Two

While I was walking home when I saw a lined-up parade of cars in front of the house. I cautiously walked inside. I wonder why these cars are here. They don't look like loan sharks. I don't have any idea that Mom and Dad grasped to loan sharks but still, I walked inside. I was still debating to myself what kind of people were those cars were carrying. I guess they're VVIP? Who knows. I'm debating also the financial status of my family, well my Dad is working for an Italian company and he has a steady job even though I don't actually know what kind of job he has.

Well, Mom… She's Mom. She's just a housewife but I know she is working for the Italian Embassy here while she's at home. She's sometimes gone for work but most of the time, she's home making the house, home. Before I marched inside the house, I heard laughter inside the house. I pressed my lips and then slowly walked inside.

The stairs were saying Hi to me and the living room on my left is screaming with laughter. I tiptoed my way to the stair but ended up being called by my Dad. My head jerked to the left and I was greeted by the sight of my Mom, Dad and some elegant person who was wearing a blue velvet dress. She was old enough to be my grandmother, but her beauty still flashes from her face and I am in wonder who is this lady here sitting on my couch.

"Geiyianne, I didn't know you were home, come here honey pay respect to our guest," Dad said.

I awkward walked inside the living area and then stopped just right in the middle of Mom and Dad. The lady there sat with grace, all neat, a pair of white gloves sitting on her lap and a golden purse placed safely beside her. She was giving off the aura like she in on the top of something, more like how I see royalty on television. Her eyes were blue and they were very warm and her lips curled into a smile of familiarity.

"Uhm… good afternoon," I squeaked. "I'm Gei—"

"Oh dear," she cut me off. "I know you very well. You're probably wondering who I am. I'm Victoria, your parents are very close friends of mine."

I almost tripped my way to her just to shake her hands and kissed both of her cheeks. "Nice meeting you."

"How old are you already, Geiyianne?"

"I'm almost twenty-one."

"Ah… same as my grandson. You should meet him. I have a feeling that you both might go very well together."

"Uh… sure."

I walked in the middle of Mom and Dad again. I'm in this awkward situation that I very much need to exit this meeting at once. I bent down to my Mom before she says anything.

"I need to do homework now, Mom."

"Oh honey, can't you stay?"

"Uhm, I have this feeling that it would be very awkward, can I?"

She nodded and I tapped Dad's shoulder. I nodded to Victoria and before I turned right to the stairs, I heard them continue their conversation.

"It was really a good decision to visit you, Geraldine, Kriss. After so many years, Geiyianne is a sight, a beautiful blooming lady. She grew up so fast. Very gorgeous, she is."

My mom giggled, "But how about Victor? He's here, right?"

"Oh, yes. He transferred schools. He wanted to see how…"

I realized I was eavesdropping and it was impolite. So, I ran upstairs to my room and dumped my bag on 'the chair' then throwing myself on my bed. My alibi was my homework when I really had no homework to do because I already did it during vacant hours. I reached for my phone and saw that Victor messaged me. He took my number earlier because apparently, he's going to be my partner for a year. Not for the semester.

I'm here in the supplies shop to buy my share, want anything to be bought for you?

Oh, nah I'm good. Dad's gonna cover mine.

Sure. Talk to you later then.

I threw my phone beside me and I stared at the glowing stars on my ceiling and played the counting game. I have not much thought of what to do today since it is really boring. Plus, it is a Friday and tomorrow is no school. I didn't realize that I suddenly drifted away into a good slumber.

*~¤~*

My very good slumber was then interrupted by the knocking from my door. I rubbed my eyes and looked at my clock, I slept for two hours. I realized that I did homework as an alibi so I hurriedly pulled out two books, my pen set and two notebooks and arranged them to appear like I was 'studying.'

I ran to the door and opened it. It revealed the sight of Victoria from downstairs. I pressed my lips and I awkwardly stared at her. Thinking of what to do. I realized that the door was not widely opened and haven't invited her to come inside. Very impolite move you got there, Geiyianne.

