her while sitting at the table.

Evelyn sat next to me as we ate the fruit.

Olivia was finishing off some cooking.

So when is Dr Charles going to talk to dad? I ask Evelyn.

I could see her turning red by mentioning his name.

I smiled.

"He wanted to do it this week but I told him to wait a little longer. He doesn't like that we are dating without dad's permission," she says.

I know she was a bit stressed about that.

Hey, you know dad likes Dr Charles a lot, so don't worry.

I am sure dad will be delighted to hear about the news. I say, winking at her.

She smiles.

"You are right. I am probably stressed out for no reason," Evelyn says, fixing her hair.

I remembered Dr Charles was coming by today to check up on me.

Olivia and I give each other a sly look.

We had finished our breakfast, and I went up as Dr Charles would come any minute now.

I quickly went to the toilet and could hear someone knocking on the door.

Come in! I screamed, coming out of the toilet.

Well, I was still in my PJs, although I had taken a shower.

It had become my habit to go with my PJs downstairs for breakfast every morning.

I always wear long silk PJ sets because they are soo comfortable to sleep in.

Also, I don't want my family to see my scars.

Dr Charles comes in smiling.

Oh, hey, Dr Charles.

How are you?

"I am good. Thank you. How are you? How are you feeling? Any symptoms?" he asks me question after question.

I chuckled.

He looks at me.

"Why are you smiling?" he says.

It is just that everyone has been asking me the same question. I say.

He chuckled too.

"That is what you get for doing such a thing," he says.

But after a second, he looked at me with a shocked face.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to say that," Dr Charles apologises.

I knew he was right.

I didn't deserve their care and love for me after what I had done.

No, it's okay.

Please, don't apologise.

You didn't say anything wrong. I say, giving him a smile.

"So any symptoms?" he says to avoid any more blabbering.

I am well, partly thanks to you.

I have a headache sometimes, but after taking my pills, I feel fine. I say.

"That is good. And don't thank me. I haven't done anything. Mia, you are the person who fought through all her pain and still is standing here," he says, checking the wound on my head.

Barely. I say in my head.

I was standing barely, not knowing when the day would come that I would lose my balance and fall.

"Okay, your wound is healed but make sure not to stress yourself out or do things that are frustrating," he says.

I will.

Thank you for coming. I say.

"No need to thank me," he says.

At that moment, Evelyn came in.

They looked at each other with adoration.

It was soo cute.

"Hey," she says, smiling.

"Hey sunshine," says Dr Charles as he kisses her forehead.

Uhum, I will give you guys some privacy. I say, walking inside my big dress room.

I searched for something I could wear before Nathan came.

It was already 11:30.

He said he would be here around 12.

I took out a blue-ish three-piece lounge set which was long enough to cover me except for the top.

My stomach was showing, so you could see some of my scars, but it was okay as he also had the trust in me to show me his scars.

I stayed for like half an hour trying to give these two some alone time.

I slowly called Evelyn, but no one answered, meaning they were gone.

I let out a sigh and went into my room again.

I looked into my mirror and fixed my hair, putting it into a cute messy bun and leaving two strands in the front to finish the look.

I put on some moisturiser and some pink lip gloss.

I didn't want to put on any make-up.

I have learned how to do make-up a bit, but still, I wasn't really a fan of it.

I sprayed some perfume on myself and smiled at my satisfaction.

After a while, I could hear people laughing and chuckling, some hello's, and she was upstairs.

My door was slightly open, so I could hear them.

My heart stopped beating for a moment, and I stood there nervously.

I started doubting my top and asked myself if I should change, but it was too late as someone knocked on my door.

"Hey, can I come in?" he says gently.

Oh, how much I had missed his voice.

Yea... yeah, come in. I said with a nervous smile.

There comes Nathan looking as handsome as ever.

He was wearing a short sleeve shirt with pants.

His muscles were showing, and god, he looked so sexy, with his hair perfect as always.

I was drooling over him.

I shyly look him in the eyes.

The door was open. I say to Nathan.

He could have come in instead of knocking since the door was open.

"I just wanted to see if you were comfortable with me coming in," he says, looking at me from top to bottom.

Noticing he was checking me out, I blushed, but simultaneously, I was scared that he wouldn't like what I was wearing.

He puts his bag down and walks to me, still checking me out.

He stopped just in front of me and sniffed my scent.

"You look so beautiful. Do you know that?" he says, pulling me by my waist.

Really? I asked him, surprised that he liked it.

"You look soo sexy right now that I am drooling," he says while wising to the corner of his mouth.

I laughed.

You are not bad yourself. I say to Nathan, looking him in the eyes.

"Pleased to hear that madam," he says, putting me even closer to him.

I could feel his breath on my skin.

I slowly closed my eyes and inhaled his scent.

Oh, what was this boy doing to me?

Out of nowhere, I could feel his hand on my stomach.

My breath stops, and I shiver at feeling his touch.

"But it is not fair," he says, making me look at him.

What is not? I ask, not understanding him.

"Yours look soo sexy while mine look only beautiful," he says, pouting.

I chuckled at his behaviour.

He was mimicking my behaviour from the last time.

I went closer to him, putting my hands around his neck.

Every one of your scars is attractive to me. I whispered in Nathan's ear, saying the same thing he told me.

I slowly went back from his ear and looked between his eyes and lips.

Our face was soo close that if one of us moved, our lips would crash together.

He bent down and kissed the scars on my stomach one for one, moving his hands up under my top, slowly touching them, not going beyond my bra, which I was grateful for.

"You are perfect. Perfect with your scars. Perfect with your faults. Perfect with how you are. Perfect for me," Nathan says while he keeps on kissing all my scars.

I couldn't move.

Electricity was going through my whole body.

A tear escaped because this moment meant so much to me.

I think he noticed it when he stopped kissing me and looked at me with worry in his eyes.

"I am sorry. Did I go too far?" Nathan asked with fear.

No, no!

It is not like that. I said quickly.

It's just that I was thrilled to see your reaction, as I didn't expect this reaction from you when I put this on.

"Hey, you can put anything on and I will still be smitten over you," he says, connecting our foreheads.

I blushed.

"Mia! someone named Danish is claiming to know you," says dad from outside my door.

I quickly let go of Nathan.

I stayed shocked in my place.

Dani! I said quickly, putting my cardigan around me so that dad wouldn't see anything.

I opened the door as quickly as possible, as if my life depended on it.

I took the phone from dad and put it on my ear.

Dani? I said softly.

It came out more as a question.

"Mia," says Danish over the phone.

Tears started falling as I noticed how much I had missed him.