PAST

5

Awakening to a New Day

I opened my eyes abruptly, gasping for breath, with cold sweat running down my forehead. "Press, are you okay?" a girl's voice asked. Confusion filled my mind as I tried to grasp my surroundings.

"Where...where am I?" I asked, my voice trembling. The girl seemed shocked and replied, "Press, it's me, Jenny, your secretary."

Jenny? My secretary? I looked around, noticing the white walls and the dextrose attached to my arm. Realization slowly dawned on me. "How did I get here?" I asked Jenny, my memory slowly returning. She looked at me with concern and said, "Press, you passed out when you saw blood."

A wave of recollection washed over me. I remembered being in America and the incident that caused me to faint.

"How long was I unconscious?" I asked Jenny, my eyes widening with surprise. "Two days, Press," she replied.

Two days? I couldn't believe it. Just then, the door swung open, causing both Jenny and me to jump. "Oh, thank the heavens you're awake," a boy exclaimed as he entered. It was Alex.

He hugged me tightly, and I called his name, slightly overwhelmed by his embrace. "Yes, it's me, Alex, your handsome Vice President," he said, still holding me tightly.

"Alex, are you planning to kill me? Your hug is so tight. Let go of me," I exclaimed, trying to catch my breath.

Alex quickly released his hold on me, apologizing for his tight embrace. One by one, my classmates arrived, expressing relief that I was awake. I assured them that I was fine now. "Well, I'm glad you're awake," a girl named Sophia said, her long hair flowing and her blue eyes filled with concern. "Thanks, Sophia," I managed to smile a little.

Jenny continued to worry about my well-being. "But, Press, are you really okay?" she asked, her gaze fixed on me. I reassured her, saying, "Yes, Jenny, I'm fine." Suddenly, she mentioned something that caught me off guard. "But I heard you saying 'please don't leave me.' Are you sure you're okay?" My eyes widened, realizing that I had spoken those words in my nightmare. "It was just a nightmare. Let's call the doctor since you're already awake," Alejandro said, kissing my forehead gently.

The doctor arrived and confirmed that I could be discharged from the hospital. Jenny took the opportunity to ask the doctor about the phobia of being afraid of blood and fainting, like what happened to me. The doctor replied, "I'm not sure what the specific phobia is called, but it's a fear of blood. Right?"

As I prepared to leave the hospital, a mix of emotions filled my heart. I was grateful for the support of my friends and relieved to be out of the hospital. However, the nightmare and the fear it brought still lingered in my mind. I knew I had to face my fears and find a way to overcome them, for my own well-being and for the sake of moving forward.