Not A Dream

"Arthur… You are my fiancé."

I stared at her for a long time, waiting for her to start laughing. But she didn't even bat an eyelash and just looked at me with worry. Then I heard drumming in my ears.

"Z-Zee… what kind of sick joke is that?" I chuckled while holding the side of my head that was throbbing.

'Me? Her fiance? My head hurts too much for this to be a crazy dream.

"Sick joke?" She looked hurt by my question which made me all the more confused. "Arthur, I understand that you're against this marriage… and I've been telling myself… it couldn't be...I didn't want to believe what everyone has been telling for the past year… but is that really it?"

The throbbing in my head worsened and the pounding in my ears became louder and louder. "I don't understand what you're talking about. What marriage? Your marriage?"

'I was never against her marrying Craige. What the hell happened during the past year?'

"Our marriage, Arthur! Ours!" Seeing the tears in her eyes crushed my chest. Then her lips quivered as she spoke. "Did you really try to commit suicide because you didn't want to get married to me? Would you really rather die than go through the wedding? Do you hate the idea of being together with me that much?"

'What the heck is she talking about?! I tried to do what?!'

My head continued to hurt as if something was squishing my brain from the inside. And I felt so confused. But before I could even ask her what's going on, she stood up from the chair and avoided my gaze. "I'm sorry for bringing this up when you just woke up. I'll go get the doctor."

"Zee…" I called after her but she was already out the door.

I lay back on the bed and covered my eyes with my arm.

I believe that the migraine was caused by these unbelievably bright lights. And the questions in my head did not help one bit in alleviating the drilling pain in my head.

So what the hell happened while I was out?

They thought that I tried to commit suicide?

Then I've been comatose for one year?

Zee was somehow engaged to me?

What happened to Craige then?

Where the hell is he?

What the hell is going on?

"Uhmmm… That's a very long story and she'll be back with the doctor soon."

I removed my arm from my face then turned my already aching head to my left and I saw…

Sesci---

Sexi---

Sezi---

Selli---

… 'that nurse' from earlier who was now wearing a black flowing long dress with her arms covered in black lace and her long raven hair let loose like a curtain of silk.

I could only open one eye at first because of the pain in my head. But that pain slowly subsided as I admired her breathtaking beauty once again. "W-when did you get here?"

She jumped onto my bed and landed like a feather on top of me. "What are you talking about? I never left your side. And the name is Xescilliz. X-E-S-C-I-L-L-I-Z. Never forget that again, human."

'C-can she read my m-mind?' I stared at her, thinking of anything scandalous that I could think of.

But her face remained stoic. "What?"

I looked down at where she was sitting and realized that she's on top of my abdomen with her legs crossed like a child.

"As I was saying, I never left you. And I will always be around you." She said with a quiet tone but I wasn't listening.

'How come I could not feel her weight at all?! I-is she… a ghost?' I shook my head. 'Arthur Blake Paige, you're too old to still believe that ghosts exist.'

"That's how our contract works. As long as you are alive, we will always be together."

'It can't be, right?.' I chuckled at the absurdity of my thoughts. 'Yes. There's no such thing as ghosts. Their existence is as impossible as me being engaged with Zee.'

"Are you even listening to me?" Her voice sounded irritated but I have more pressing matters in my head.

'So that only leaves one other possibility that would explain why I could not feel her weight on top of me...' And that 'possibility' made panic quickly build up inside me that I hurriedly raised one leg to make sure that my lower body was not paralyzed.

'Thank Heavens!' I exclaimed internally when I was able to lift one knee and felt the covers shift against my bare feet.

Feeling my movement, she looked behind her before turning back to me with a smirk as if she read my thoughts. "Oh. As you can see, you're not half-veggie. I just didn't materialize completely."

Just as she said that, she 'materialized' a little weight and I felt it at the center of my body which suddenly made me feel self-conscious. So before I could get in trouble, I quickly got rid of my dirty thoughts and frowned up at her. "You're not a ghost, right?"

"Nope." She said simply then briefly glanced at the door before turning back to me. "We don't have time, she's almost back. I will tell you everything that you want to know once we leave this place. For now, just pretend that you lost your memory."

With those rushed words, she disappeared with a puff of black smoke.

"Ha!" I scoffed in disbelief. "If this is not a dream, they must have drugged me or something."

But before I could even start thinking if I was going crazy, the door was slid open by an old man in a white coat. I automatically presumed that he was the 'Doc' from that night that I first woke up.

"How are you feeling today, Mr. Paige." Mr. Doc asked me with a kind smile on his wrinkly face.

'He is handsome, this Mr. Doc.'

I took my gaze away from Mr. Doc then turned it to Zee, who was looking at me with pain and worry.

"I d-don't remember anything!"

But as soon as the words were out of my lips, a loud and awfully familiar voice shouted in my head.

[WHAT KIND OF CRAPPY ACTING IS THAT?!]