My leg twitched, and in a fit of anxiety I rubbed my hands together as I sat in the passenger seat of the sedan.
It was the first time I had been out past the perimeter of the hospital since I got there. My body lurched with every alley that we passed, a fit of nausea threatening to spew out everywhere.
"Are you doing alright?" Priority looked at me through his periphery, his eyes staying primarily on the road ahead.
I swallowed, nodding my head slightly. "Yea. I'm okay."
He looked at me again briefly, verifying what he already knew, that I was lying.
"Well, we're almost there."
I took a deep breath, counting in the 8-4-8 manner that Dr. Marshal had taught me. A few breaths later, I noticed the car had stopped and pulled into a garage of a medium sized house.
It was all so overwhelming. My muscles tightened. Maybe this was a mistake. I shouldn't be here. I should go back to the hospital.
"Hey." I was dragged out of my thoughts with a thud, as Priority let his hand fall on top of my brown hair. "We're home."
It was the first time I had seen him without his hero costume on. Truthfully, it was moderately unsettling seeing him in a plain brown sweater and jeans.
He pulled the silver handle, opening the door to exit the vehicle. I followed suit.
There was a light pop as he opened the trunk pulling out the thin suitcase that held what little belongings I had. It was mainly just a few clothes.
Priority had apologized profusely when he showed me, under the impression that he missed certain valuables that were important memories for me. Apparently, he had gone to the house to collect some things, but he couldn't find anything that really indicated that I lived there outside of my clothes.
I reassured him as best as I could numerous times that it was okay. But I don't think my words came out right again. It truly was okay because I didn't live there. Not really. So it would make sense that there wouldn't be anything there for me. Plus, I really didn't need or want anything from back then. Those memories didn't matter now. I was fighting so hard to move forward, so what mattered now was the future, and the memories I would make here. In this new and strange house.
We walked up to a white door, and it looked so clean I thought it might be new. Priority was the first to go through, holding the door open for me as I slowly stepped through after him.
The house almost seemed to sparkle. I looked to my right as the shining wood floors opened up into a living room space. The small couch was comfortably positioned to have a good view of the small T.V that sat there near the wall.
"Tiva! We're home!" Priority's voice echoed in the house.
I looked to the left towards the kitchen, and what instantly caught my eye was a vase that rested on the table. The vase itself was a simple white, but in it was a bouquet of beautiful light purple flowers.
"I was hoping you might like them." He looked at me, a slight smile lighting his face.
I fidgeted, slightly embarrassed that I needed confirmation. "Violets?"
"That's right!" His smile widened in affirmation.
There was a light thudding as someone descended the staircase ahead. Looking up, I saw her. She seemed to me to be quite beautiful. Her hair was a jet black, which she had pulled into a high neat ponytail, which served as a stark contrast to her piercing green eyes. Her physique was incredibly toned to where she could probably do some serious damage if she tried.
"There they are!" She came up to us, her attention instantly drawn to me. "And you must be Vaila." Her smile was rich, and almost seemed to carry a hint of mischief despite its sincerity.
I nodded, slightly intimidated by the loud personality.
"Well, I'm Tiva. Nice to meet ya!" There was a beat of silence before she decided to fill it again. "Aw screw it, come here!"
Before I had time to react I was dragged into a tight hug, one of her arms strongly wrapping around my shoulders, the other reaching over as a fist and rubbing into the top of my head.
The whole event was a complete shock, and it took a second for me to process what was going on… but I didn't dislike it. Her laugh reverberated in the whole house, and the aggressive hug truly made me feel… warm.
"Say cheese!" Priority's deep voice echoed from in front of me.
I blinked after a slight flash came from his phone.
"Just to remember the occasion!" He chuckled slightly.
After a few seconds Tiva finally released me, my brown hair now slightly askew at the top. My hair was a little bit shorter now. It came about midway down my neck as Dr. Marshal helped me cut the ends that had tangles that were beyond repair.
"Here, I just finished making up your room!" Tiva grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs. The hallway was relatively thin, but it wasn't claustrophobic. Pictures lined the walls in an alternate pattern, displaying moments of happiness and love between the two. We stopped at the second door on the right.
Tiva paused, turning around to look at my face. In a dramatic fashion she pushed the door open.
"Ta da!" That same mischievous smile covered her face.
I walked in slowly, afraid that if I went too fast then the dream would shatter and I would wake up.