"Can I come in, dear?" she asked. When she asked, that was the only time I opened the door wide enough for her to come inside my trashy room.

"Sure, be my guest," I muttered.

"Your parents busied themselves in preparing for dinner and I made myself preoccupied by roaming around the household." She walked around my room and I felt suddenly conscious with how trashed my room is. Actually, I'm always neat. The only trash I refer to here in my room is 'the chair' that contained a mixture of clean and dirty clothes and whatever could be mined there.

"Ah, make yourself at home. Please sit." I pulled out another chair for her and offered it and to my relief, she gladly accepted it.

She looks very out of place here in my room. She looked like she belonged to a throne or something. Luxury seats, custom made and whatsoever.

"How have you been, darling?" she asked.

I tilted my head while staring at her. I don't know why she asked that and she is talking to me like she knew me. Did she? I mean to me everybody is a nobody with the lack of memoirs in my head to begin with.

"I'm okay. I'm sorry, really. I think you know what's probably wrong with me with you being friends with my parents."

"Dear, yes, very close and I do quite know that you are suffering from amnesia."

Okay, there's my answer. She knows me. Maybe she is an old friend of my parents that I forgot about

"I'm sorry…"

"There is no need for apologies, darling. Have you worked out the lost pieces of you?"

I pressed my lips in a thin line and with shame, I shook my head. I have been suffering amnesia for almost six years now and I can't even remember a thing before that happened. I looked up and her smile was so warm like it was apologizing for touching such a hot topic.

"I'm just very glad that you're doing well and you are starting anew. I must check up on your Mother and Father downstairs. Do you want to join me, Geiyianne?"

I think I already done enough impoliteness towards the guest so I accepted her offer to see what my folks are up to. We both went downstairs in silence and tried to hum on our way down. She was still smiling but as she looks at me, she looks with caution and her smile very sad. I guess that was pity with my condition right now.

We found my parents preparing the dinner table and the last piece was set by Mom. We all sat and I ate in silence while they talk about their businesses.

"How is the economic status of the country, Victoria?" asked my Dad.

"Oh, it is blooming as we speak. The amount of the tourist population has widely grown upon the years and the advertisements for the tourism is of huge help. The kingdom has flourished more than ever."

I wonder what Victoria's job is but when I heard the word kingdom, I felt a nerve snap and I felt a faded thump in my head. I tried to ease it down with continuing with my food and listened further.

"How about Italy?"

"Oh, still working on it with the dictator not really paying attention to his surroundings, we easily managed to crawl into the system," mom explained.

When I heard dictator, Italy and system, I saw an image flashed in my head, a faded face with strong features but I can't describe how he looked.

"I will bring down your Italy, poor Princess…" His voice echoed in my head and I felt the throbbing of my head getting harder by the second. I let go of my utensils and I pressed my ears with both of my hands but his voice prevailed. His evil laughter was in my head and all of this is making me nauseous. I pressed it harder and I didn't even see my Mom and Dad were already beside me.

Still struggling with the pain, I shout and screamed louder until the excruciating pain in my head took over my body and temporary oblivion came after.

*~¤~*

"Gei, you have to eat something"

I shook my head and turned my head back into staring outside the window. I wasn't really looking at anything outside. The pain I endured in my head nearly cost me my life. That event from last night was unbearable and I hope it doesn't happen again.

It was early in the morning now and I was still closely observed by my physicians with my case being unusual for the past six years. I woke up with the doctors explaining to my parents what happened. When I was questioned by the doctors about the image flashed in my head, I told them, I don't know.

I don't really know what happened last night and what was that image in my head that drove my brain for overworking to death. It really almost killed me. I swear I don't recall anything. The only thing I remember is that we were having a great dinner last night and the memory of me screaming in pain were the only bits I remembered from last night.

My friends knew about what happened to me and first thing in the morning, they rushed here

"Gei," Paige murmurs. "Please eat."

