Chapter 1 Disturbing Memories

She stood on the highway side, looking down the bridge, to the roads, vehicles streaming fast that it almost was like the lights just flashing. It was windy, her hair kept falling on her face that she almost wished to crop it off. Her hands touched the cold concreted bars, it was beginning to snow. Her feet felt rooted to the place, unable to move. She stood there, overloaded with thoughts. It is Christmas Eve. She was supposed to head out of town, to meet her parents, and take a guest. But everything was canceled when it was meant to be a big day. The cancellations, she hated it but she couldn't help it.

The cold was reaching up her spine through her feet. She was neither wearing boots, any glove nor a jacket. She wondered why it never occurred to her to dress warmly, then she recalled, how she was storming out the house to find refuge elsewhere.

She stood there without realizing the weather as the hours passed. She slowly sat down on the road, she felt a snowflake touch her cheek and slowly slide down. She felt that melting tasteless snowflakes in her mouth has it slid down the face mixed up with something salty along. She closed her eyes as she reached the ground slowly drifting off to tiredness and sleep. She had lost the sense of the place she was in. she heard roaring wind and vehicles in the distance. The noise of the horns and sudden brakes in the road. Nothing bothered her as she fell deep into her drowsiness.

"No," she whispered to something she heard. Someone was trying to help her stand on her legs but she refused to.

Sometimes later, Miranda felt warm and cozy in the bed, covered in a thick quilt.  She looked out the window, the curtains were blocking the sun rays entering the inside of her room, and it was already morning. She yawned and slept for another ten more minutes. A few seconds later she jumped out of the bed like spring all of a sudden realizing it is a different place. She looked around the room, "Oh shit," she saw a man sleeping in the worn-out couch opposite her. She noticed she had IV being given to her. She buried her head in the pillow lying down again. She tried to recall what had happened the previous night.

"It is gonna be a storm night just get on the feet miss, you can't be this wasted in the express highway,"

"No," she said again. She looked like a mess.

 "Oh my god," he yelled. "Ice cold," he helped her into the car. "You need to go to a hospital,"

He took out the stall from his car and rubbed the tear stain off her face and carried her to the car laying her down in the passenger seats. He drove fast and took her to a nearby hospital, he called for the assistance and rushed her to the casualty to get her checked.

"Does she have hypothermia?" he kept asking the doctor.

"No no, she is fine,"

"She was drunk when I found her," he told the doctor.

"She is not drunk, her body is extremely weak from stress, and she has low blood pressure and HB count. She looks like she hasn't had proper food for days. All she needs is sound sleep and lots of nutrients," the doctor explained her chart and walked out of the room. He rushed to find the cafeteria in the hospital to get some soup as the nurse gave her IV.  She looked too weak to respond.

She was fed some warm soup and given medicines. And she fell asleep. He decided to stay the night since it was too late to drive back to his dorm. An unexpected Christmas Eve in the hospital.

"It is fine just lie down, the doctor will come any minute," she heard him say.

She looked upon his face slowly sitting up.

"I am so sorry, I really am, I didn't mean any of this, this must have been a huge inconvenience," she began with her series of apologies but he stopped her.

"Relax," he said smiling. She looked at him for a moment and took her eyes off.

"Have your breakfast before it cools down," he asked her to eat as she put on his trench coat. He looked familiar but Miranda didn't bother to recall. The doctor came for the rounds and advised Miranda to seriously take care of her health. She smiled and agreed to him as he let them discharge.

"I will drop you off and leave," the guy said.

"It's alright I will take a cab," she said.

"No. Just get in, I will drop you off on the way," he ordered her strictly and she didn't say another word and hopped in.

She gave him her address and he drove reluctantly in comfortable silence though he knew it.

"What are you doing now?"

"Waiting for the processing of my resignation,"

"Oh! You were working, thought you would be a student," he said pretending well.

"I know,"

"You should be studying," he suggested. "Why did you work?"

'Why does he care?' she thought. "Internship at T Fashion magazine happened, accidentally became a permanent staff and lived somebody else's dream wilfully," she blurted out. He didn't say anything. They remained silent. The same old pain of the stab in her chest soon returned to her. She hated it.

"What are you doing?" she asked him back to distract herself.

"Am doing Research, Chemistry major," he told her. He looked puzzled to her question.

"That's" she paused searching for words to say. "Nice," She hated chemistry back in school and math which drove her to take the literature major and fall in love with it. He laughed. She still hadn't taken a proper look at him.

"Miranda," he began but she stopped him.

"I enrolled for post-graduation, the semester begins next week," he smiled and said nothing. They reached her home after half an hour's journey.

"Thank you," she said. "For everything," she said again. I will transfer you the money today. I won't forget," but how could she without his account details.

He was smiling as she said it. "It is fine, it's alright. Take your time Miranda," he said and nodded.

"Merry Christmas," he wished her.

"Merry Christmas," She wished him back. She had no what so ever idea at all. She thanked again and walked back home as he took off and left the street. The weather was still trickling cold. She took the steps instead of the elevator to 3rd floor. Her studio looked too shabby because of her tantrums the previous day.

She changed her dress, sat still on the couch, legs folded, and looked around the room.

It was weekend, they wanted to go on a road trip. But he had to stay back for a meeting at the company. She promised she won't be going home out of town. And she let him stay with her for the day. He was tired after work and laid down in her bed next to her. He was holding her hands as he took a nap. She laid awake looking at him. Running her finger through his forehead down to his jaw.

"Can't stop admiring my handsome face, but there is a lot more to do so?" he said smiling through his sleep.

"Oh shut up," she said laughed. "Nothing for now okay!"

He pulled her closer, "Really? Nothing for the next three years?"

"You came up with a plan and I simply agreed to that, can you deny?"

"I know. I wish my brain didn't," he said hugging her.

"I am glad your brain did. I love you, the brain of my man," and they laughed.

He gave a peck on her lips and continued to sleep.

Miranda opened her eyes and stood up from the couch. She took the blankets from the floor and picked up her pillows. She walked towards the bed and put on the bedspread. She corrected it and cleaned her bed. She put the dirty clothes for laundry and began to tidy up the room. It's been a month since she had been living like a zombie.

Neglecting everything that came her way. But she was glad she made up her mind to go back to college.