Caden’s POV


    My eyelids feel like lead as I peel them open slowly. Blinking a few times for my eyes to get adjusted to


    the pitch- ck room, I take in my surroundings and find Alessia asleep on a chair that is ced beside


    the bed.


    My brows furrow in confusion. What is she doing in a chair when she’s meant to be in bed with me?


    The confusion clears when the memoriese crashing. I remember the blood, deaths, and cries. I


    also remember Jude sliding a de into my chest.


    Out of reflex, I reach for my chest and let out a whine when moving my arm makes a thousand tiny


    needles pierce through the skin.


    Alessia shuffles in her seat and her eyes fall open, scrutinizing the room before they fall on the bed and


    me. They widen, first in surprise and then in happiness.


    She leaps from her seat to my side. “You’re awake,” she says, augh bubbling out of her as she runs


    her eyes over my face. “You’re really awake.” She cuddles my face as tears well up in her eyes.


    The atmosphere is strained with tension and fear. I don’t like it. My rtionship with Alessia has never


    been awkward and it isn’t about to start now.


    “Who are you?” I ask, making sure to keep a straight face as Alessia’s mouth falls open. She steps


    back once, twice until the back of her knees hit the chair she was sleeping in.


    “You-you don’t remember me?” She breathes out, horror evident in her eyes.


    I think I deserve an award at this point for pulling this off. She’s falling for it h o o k, line, and sinker. I’m


    just about toy the final nail on the cross when her chin wobbles as a tear slides down her cheek.


    F u c k. Ok, so maybe I’ve taken things a bit too far.


    “It’s a joke, Alessia,” I rush out, stretching out a hand for her and biting my lip to hold in a cry at the


    blinding pain that shoots up my arm. I’m just pulling your legs. Of course, I remember you.”


    How could she even fall for that trick? Even if the injury had urred on my head, I doubt it could have


    made me forget who Alessia is to me. Nothing could wipe off my memories of her.


    Her eyes sh, and her chin straightens. The traces of tears she had in her eyes arepletely gone.


    With a battle cry, she advances towards me, punching me in the shoulder.


    I groan, lying there on the bed and receiving her attacks. It’s so much better than the awkwardness of


    earlier.


    “You scared me s h i t le s s. Heck, you scared everyone sh i t l e s s and you think it’s funny to make a


    joke like that.” The punches keeping, though I notice that they aren’t as hard as the ones she


    throws during our training sessions. She’s mad at me but still taking it easy on me.


    My heart soars.


    “1-1 thought you were going to” She puffs air through her mouth, the traces of tears back in her eyes as


    she clutches the front of the shirt I have on.


    1043 330 20 ADC OBR


    Unable to bear looking at the pains in fer eyes, I pull her head down, ignoring the protest my body


    gives. It soon bes on board when I hk my The with Aleedia’s