"I'm not in my appetite. I don't want to eat."

My mom was closely observing me and any small hints from me, she will report to the doctors so I can be further examined and questioned. Now, I feel like a prisoner here not a patient for the ruckus I made last night and my parents went nuts about it. I stared outside the window and clearly was calling me. I do not like to be confined within four walls and gooey eyes because they take pity on me. That's so wrong.

I wasn't just able to handle what happened last night and it all gone down under. I tried to remember what that image was but, poof. All nothing. I heard knocks from the door and my Mom opened it. A walking bouquet greeted us. It was a really huge bouquet of assorted flowers. There were orchids, roses and others. I can't overhear their conversation but the messenger placed the bouquet near me. Mom signed some papers and then approached me.

"These are from Victoria. She sends her deepest care for you and hope that you'll be better soon."

"Mom, I will be. Okay? It wasn't like the first time I woke up after that accident."

Mom's shoulders sagged and she sat down the stool beside me. She took my hand and held it tightly and I silently thanked the odds that it wasn't the hand where my IV is injected.

"It was still fresh from our memories, Geiyianne. Even if it was five years ago, it is still fresh in our minds, Geiyianne. You could've died."

"Mom, enough. I don't want to remember that unfortunate accident. I can't even still remember who I am."

I turned to the side and just stared outside the room. That accident cost me my memories and almost my life. I can't even recall the happenings that led me to that. I only remember that time when I woke up. Anything that happened before waking up, is still left a blank until now. I can even still recall that first time I woke up from that nightmare.

*~¤~*

"Who are you?"

I gape at the persons around me. I don't know where am I and who they are. They all looked funny. Their faces scarred with… pain? But how can that be? I don't even know who they are. I closed my eyes and I feel the loud pounding in my head. This is weird… What happened to me?

Who am I?

I don't even know who am I… What's my name and the likes.

"Who are you?" I ask again.

The lady on my right was sobbing again. I startled. Every eye inside this room was on me. The lady held my hand and I snatched it back. She was really weeping hard. She pulled her head up and I saw her face…pretty face. She looks someone I know, but I don't really know. My brows furrowed when they just stared at me like hell.

"Who am I?"

This time everybody wept. I struggle to sit but my body protested so much that I didn't want to move, ever. The man beside the Sobbing Lady was caressing her back but he shakes as he breaths because of the tears shed from his eyes.

The lady on my right finally spoke. "You are my beautiful daughter, dear. Your name is Geiyianne."

Gei-yianne. Geiyianne… Odd name for a girl.

She held her hand on her chest. "I'm your Mommy Geraldine…" He pointed to the man caressing her back. "He's your Daddy Kriss. You're in the hospital, honey… You almost—" she sobbed again.

"You're my mom?"

She nodded. "Yes, honey. I'm glad you're back."

"I'm Ji— Ji-yi-anne?"

She nodded slowly. She turned to the woman on my left dressed in elegant blue. "Geiyianne, honey. Geiyianne Seraphine Morgan." She turned to the elegant lady again, "She probably doesn't recall, Victoria. I need to call the Doctors."

"I know. I will call the doctors." Then she scuttled to the door.

"Honey… I'm sorry," Mommy was weeping again. Maybe that thing what happened to me was close to death. "You almost—" There, that's it was really close to death. I stared down my laid body. I study myself. My arms were bruised and wounded. It was healing. My legs were wrapped with bandage and let rest on a pillow. My body was immobile or am I just too scared to move?

What really happened to me? I don't know what's the reason behind this tragedy done to my body.

"What happened to me?" I demand.

Mom raised her head again and flashed me a more tear strained face. "You were kidnapped, honey. I don't want to talk about it. Let it be burnt. Don't recall it, sweetie."

"Okay," I gave up. This probably made my mom crazy. That's what parents should do, right? I still want to know but if I pushed too far. I kept quiet and asked less questions after this. I only know bits and pieces, but I chose not to recall.