I'm forgetting what my family looks like

Aria tried to shout, but her voice would not come out. But she had to stop her mom, she had to see her. She had to...

She had to...

Aria jerked awake as she blinked a few times. As she became clear headed, Aria saw that Joseph was leaning over her bed, his hand on her shoulder. Apparently he had shook her awake.

Joseph sat down as he put the books in his hand on the bedside table, "Are you all right?"

Aria touched her face and found it sweaty. She was sure that tears were mixed with the sweat as she said, "Yeah, I'm fine. Do me a favour, pass me that handkerchief. Will you?"

Joseph handed her a pink handkerchief that was lying on her bedside table. Aria took it and wiped her face.

"Are you sure you are all right? Do you want me to call Miss Anhao?" Joseph asked as he placed the handkerchief back.

"No I'm fine. Just had a nightmare." Aria responded.

Joseph responded with an ohh before Aria said in a small voice, "Say, Joseph. Was I saying anything?"

Joseph looked at her and said, "I don't really know. I just arrived, and saw you squirming on the bed. I was so full of panic that I did not notice if you were saying anything."

Aria nodded and sunk in silence.

Joseph said again, looking at Aria's face, which was unusually pale right now, "Sure you don't want me to call Miss Anhao?"

Aria forced out a smile and said, "No. Just pour me a glass of water. Say, which books did you bring?" trying to divert the conversation away from herself.

Joseph looked at the books and said, "Nothing much. I just brought whatever the librarian recommended. Here, I also brought this stand, with this you will not need to sit up to read."

"Thanks." Aria smiled as Joseph fitted the stand and adjusted it so that Aria could easily read. He said, "Which book do you want to read?"

Aria waved her hand, "I'll decide in a moment. By the way, why are you not out watching the fights?"

Joseph: "What is the point? I already watched the fight that will probably be the best for the next thousand years."

Aria: "I hope that in the next 'best' fight, the student doesn't almost die."

Joseph chuckled as Aria lowered her voice, "But I think you should go. Find out if anyone out there is worthy of being our other rival."

Joseph: "I got that. But why are you whispering?"

Aria: "Are you an idiot? We are planning to take down our rival, that's why."

Joseph laughed as he stood up, "Okay fine. I'll report to you if I see anyone worth reporting."

Saying this, he headed out the door.

Aria picked up a book and looked at the cover page for a while.

She then kept it down and turned to lie on her right shoulder. It hurt a little, but Aria hardly noticed it above her thoughts.

As she lay there, Aria was afraid to close her eyes. She only had one thought, "I have forgotten mom's face! How could this be?"

Aria tried to remember someone, anyone, her mom, dad, Beth, Julia, grandpa, Penny, anyone. But they all just sort of floated around faceless. Tears began to fall from Aria's eyes as a thought crossed her mind, "I'm forgetting what my family looks like."