They were both injured that day, but Lina’s case was worse than hers. After her hospitalization, she was discharged two days later with Jayden’s attentive care.
As she stepped into the radiology department, Ria was lucky to see one of the nurses who wheeled Lina in earlier. “Nurse,” she desperately called unto the nurse who was also rushing to get something, “how is Lina, will she get better soon?” Her worried voice echoed through the hallway as her knuckles on the lunch pack turned white due to her strong hold on it.
“The doctors are still working on her, please wait for their response.” After the nurse responded to Ria’s questions, she rushed out of the hallway.
Ria stood still for a moment, her eyes fixed on the floor. Then, she walked to the seat placed in the hallway and sat down, her hands clasped together on her lap after dropping the lunch pack beside her. As she waited for news from the doctors, her gaze drifted away, and her eyes took on a faraway look. The sounds of the hospital receded, and she was transported back to a sunny afternoon, the smell of dust wafting through the air.
At that time, her parents just died in a car accident. She was all alone in this world. Ria crouched behind a stack of blue crates in the abandoned alleyway, her eyes fixed on the group of men searching for her. She had been running for what felt like hours, but she knew she couldn’t keep this up for much longer. After her parent’s death, many people had come for her wanting her life. It’s like they don’t want her parents to have any successor, and she being the only child life was on the edge.
Just as the men were about to discover her hiding spot, a strange noise echoed through the alleyway. It sounded like a cross between a bird chirping and a machine whirring. The men’s heads snapped towards the sound, and Ria whose heart was in her mouth saw her chance.
She peered around the crates to see a young girl, no more than ten years old, who was putting on a pink gown, standing in the middle of the alleyway. The girl was holding a small, intricately carved wooden box, and the noise was coming from within it.
The men approached the girl, but she didn’t back down. Instead, she opened the box, revealing a complex mechanism of gears and wires. The noise grew louder, and the men covered their ears due to the impact of the noise on their eardrums. Their ears were bleeding after a few seconds.
Ria took advantage of the distraction to slip away, but as she reached the end of the alleyway, she heard the girl call out to her. “Hey, wait!”
Ria turned to see the girl running towards her, the wooden box still clutched in her hand. “My name is Lina,” the girl said, panting. “And you are…?”
Ria hesitated for a moment before answering. “Stay away from me.” She was scared of implicating the little girl who saved her earlier. She didn’t even know how Lina escaped from those men after she escaped. Lina didn’t back down. Instead, she walked towards Ria pointing at her bare feet which were bleeding. “You are hurt? Her questioning gaze fixated on Ria.
Ria continued walking forward, her bleeding feet a testament to her stubbornness not minding Lina. She didn’t dare to look back, fearing that Lina would be following her. But as she turned a corner, her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed onto the ground.
Lina was by her side in an instant, concern etched on her face. “Hey, are you okay?” she asked, gently shaking Ria’s shoulders.
Ria’s tired eyes slowly fluttered open. She was met with Lina’s dark green eyes which were filled with worried expressions, and for a moment, her guard dropped. “I… I’m fine,” she stammered, trying to sit up.
But Lina was having none of it. She gently pushed Ria back down and began to examine her feet. “You’re bleeding,” she said, her voice firm. “I need to clean and bandage these wounds.”
Ria tried to protest, but Lina was insistent. She carefully cleaned and dressed Ria’s wounds, her touch gentle but firm.
As Lina worked, Ria found herself relaxing in her presence. There was something about Lina’s calm and confident demeanor that put her at ease, making her think about what a young girl like her had gone through at her young age.
When Lina finished dressing her injured feet, Ria sat up, feeling a sense of gratitude towards this young girl who should be some years younger than her. “Thanks,” she said, her hoarse voice barely above a whisper.
Lina smiled, her eyes sparkling with kindness. “You’re welcome,” she said. “But I think you need to tell me what’s going on. Why were those men chasing you?”
Ria hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But there was something about Lina’s gentle prodding that made her open up. She took a deep breath and began to tell Lina her story – about her parents’ death, and the men who had been chasing her ever since.
As she spoke, Ria felt a weight lift off her shoulders. It was the first time she had shared her story with anyone, and it felt liberating.
Lina listened intently, her eyes filled with compassion. When Ria finished, Lina shared her own story – about her mother’s passing, and her stepmother’s cruelty.
As they talked, Ria felt a sense of connection with Lina that she had never felt with anyone before. It was as if they had both been through similar struggles and had come out stronger on the other side.
As the sun began to set, casting a warm orange glow over the alleyway, Ria realized that she had found a true friend in Lina. And she knew that she would never forget the young girl who had saved her life, and helped her heal her emotional wounds.
Since then, they have become close. Lina was always Rihanna’s priority. She always cares about Lina’s safety all the time, acting like the mother she doesn’t have. And right now, that girl who gave her hope to live and believe in herself is now lying there motionless.
When Ria was having a flashback about the past, Raymond walked into the top office in the hospital with assistant Jeff trailing behind him. His grandfather was chatting with an old friend over tea. As Raymond opened the door, two cold piercing gaze was instantly shot at him.