14 BORROWED IDENTITY

The clamor of the surroundings awakens her. With her eyes shut, since it seems too weak for her to open it, she can only hear the medics' busy voices and an ambulance serine as she can feel her body carried, moved from one bed to another.

Gradually, Thea opens her eyes and found herself inside an ambulance. She pulls herself up, seated on the stretcher when the engine was started, and one of the medics appears, supposed to close the ambulance back door and join her in the back to be her watch.

The dumbstruck medics is speechless for a moment, seeing her awake. "S-she's alive! she alive!". His yelling sends the nurse, and the ambulance driver, running to check on them.

The nurse abruptly advances towards her to check her vitals. "I'm sorry, it's hard to believe. I'm pretty sure two hours ago that you're dead. However, it's clear that it's just a mistake, seeing you wide awake and your vitals, they are perfectly normal." It made all of them stayed speechless for a while.

"You can go home now, and you're perfectly fine. I already called your parents awhile ago. They'll be supposed to meet you at the morgue. And since your awake, it's either you'll call them to pick you up, or you can meet them there." The nurse handed me the clearance after thorough assessments.

Moving out from the clinic, Thea was fazed over what the nurse said, " Parents? but I only got mom?"

Before leaving out the campus, she stopped by the restroom to address some natural needs. She almost loses her bearings after she settled her eyes on the mirror, staring over her agape reflection.

"No! it's not me, it's Nerie?" That sight stirs up her memories of what had actually happened. She saw Nerie's spirit floats away and disappears, then, almost though that someone had flicked a switch bringing unexpected clarity when only a split second before everything is fuzzy. "I'm on Nerie's body, and I'm no longer a spirit!" The thought of sadness and relief shook her, being not in her body, but at least she got a body and not just a spirit.

First, she got to do what she needed to do with her new body and a new identity. She needs a place to stay for the night. Now that she is Nerie, she can't go back to the boarding house, and she can't go to work. She wondered if it needed for her to pretend that she's Nerie? Maybe Nerie's life isn't bad at all, and she got a good life, she's wealthy, got a group of friends and parents to support her. However, it is totally divergent from her life and personality. Thea is scared that she can't cope with the sophistication of Nerie's lifestyle and got exposed.

Now she had decided to call Nerie's folk and go on pretending to be Nerie, just like how Tim pretended to be her. She took off Nerie's phone from her bag to check the contact hoping that she put mom or dad in her contact, and it won't give her a headache guessing who.

She slams her face after finding out that Nerie's phone battery is dead. She put the phone back in her bag, in a taxi cab, she heads to the morgue where Nerie's parents were supposed to be waiting.

"Awe, your the girl who's dead and came alive? Your parents just hit the road. They hurried home thinking that you're already there. Do you want me to call a cab for you?" The morgue receptionist assisted her.

"No, don't bother; I'm fine, thank you." Calling a cab won't help, she thought. She didn't know where Nerie lives.

Checking again on Nerie's pouch. There are a few thousand pesos left in it. Maybe this can help her find a place. Another light bulb moment pops into her mind; she will stay and rent a room in her boarding house. So as she had decided, she went straight to her boarding house and dealt with the landlady. And with a surprising coincidence, she was assigned to the same room as her's. Of course, it's the only room with a vacant bed since Jassy still in the hospital, and two of her other roommates transferred, the moment when her other self Tim, takes over her and caused turmoil.

She traipsed towards her room, find it unlocked, thinking that Tim was probably out of the house. She excitedly opens the door, only to find a shameful, weakening view.

She saw Tim in her body, sharing physical pleasure with the only man she loved, "York!". She mumbled and got their attention, and they glared at her. She instantly closed the door. After she realized how inappropriate she had done, looking at them doing such private action. But the view wouldn't get away from her mind. It was her; it was her body. She's a virgin; despite not being in that body, she still glad that at least it was York who got the first base, and Tim didn't just use it and abuse it with anyone. Though, still unhappy for behind all of that, it's still not her; it's Tim.

She waited just outside the door, with all her thoughts, and around fifteen minutes more or less, York came out, just about to wear his shirt. "Nerie, your here? I'm sorry, I'm glad that you're fine now but why are you here...?"

Just before York finished his sentence, Tim suddenly came out, grab her hair, and with both her hands trying to push her down towards the floor. "How dare you followed us.."

York fastens his hand on Tim to restrain her. In contrast, Tim is trying to let loose of herself.

The other boarders started to crowd around just when the landlady ran toward them, explaining. "Thea, what have you done? This is Nerie, your new roommate. Thea, I have heard the news about your attitude lately that your messing things up. I can hardly believe it, knowing how upright you are, but from what I have seen today." She shook her head in frustration. "I'm giving you another chance if you have an unsettled conflict with Nerie. Please be the bigger person."

Thea in Nerie"s body gestured respect by bowing her head and says." Madam, I would like to apologize for causing trouble."

"No, it's not your fault; we all saw everything that happened." The landlady comforts her, patted her on the shoulder.

Tim, being still enraged, walked out. "Whatever, better get some drinks." She rolled her eyes, then stomp down to the kitchen.

People starting to scattered out back to their previous position. Thea/Nerie sauntered to the roam, and York followed her. "What happened? Why do you want to stay here? Did you stow away?"

She nodded, a bit happy that at least York has given her an idea for an excused. "I'm sorry, I don't have an idea that Thea stayed here. I just got a little trouble at home, and I stay away."

"I'm sorry, I didn't expect her to react that way too. But I hope you understand why she's irritated at you."

"Yes, of course, I understand, and I'm also willing to ask for her forgiveness."

"Thank you, Nerie; I didn't know that you can also be that sensitive. Thea, I mean Tim, Owh, I always forgot that she doesn't want to be called Thea again. But anyway, she is very kind-hearted, maybe she just woke up on the wrong side of the bed and is also triggered by what you did, so I hope you'll understand. Don't worry; I'll talk to her, and if you'll excuse me, I need to accompany her."

Thea/Nerie responds with her quick and grateful smile. Followed York going out the door. She was left musing. At the same time, she remembered one of the most important things in her life that she couldn't allow Tim to have, her diary. She opened her locker in haste as she glanced at the door and instantly grabbed her diary under her folded shirts. Tim probably hasn't noticed it; she thought while scanning on the pages.

She got her pen and started scribbling.

Dear Diary,

It's hard to say, hard to explain.

I'm hoping that everything is just as simple as a dream.

I would be less anxious, for I know somehow it will end.

When I wake up and face another day

If I can't survive in this bottle of identity

I hope to at least just let York know,

how I love him so.

For today that I realize,

that even he was once a monster in my eyes.

He still never ceases loving me.

He had endured the pain of being rejected by me

Just to let me see his sincerity,

he didn't stop but fight, and he's definitely right.

It is not on whats perceivable in my eyes but what's apparent in his heart,

may he also see me, not in his eyes but in his heart,

for deceit shows what you want to see and hides veracity.

Yours Truly,

Thea/Nerie