The room was full of light. Sunlight scattered in through the bay window on the north wall, a bench situated right underneath it. A small shelf sat next to the bench, filled with books, some of which I had already practiced with and many more which I could look through later. The bed looked warm and comfortable, the covers complimenting the light brown walls with their soft blue.
Tiva fidgeted slightly. "So… what do you think?"
Her words woke me from my trance, as I realized I hadn't said a word since we entered, lost in thought as I processed everything about it.
"It's…beautiful." My whole face was trapped in awe as I still couldn't believe that it was for me. That this was…my room. And what a warm room it was.
I looked back to face Tiva and Priority, who was now laying the thin suitcase next to the closet. "I… I don't…there's, it's so …" I fumbled, my brain having difficulties finding the right words.
"Hey, this is your home too now." Priority walked in closer, ultimately resting his hand on top of my head. "Whatever you need, you just ask for it."
I looked up into his dark eyes, a smile creeping on my lips. Deciding ultimately that the right words wouldn't come, I simply nodded instead.
"So, what sounds good for dinner?" Tiva rubbed her hands together in anticipation. "I'll cook up whatever you want!"
I paused for a moment, shy in my request. "…Udon?"
"Udon it is!" She rubbed my head one more time before disappearing behind the door.
I looked down, a sudden unease growing within me. "Priority…"
He looked at me, a soft reassuring smile on his face. "Yea?" I fidgeted with my hands, having trouble meeting his gaze. "This is all… so wonderful. But I don't… or I can't help but feel that it's not right…" I shook my head, no that wasn't it. "Or… not for me that is… I think…" I looked at him to see if he understood what I was trying to say.
He sighed, the smile still present on his face. "I wouldn't want this any other way. In my eyes, you aren't supposed to be anywhere else…but here."
As the words fell over me, I wanted them to alleviate every worry I had. But I couldn't help but feel like a burden. A temporary guest in someone else's life.
"Oh also, feel free to call me Kil now!"
I blinked. I hadn't even thought about the fact that Priority likely wasn't his real name. I guess that was just proof about how little I actually knew him.
He chuckled slightly as he hung in the doorway. "But hey! I wouldn't have picked the other name if I didn't like it, so call me whatever you want!" He shot me a wide grin. "Make yourself at home, we'll be downstairs if you need anything!"
As he left the room, and I was left in silence with my thoughts, I immediately went to go shut the door. A barrier between me and others. I paused with my hand on the cold handle.
This house was different. It wasn't the same as back then, where a door was the only thing that stood between me and the nightmares.
Slowly, I lifted my hand off the handle and turned away to face the room, determined. This was a fresh start, and I refuse to be defined by the past anymore. This was a place for new, happier memories.
I went through the suitcase, hanging up the clothes that had been carefully folded and placed inside it. As I lifted the last shirt from the case, a thin brown package with a bright yellow note in the center caught my eye.
'Thought you might want this.'
I peeled off the yellow note, and carefully unwrapped the brown paper.
Tears slowly built in the corner of my eyes.
It was her.
She kneeled in the center of the picture frame, her long brown hair and bright eyes smiling brilliantly at the camera. Her arms were wrapped around a little girl, also with light brown hair, and violet eyes. She too was smiling.
"Dinner's ready!" Tiva's strong voice echoed throughout the house.
In a frenzy I placed the picture frame back inside the case, shoving it in the corner of the closet with my last shirt.
The dinner was more delicious than I could have ever anticipated. The warm soup excited every one of my tastebuds as flavors exploded.
"So, are you ready to start school again tomorrow?" Priority, or Kil, asked the question amidst a mouthful of noodles.
As much as he tried, he couldn't hide his nervousness. Back at the hospital, discussing the details of my release, everyone recommended that I not start general classes immediately, but instead ease myself into it with a tutor. I was insistent that I would be able to handle it. Nothing had changed since then. I had spent so long being isolated. I refused to do it anymore.
"Yea, I'm ready." I said slurping up my last bite.
He paused biting his lip.
"Do you want me to take you?" He stared at me intently, worry marking his sharp features.
"No, I can make it." My answer was pointed. I may be broken but I wasn't helpless. I was moving forward.
"Are you sure? I just thought that since…" his words faded out as irritation started to build within me. Did I really seem that useless? Was I nothing more than some fragile broken toy to him?
Tiva lightly punched his arm interrupting his rambling speech.
"Ow." Kil rubbed his arm and squinted his eyes.
"If she said she can make it she can make it! Don't go getting all overprotective. She'll be fine!" She smiled at me brightly. "Right?"
I nodded determinedly. "Right!"