Sofia’s pov
‘Was this how it feels to float?’
I asked myself over and over again, the more time I spent in that same unending loophole. It felt like I was stuck in a fluffy space, but instead of sinking, I remained afloat.
Muffled voice could be heard coming from multiple sides at once but I couldn’t make any word out, neither could I tell each voice apart from the other.
I limbs literally felt nonexistent because I couldn’t wait use of them no matter how much I tried. It’s almost weird how it’s pitch dark in this fluffy space, preventing me from making anything out.
Or perhaps, I was the one who had my eyes closed throughout, I realized when I discovered that I could feel my eyelids twitch a little. I tried to get my eyes open after that, but ended up giving up after trying over and over again to no avail. I drifted straight into an unconscious state after that.
When I came to once again, I felt warm fingers around mine. The fingers felt familiar in a way, and with everything in me, I wanted to hold those fingers and never let go, but just like my eyelids, my fingers also betrayed me by refusing to move a single inch.
The muffled voices could be heard once again, more familiar this time, but still distant and muted. I drifted into unconsciousness after that, and as I went, my heart desperately tried to cling unto those fingers to no avail…
***
The bright lights that greeted me when I finally succeeded in blinking my eyes open almost rendered me blind. It took minutes for everything around me to register with my confused self.
I was plugged to a machine, clearly in a hospital. I was still trying to figure out what had happened when a door opened and in strod who I’d assume was a doctor. His eyes widened as he rushed towards me while eying a screen beside my bed. His hands shook as he fished out his phone and pressed it to his ear.
“S- sir…”
“Yes sir, she’s a- awake.” The doctor kept stuttering here and there as he spoke, and the sound of his voice made my head start to pound, causing me to groan and wince and that was when I realized how heavy and numb my tongue felt in my mouth.
“Please don’t move, ma’am.” The doctor pleaded as he floated around me, taking a look at multiple things at once. One more glance at him and I picked up the fact that he was clearly nervous. He looked like he was in his twenties.
I let my eyes slide close when exhaustion began to crowd my pounding head, but the sound of a door flying open made me flinch as my eyes flew open this time. The doctor grew stiff beside me and as my eyes darted to the doorway, as I took in the image standing in the doorway, it felt like everything which I’ve forgotten suddenly crashed down on me at once.
My mouth fell open and I didn’t realize when tears brimmed in my eyes till my sight blurred out. When it cleared up, he was standing beside my bed, smiling down at me as his hand took mine in his, grip familiar like the one I felt around my fingers over and over again when I was still stuck in that dark, fluffy space.
“Bunny… I’ve missed you so fucking much.” He whispered, voice low and warm and familiar, and that pen name made more tears sprang to my eyes.
“Luca…” I whispered, or tried to, but my throat felt closed up.
“Shh… don’t try to speak yet, I’m here now, and you’re safe.” He continued, voice soothing. He leaned down and brushed a kiss against my forehead.
“We have each other. Things are only gonna get better between us now.”
~~~
Apparently I had been out for over a week, because I had lost a lot of blood from the gunshot. Thanks to Ryan, the bullet had been lodged in a critical spot in my stomach but has been successfully taken out.
Luca reassured me not to bother myself about Ryan when I asked him about it. He revealed that he hasn’t killed him that night he shot me, because that would have been an easy escape for him. He revealed that he has been torturing Ryan daily in order to burn his temper off almost everyday since the moment I slipped into coma.
He also revealed that Ryan is mine to pull the trigger on whenever I am ready.
When I asked him why the doctor was always nervous around me, he said it was because he threatened his life more times than he could count concerning the doctor doing everything in his power to make sure I wake up.
When Angelo came around to visit, he looked way better than I expected him to, which I was extremely grateful about. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to get over the panic that had seized me on witnessing him get shot.
If I had been in a close proximity with him, I’d have taken the bullet for him without any hesitation, the way I had done for Luca, an act which he was yet to stop berating me over.
“See why I said you’re too good for all of us? You’re so fucking selfless that it’s insane to comprehend.” Angelo mused when I informed him I’d have taken the bullet for him if I could.
He looked well rested and his arm was thankfully healing just fine, which I was grateful about.
~~~
My mother coming to visit me was the biggest surprise I experienced since the moment I woke up from the coma. Not even the planned surprise Kayla had come along with had been this surprising.
She sat straight, clothes and hair in place. Her nose wrinkled as she glanced around the interior of the hospital room. I expected her to make a condescending comment but she remained silent, which surprised me even more.
When she reached for my hand, I held my breath and grew stiff, confusion clearly evident on my face because she chuckled as her cold fingers entangled with mine. I wasn’t sure I’ve held hands with her in my life while growing up.
“I’m glad you’re safe now.” She finally spoke, voice emotionless and bringing forth so many memories. I felt awkward, not knowing what to say.
“I was scared you weren’t going to wake up.” She admitted quietly.
“Oh, so you actually care about me? Could have sworn you wouldn’t care if I’m being honest.”
Her eyes narrowed for a moment. “Honey, don’t push it.”
Her fingers moved from mine to brush against my hair. “Believe it or not, I do care, no matter how fake it might sound.”
I let out a long sigh and pursed my lips, still reeling from speechlessness.
“I just don’t know how to express it most times, but in my own way, I was always there.”
“You were never there while Angelo and I were growing up. We had to do it on our own.” I reminded her, voice snippy before I could remind myself to change the tone. She let out a sigh and caressed my cheek, then she pulled away and folded her hands on her laps.
“Let’s leave the past in the past, okay? There’s no use in bringing any of those right now.”
I scoffed and glanced away from her, not feeling surprised in any way. This was so her, it’s the part of her that I was used to, that I was familiar with.