I can't breathe

"You are the first person I thought of"

Jason was shocked. He did not expect her to say that. What she said kept echoing in his ears but he could not bring himself to say a word.

His heart was beating so fast that it felt like it would explode.

I looked at him, hoping he would say something but he was dead silent. What made it worse was that the look on his face did not look like he liked what I said at all.

At this rate, I'd either die of embarrassment or die of disappointment.

I hoped he'd say something, anything just to ease up the atmosphere but it seems that was not going to happen anytime soon.

Just when I was about to say something to get rid of the awkward situation, I heard someone yell my name.

"Nadia!!"

As soon as I heard my name, I turned to see who it was. It turned out to be Jason's mom, Mrs O'Brien.

I looked at her and smiled as she rushed towards me. Immediately she got to where I was standing, she embraced me in a tight hug. She was hugging me so tightly that I thought she wanted to squeeze the life out of me.

"I... can't... breathe".

I tried to speak and thankfully, she heard me.

"Oh, I'm so sorry dear, I was just worried".

She said and then, she began turning me around as though she was looking for something on my body.

"Are you hurt? Did you get hurt anywhere"?

She asked as she turned me around over and over again but I smiled at her gesture and said.

"I'm perfectly fine Mother, I'm not hurt".

She then stopped turning me and paused as though she remembered something. She stood still for a while I almost became worried till I got a heavy spank on my back.

"Awch!!"

I yelled. She had hit me close to the arm where I was injured so it hurt a little.

"What were you thinking"?

She said in an angry tone but I could hear worry and concern deep down.

"I... I was just..."

I tried to explain myself but Jason cut me short.

"Mom!!"

He yelled, grabbing the attention of both his mom and me.

"Don't you know she's injured? How can you hit someone like that"?

He said in a more calm voice now.

"Huh! Well, you should have told her to be more careful!!! I was scared".

Mrs O'Brien said the last part a bit silently but we heard it anyway. I smiled at how cute and caring she sounded.

I moved closer to her and gave her an endearing hug.

Mrs O'Brien was not expecting Nadia to hug her. To be honest, she felt like she was the one trying the most to make them get along. Nadia looked like she was trying to distance herself for some reason and though she didn't know what the reason was, she still tried to get close to her. But seeing her hug her of her own free will? Well, let's just say it was not something she was expecting to get any time soon.

"Thank you Mom. Don't worry, I'll be more careful from now on".

I said still hugging her. She then placed her hands on my back and hugged me back. This time around, it wasn't suffocating, it was simply... warm.

I smiled happily. I was not sure of how long this would last but at least, for the first time in my life, I finally felt the warmth of a mother.

We hugged for a while before finally letting go of each other.

"Come, let's go home. I'm sure you are very hungry".

She said and I nodded showing that I was actually hungry which made her smile.

We finally got home and Grandpa was already at home with Derrick and Jason's dad.

Grandpa stood up and anger was evident on his face as he approached me.

"I guess you got really used to the hospital that you just wanted to remain there".

Grandpa said as he got to where I was standing. I already knew why he was angry but I felt he should be happy I saved someone's life.

"What were you thinking"?

He asked standing right in front of me. I couldn't look him in the face so I put my head down.

"Grandpa..."

Jason tried to calm his grandfather down but Grandpa silenced him by raising his hand and telling him to be quiet.

"Look at me when I am talking to you".

I heard Grandpa say and slowly, I raised my head.

"Now tell me, do you think you have some kind of supernatural powers that won't make you die? Or do you think you could not have fallen off of that roof"?

I took a deep breath in and tried to find my voice.

"I'm sorry Grandpa, I know what I did was risky and the situation could have been much worse than this, but I couldn't just let someone die".

"Yes, you could".

He said with no sign of joke on his face.

"You could have let her fall. It was her choice to kill herself anyway, and..."

"She was only desperate".

I cut him off.

Nadia cut Grandpa off because she didn't really like what she was hearing but everyone in the living room was surprised. Of course, everyone except Jason. Jason instead of being surprised, had a smile on his face.

"If I had let her fall off that building, she would be crying even in her grave. She only did that so she could get rid of her pain momentarily. But I knew living was the only better option".

I said not knowing if anything I had said made an effect.

"So what? You would rather die with her"?

I smiled and Grandpa raised his brow as he was not expecting that.

"I might not be a superhero with superpowers, but I'm not one who can die so easily".

I then took one of his hands and placed them in between both my hands.

"Don't worry Grandpa, I'm stronger than I look".