I woke up with a strange, metallic taste in my mouth. My lips felt dry and chapped, when I tried to lick them. The side of my head burned as I moved to turn around. Where the hell was I because this sure wasn't my bedroom. I slowly lifted myself from the bed as I assessed the surroundings. The room wasn't big - actually, it was designed to fit two single beds. The other bed was empty and neatly made. The whole room was painted white and contained only one small, rusted window. There was a sad looking wooden closet standing in the far corner and that was about it.

I looked down and saw that I was hooked to IV, tubes sticking out of my hand. Oh hell, I was in the hospital. Then it all came back to me as I remembered fainting in the pub. Without the doubt in my mind, I knew my parent must be frantic with worry. The faint sound of opening doors interrupted my stream of thoughts, forcing me to focus on the present. I looked up to see a doctor, a man in his forties entering the room. He looked almost surprised when he saw me awake.

"Korina Varga," he tapped at the sheets with what must have been my anamnesis. He momentarily lowered them as he looked at me. "How are you feeling?"

"God day, Sir,” I gave him a weak attempt of a nod. “My head hurts and I am thirsty, otherwise I am fine," it came as a surprise even to me, but that was the truth. I felt better than ever ‒ no headaches, no nausea, no nothing. There was only one bothersome thing - the terrible coldness sitting in the center of my chest, but hardly worth mentioning since it didn’t count as physical symptom. But that same feeling was slowly becoming a constant now, a shadow that plastered itself inside me and forced me to drag it along like a sack of rocks.

"You hit your head pretty hard. Do you remember anything?" He asked.

"Yes, I went out with my friends. I hit my head against the table in a pub and after that... Well, it's pretty much blank."

He nodded. "We've done some tests. There were no drugs and a very small amount of alcohol in your blood. Your other blood tests came out fine. But I must ask, have you felt like this before?"

"A few times. It usually feels like I’m about to get sick, with some typical symptoms like nausea and cough...” I stopped to take a moment to think. “They always begin with headaches."

"I am concerned about the headaches. You got away with a bruise this time, but it could be much worse. If this keeps happening, you must promise to visit us again. We will take a CT scan."

"All right," I said with an unsure voice, fear rising in my belly. Excluding the time of my birth I never had a need to visit a hospital and I sure didn’t want to turn it into a habit now.

"Your parents and friends are waiting outside. I will call them in."

"Wait, please! When can I leave?" I almost leaped out of my bed.

"We won't hold you here Miss Korina. You may leave tomorrow morning," he plastered a patient smile on his face. When my family and friends rushed in, he discreetly left the room.

"Are you all right? What happened?" Lena and Mark were both talking at once.

"I am fine, don't worry. I just bumped my head," I assured them, trying to calm down their worrying faces "Really, I am ok," I stopped smiling immediately as pain exploded in my head.

"You just collapsed. We didn't know what to do, so we brought you straight into the hospital!" Words were bubbling out of Lena in a rush.

"Doctor looked really worried. Why didn't you tell us you were feeling ill?" My mother said.

"Like I said it’s probably just a stomach bug or something. Really guys... It's no big deal," I don't know why I was making excuses to downplay the situation, but in a strange, unfathomable way it felt wrong being here.

"Losing consciousness is not to be taken lightly. The last thing you should be doing is running around feeling ill," father's mouth set in a hard line.

Trying hard not to fidget around, I turned toward him with patience. "Doctor said they found nothing," I sighed, realizing it was meaningless to convince them otherwise.

"They only made a few selected tests Korina," Mother hugged herself. She looked tired, and I hated that I was the cause of it. Exactly because of this, I didn't want to tell them.

"I didn't want to worry you," I told them the truth. Besides, how would I explain the icy feeling in my heart? Or the fact that I felt like my whole body was against me, consuming me from the inside out.

"How can you say that?" Lena looked really hurt, shaking her head with disbelief.

"I know, it was foolish of me and I am so sorry, I wasn't thinking. But I feel fine now, I promise," I pleaded with my eyes. "I just really want to get out of here."

"Well, that isn't possible at the moment. They said they are releasing you in the morning," Mark leaned on the bed frame.

Groaning, I massaged my temples. "Well...The sooner the better."

"I wish we could stay with you," dad sighed. "But we have to leave, the store was full of customers today. We will come to get you tomorrow, all right? If you feel bad again, don't hesitate to call us.” I saw battle raging in his soft eyes as he fought with himself. “I hate to leave you like this," He stepped closer and squeezed my shoulder.

"I understand and please stop worrying about me already. I'm fine. Now every precious moment you spent hovering around me, means a lost costumer," I smiled and dismissively waved my parents away. “Go already! I promise I’ll call you,” I know they would have stayed if they could, but one busy season was all we had and we couldn't afford to close the store at a time like this.

"Don't worry, I will stay with her for a while," Lena jumped on my bed.

"Oh no, you won't! Go home, get some rest. It's one night for Christ's sake, I think I am old enough to survive it," I smirked at her.

"Oh no girl, you misunderstood, I am not staying here for your sake, I am staying for mine. I need to talk to you," her voice dropped in a confidential tone.

"All right, thank you, Lena," Mother gratefully nodded at her. "We will see you in the morning, Korina," she said with a small smile as father held the door for her. He looked at me one last time and quietly closed the door behind him.

"You! Leave!" Lena pointed at Mark, who looked at her like she was losing her mind.

