Spell

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE
NADIA
It’s not Jack!
I nearly froze at the sight of Alex standing in the doorway of my hospital room. My heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, I thought I was imagining things. I had been expecting Jack, as the nurse told me he promised to visit today. But it was Alex, the same guy who had made my college life a living nightmare, with his twin.
The door opened slowly, and there he was, looking as confident and smug as ever. I could hardly believe it. My breath caught in my throat, and my body tensed up. I wanted to scream, to alert the security, to tell him to get out, to let him know he wasn’t welcome here. But every time I tried to say something, the words got stuck in my throat. I lay there, trembling under the sheets, unable to find my voice.
It felt like he had cast a spell on me!
Alex’s eyes met mine, and he walked into the room with a casual stride. “Hi,” he said, his voice surprisingly gentle. He took a seat beside my bed and smiled at me. It was such a strange smile-one that seemed genuine, almost caring. It was a stark contrast to the sneering face I was used to seeing in college.
“I brought you some fruits,” he added, holding out a bag with an assortment of fresh fruit. The sight of the fruits was both confusing and infuriating. I wanted to refuse his gesture, to reject everything about him, but I found myself paralyzed.
As he extended his hand towards me with the bag, I instinctively pushed it away. “I’m not interested in anything that belongs to you,” I said, my voice trembling. “Please, just go away. Leave me alone. Are you here to bully me again?”
Instead of reacting with anger, as I had anticipated, Alex simply smiled. It was an unsettling, calm smile. He got up from his seat and walked over to the window. I watched him from the corner of my eye as he looked out, his back turned to me. The sight of him standing there, seemingly contemplative, only heightened my confusion.
“Please leave me alone,” I pleaded, just in case he didn’t hear the first time.
“I didn’t come to bully you,” he said, his voice soft but firm. He turned back to face me, his expression a mix of frustration and earnestness. “Do you think that’s all I’m about? Do you think I’m not capable of being a friend? Do you think I’m as bad as I seem?”
His words caught me off guard. I had always seen him as nothing more than a tormentor, someone who took pleasure in making my life miserable. The idea of him wanting to be my friend, or even being capable of showing kindness, was almost too much to process. I was torn between disbelief and anger. I wanted to lash out, to tell him just how much he and his brother had hurt me, but I was still frozen, unable to speak.
The thought of him telling me those words felt more unreal than it felt real.
Alex seemed to sense my hesitation. He looked at me, his gaze steady but pleading as if he desperately wanted me to say something. I chose silence, thinking it would frustrate him. And it did. The room was filled with a heavy silence, punctuated only by the faint hum of the hospital equipment.
“Fine!” Alex finally said, his frustration evident. He picked up the bag of fruits and looked at it with disdain. “Since you want me to leave, I will. But Nadia, I promise, I’m not as evil as you think. I know I have done things that said otherwise, but I’m sorry.”
He placed the bag of fruits on the chair beside my bed and gave me one last, searching look. “You can throw it away if you want,” he said, and with that, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.
Relief washed over me as the door closed behind me, but it was tinged with sadness and confusion. Alex’s visit had left me unsettled. Part of me felt a pang of regret. Maybe I hadn’t treated him fairly. Maybe there was more to him than the cruel image I had built up in my mind.
But then, as I remembered all the times he and Sandro had bullied me, abused me, and went ahead as recording while forcefully having their way with me, the sadness was quickly overshadowed by anger. The pain they had caused me was not something I could easily forget and the emotional turmoil I felt was a reminder of how hard it was to reconcile my feelings towards someone who had caused me so much pain. All of it was the reason why I was admitted to the hospital.
I stared at the bag of fruits on the chair then reached over and picked up the bag, examining the contents. The fruits looked fresh and beautiful, but they were now tainted by the memory of Alex’s presence.
I wanted to throw the bag away, to rid myself of any trace of his visit, but a part of me hesitated. It wasn’t the fruits themselves that bothered me, Alex’s attempt at kindness felt hollow, almost like a cruel joke. I placed the bag back on the chair, my feelings of conflict and confusion still simmering beneath the surface.
