The Hero's Lover

I opened my eyes to the same white walls that I opened them to six months ago. I stared at the ceiling and wished everything could be over. The same routine with therapy, food, and sleeping was getting old. I need my friends. I wish we hadn't gone to the same college. I wish that even one of us had decided to separate from our group! But, no. I'm the only one left.

I looked to my right as I heard a sliding noise. Jack saunters into the room with his eyes and lips cast down.

"Good morning, Hana." He reluctantly said.

"What's got you in a such a good mood?" I replied sarcastically.

"It's your last day." He grumpily replied.

"Wait, what? My last day isn't supposed to be until two weeks from now? What?!?" I leaned up quickly. A wave of nausea hit me. I looked at Jack with eyes pleading to explain.

Ignoring my outcries, he looked at me.

"Well, it's time to start our therapy today." His mood brightened a little as he got ready to tell me what we were doing today. I looked at him with puppy dog eyes. "Stress test."

"No. No. No! NO! Please no! Can we not and say we did?"

"Nice try, Hana. To get out, you have to."

I sighed in resignation.

__________

My dad arrived this afternoon with his business suit and a briefcase in hand. He sat by the bed with his hands on his face. From in between his fingers, I saw tears roll down his face. He wiped his tears and ran his hands through his hair. He smiled at me. "Ready to go home, Hana?"

I think I felt a tear run down my cheek.

__________

My home wasn't a very large place. We lived downtown in a condo skyrise. I looked to my right. In the middle of the island, there was a picture of my mom, my dad, and I when I came home during my last school break which was surrounded by chrysanthemum flowers. My head turned faster than I intended and hit into the coat rack where I was supposed to hang my winter coat. December is a cold month that isn't forgiving. I left the coat rack alone and walked through the living room, up the stairs, and into my bedroom where I laid in my bed and stared at the browning white color.

My dad came into my room and sat by the side of my bed. He held out a letter. I turned to my side.

"Here. This came after the graduate program found out your circ.u.mstances. They agreed to let you start the program in the fall."

I didn't move. He awkwardly waved it in front of me. Sighing, he set it on my nightstand.

"They want you to know that you'll have to participate in an extra-class with one of the professors to ensure that you are still motivated to become whatever it is you wanted to become. A teacher, wasn't it?"

I looked over at him. "A researcher, dad. A researcher. I wanted to become a researcher."

"Well, if you're going to be a researcher, you'll need a master's degree. Your mom would have wanted you to follow your dreams."

I looked away. "I'll think about it."

I closed my eyes and sank into oblivion.

__________

"Hana, wake up! You need to get down here. One of your professors is here."

'One of my professors? Didn't they all die in the fire?' I thought. I pulled on jeans and a T-Shirt and walked downstairs. A man wearing a stylish jet black suit with a salted black hair sat on our couch. His stubble of a beard matched his hair. He sat with a refinement that made you want to respect him.

I c.o.c.ked my head to the side. He wasn't a man with whom I met before.

"Hello, Miss Hana." He stood up slowly and stuck his hand towards me. He spoke with a cool and relaxing tone. "I'm Dr. Robert Aeronne, a professor at the college you were accepted into this past semester. You were supposed to be my new student. Alas, the attack on your previous college occurred and now we are here. It's a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet you."

I gripped his hand while moving it up and down. "The p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e is all mine."

"Now, onto business. Hana, I want you to come to the college in January to help orientate yourself and gain a basic understanding of how everything will be in the semester. Although you won't have official duties nor classes, you will be expected to attend the student's gathers, events, and partake in an extracurricular activity." He looked at me in the eyes.

I looked him in his forest green eyes. "Why are you doing this?"

"Hana, from what your father has told me, you experienced a great trauma and haven't had any social interactions with people your age in months. We want your success in college and life. Who knows you might find that you can enjoy life again." He chuckled. "I hope that one day, you will support my organization as a researcher in the future. Your paper in biochemistry and how using artificially intelligent micro-bots to aid in recovery with first responders was amazing. If this technology existed, we could have saved more lives."

"Ok. I'll go."

My dad sighed, "That's a relief."

I glared at him for a second before sighing as well. "Are you moving with me, dad?"

"Do you want me with you?"

"Yeah, I do, dad."

"Then, I'll go." He said.

"Well, now that's settled. My organization happens to provide housing to student researchers, and we happen to have a vacancy for a three-bedroom apartment. One of the rooms is occupied by a young man whose is used to having the apartment to himself, but I doubt that will be an issue for your father and you, will it?"

"No, it won't be a problem." I stuck my hand out for a firm handshake to shake on the deal.

"Good. You start at the beginning of this semester in three weeks. You can move in two days prior. I handed your father a packet that has all the information ready for you. We'll see you soon, Hana." He chuckled as he left.