"Excuse me?" He said to her with a ridiculous expression on his face. “Why?”

"I need to talk to her. Women's talk. You know what I mean, right?" She meaningfully raised her brow.

"And since when I am not included?" He said, offended.

"Since you grew out of your chicken breasts!" She gave him a once-over as she smirked.

"I never had chicken breasts!" He said with outrage, his face scarlet red. “I was well... Skinny.”

I had to laugh at their banter. "Yes, your breasts were a bit weird. You had such a willowy figure than, so thin and feminine," I burst out laughing, seeing his mouth pressed into a thin line.

"Really Korina?" He said as he pointed at me. “You hit your head, so I forgive you this time,” sighing he turned back to Lena. "Do I really need to leave?"

“Pretty please? I will call you later, I promise. I will make it up to you, ok?" Lena stood from the left side of my bed to put her hands around him.

Well if you put it like that," his eyes considerably darkened as he took her into his arms.

"Oh, God," I groaned, "there is another bed in the room, please, help yourself. Don't mind me. I will just... Turn around."

"Wait, what? I didn't mean it like that!" He said, putting his hands in the air.

I hid my smirk. "Right," from the corner of my eyes I saw Lena's face redden with embarrassment.

"You know what? I am out of here!" He beckoned towards the doors. "Call me," he reminded Lena.

"Ok, I will. Bye," she didn't take her eyes off him as she stepped closer to him.

"Bye," he said gently, stroking her cheek, ginning like a love-struck puppy.

I smiled as I lowered my face to look elsewhere. When he finally released her, he waved me goodbye.

"What was that?" I inquired my friend, when she once again took her place on my bed.

"We kind of had a moment yesterday," she whispered. “When they brought you in, we were waiting for the results to come back... I was worried, he was worried and one thing led to another. And then we just... Kissed.”

"What about, what is his name again? Oh, Roberto?" I finally remembered. But somehow, I hoped he was out of the picture by now.

"He is just a way out, you know if things don’t work out as they’re supposed to."

"That is just wrong Lena,” I glowered at her "You need to stop running for once. And that includes finding strange, wealthy men who are willing to get you out of here. That is not a solution! Hell, it’s dangerous and reckless!" I was outraged. "What about Mark?"

She stumbled upon her words, mumbling. "Nothing is certain... It’s a huge risk to take Korina."

I couldn't believe her. "But you have opportunities here! And a man who loves you and is prepared to leave it all behind just to be with you!"

"That’s the thing! I don't want him to just drop it all because of me! What if he finds out I am not the right person for him?"

"Lena, you two were best friends all your lives. Even before I came! He is the one who knows you inside out. All your strengths and weaknesses and he is choosing to stay despite them. Stop doubting yourself and go for it," I knew if she would let him leave, she would be devastated.

"And If he decides he doesn't want me anymore?" She said with fear-laced voice.

"You really believe that? Because all I see in his eyes is love for you. It always was love. Ever since you saved him in the playground in the second grade from that brute Tomas who attacked him. And when you stood by him when his Mom died in a car accident. It was always you."

Her eyes glistened as she sniffled.

"He can't keep his eyes off you," I slowly stroked her hair, smiling at her. "So gather your courage girl, and go get your man."

She bit her lips, determination settling in her eyes "Wish me luck?"

"Good luck," I laughed. "Now go!"

I watched her leap off my bed, suddenly turning back toward me. "Will you be ok?" She cast me a worried look.

"Really? Do I look half-dead to you?" I smirked.

"Nah, you will survive," she beamed at me. "Now excuse-moi, I have a mission to finish," she held her head high as she left the room, leaving me in silence.

I sighed at the thought of a long night that awaited me, feeling strangely empty and cold. At least something good came out this unfortunate situation in the end - it forced my friends to cross paths in an utmost unimaginable way. It gave them hope and strength, leaving me rooting for them with my whole heart.

***

It was already noon when I've arrived at my house. Dad was looking over me like a hawk, never leaving my side, fearing I might suddenly collapse again. Considering what happened two days ago, I felt much better. Latter didn’t give them much of consolation as I felt their worry, washing over me like an infinite gloom. I knew they thought there was something more to this, suspecting I was seriously ill. But I couldn't assure them and tell them that I felt perfectly fine as even I didn't know what was truly going on.

I looked at myself in the mirror hanging in a hallway, seeing a large blue bruise forming above my eyes. And regrettably, aftermath of my fall caused a huge bump sticking right out of the middle of my forehead.

Perfect. I resembled a unicorn with a rainbow-colored circular formation around its horn. Customers will be surely greatly amused by this. At least I had a few days to finish the rest of my paintings, before I started working at the store. To spare myself from utter humiliation, I hoped my bruises would fade at least a little until then.

I didn't hear much from Lena and Mark in the following days, so I assumed things went well between them. They only called once to see if I was doing fine. I left a few messages on Lena’s phone, but she never texted me back. Guessing they were probably too busy to see the world around them, I figured they will contact me eventually.

I've mostly spent my next days painting, since there wasn’t much time left, considering there will be an exhibition in a few short days. We even designed flyers that father distributed all over the town. My mother was excited, her mood so bright her eyes sparkled like flashing, starry night sky. Even my father was enjoying himself. They have momentarily forgotten about my incident a week ago and since nothing equally alarming happened, I hope it would stay forgotten.