The rest of the day passed in a blur. I couldn’t shake the image of Alex’s face from my mind. His unexpected visit had stirred up a storm of emotions that I wasn’t sure how to deal with. I felt like I was caught in a whirlwind, struggling to make sense of everything that had happened.
In the quiet moments of the hospital room, I reflected on his words and actions. Part of me wondered if there was a genuine side to him, something that went beyond the bullying and the pain he had inflicted. But another part of me remained guarded, unwilling to let go of the hurt he and his brother had caused.
As the hours ticked by, I tried to focus on my recovery and not let Alex’s visit overshadow everything else. But it was difficult. His presence had left a mark on me, and the emotional weight of the day was heavy. I could only hope that with time, the pain would lessen and I would find a way to move forward.
Later that evening, as the fading light of the day filtered through the blinds, the door to my hospital room creaked open. A nurse, Sarah walked in with a bright smile on her face, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. I had grown quite fond of her over the past few days. She had a warmth and kindness that made the hospital feel a bit more like home, even if it was just for a short while.
“Seems someone is excited,” she said, her tone playful as she approached my bed.
I looked up at her, slightly puzzled by her comment. “I should be asking you,” I replied. “You look overly excited. What happened?”
She laughed softly and shook her head. “Oh, you know, just the usual. But I have some news that might brighten your day.”
For the first time since Jasmine, as I had to stay away so I don’t seem like a problem, I felt like I had a real friend in Sarah even though I wasn’t quite ready to open up about everything that had happened to me. The bond we’d formed was comforting, and her presence always made me feel a bit more at ease.
“Come on, don’t keep me in suspense,” I urged, trying to get a sense of what was making her so happy.
Sarah’s eyes twinkled as she glanced over at the bag of fruits that Alex had brought earlier. “I’m just happy because of you.”
“Because of me?” I asked, my eyebrows knitting together in confusion. “How? Why?”
“Don’t pretend like you don’t know what I’m talking about, Nadia,” Sarah said with a knowing smile. “Your boyfriend, Jack, was here earlier today, and I can see he brought you more fruits,” she added, her eyes briefly flitting to the bag of fruit on the side table.
My jaw dropped. “First of all, Jack is not my boyfriend,” I said, feeling a rush of bewilderment. I feel like I would need to keep reminding her. “And secondly, Jack hasn’t been here at all. The only person who showed up today is another person named Alex.”
Sarah’s face fell as she took in what I’d just said. “Wait a minute,” she said, her expression one of shock. “He’s not Jack?”
“No, he’s not,” I confirmed, feeling a sense of growing disbelief. “I’m sorry, but it seems you’ve been mistaking Alex for Jack. He’s the one who brought the fruits, flowers, and gift cards. Not Jack.”
Sarah’s eyes widened as she processed this new information. “Are you sure?”
“Yeah, it was Alex,” I interrupted, feeling a mix of confusion and frustration.” This was the point when it hit me.
Sarah shook her head slowly, clearly trying to come to terms with the realization. “I didn’t know. I honestly thought it was Jack since you guessed that it probably was him. I’m so sorry for the confusion.”
I could see that Sarah was genuinely taken aback, and I felt a pang of sympathy for her. She had been so kind, and the mix-up seemed to have thrown her off balance. “Who is he?” Sarah asked, her curiosity evident.
I hesitated, not sure if I wanted to delve into the details. The thought of discussing Alex and all the turmoil he brought into my life was overwhelming. “I don’t want to talk about it,” I finally said, feeling a knot tighten in my chest. “It’s complicated.”
Sarah’s expression softened. “Alright, Nadia. I understand. You don’t have to tell me if you’re not ready. But if you ever need to talk about it, I’m here for you.”
Her words were reassuring, and I appreciated her support. Even though I wasn’t ready to discuss Alex or the reasons behind his visit, it was comforting to know that Sarah was there for me. I had been so isolated lately, and the idea of having someone to confide in was a small but meaningful comfort.
As she helped me settle into a more comfortable position in my bed, the room was filled with a quiet, thoughtful silence. Just then, my phone beeped. It was a text from a strange number…
“What is it about you that I can’t get over? Have you bewitched me?” it read.