MY NAME IS ALEX

Alex

"Are you sure you can move around now?" Aunt Rosie asked me for the nth time.

"Yes Aunt Rosie, I'm sure. The doctor said it's good for me to move my muscles since I have been in bed for so long." I smiled at her. She's getting better every day. Her skin had brightened and she's smiling more often. 

She is pretty. I didn't notice that at first because of my disoriented brain, but Ian's mom looks as gorgeous as he is. She's petite with short brown hair matching her brown eyes. She has a small face with few smiling lines and dusted freckles. She smiles a lot though she still burst out crying randomly every time she remembers she almost lost me, that's getting better too.

The good news is that Ian isn't a relative. Aunt Rosie is my family's most trusted friend and Ian's dad, Uncle Roman was my dad's personal secretary.

My nan visited me a couple of times too, but she seemed awkward around me. She's definitely worried and I can tell how relieved she was that I was fine, but she doesn't seem to know how to act around me. I guess we weren't that close.

Aunt Rosie said my parents died three years ago, and nan took over the business and became workaholic to cope with her loss. I apparently live by myself in a big house, and she ended up looking after me most of the time. 

Somehow, knowing I lost my parents didn't make me as sad as I thought I should. Maybe I had gotten over it and moved on from the pain. Maybe I'm used to not having them around. Or maybe I just can't remember the pain of losing them.

A much as I don't remember anything, I think I must have liked Aunt Rosie a lot because I really hate it when she cries. So, I try my best to assure her I'm okay. I don't want her to worry anymore.

I picked up the prescription paper and watched her get settled on the sofa. I finally managed to convinced her to take a nap.

I just needed to go to the pharmacy and get my prescribed meds and then I'll probably walk a little in the small garden I saw at the back of the hospital. I'm getting tired of my white room as my constant scenery.

I was almost at the pharmacy when a big chunky mass of body crashed into me. My feet are still a little bit unstable from unused for weeks plus whoever crashed into me was really heavy, so we both fell down the ground. I expected the pain to come. But it didn't come. Whoever crashed into me managed to shift our position at the last minute so I'm lying on him as he hit the floor.

I heard a thud and a loud "Dammit!" and it took me a second to realize I'm lying in the chest of a tall blue-haired boy while he's nursing a back that probably hit the floor hard enough for it to crack.

I scrambled to my feet trying to help him up.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you okay?" I asked.

"Alex?" he asked with confusion. My brows furrowed again.

"You know me?" I asked as well. Is this going to be the norm now? Do I have to ask every single person I meet if they know me?

"Are you crazy? Of course, not" he said nonchalantly as he stood up while brushing his back. I guessed it must have hurt a lot form the look of pain in his face.

"But you called me by my name," I said trying to figure out whether I want to know this person or not.

"I know your name. It doesn't mean I know you. Wait... you don't know mine?" he said, looking surprised and offended at the same time. I sighed. Do I really need to explain to this person about my condition? I really just want to get my meds and get out of here.

He shook his head, still baffled.

"Wooah. I know you're a bitch, but I didn't realize you were this heartless. I mean, we've been classmates since preschool man. You should at least know my name." He said looking at me with disdain. Wait, what did he just call me???

"I'm sorry. I can't even remember my own name; I'd be surprised if I can remember you." I said, still trying to be polite... hoping I didn't offend him even more.

"You serious?" he asked looking at me closely, his face just inches from mine. I feel uncomfortable with the sudden closeness, so I took a step back. This man is weird. He doesn't seem to have any concept of personal space, because he took a step forward too and continues to look at me closely. He even bent his knees to look straight to my eyes and I can almost feel his breath in my face. I took another step back.

"Yeah, temporary amnesia because of the accident," I answered, more than a little nervous now.

"Oh, yeah. Shit. I heard about that. You okay now?" he asked, finally standing up and giving me space.

I breathe a sigh of relief.

"I'm okay now. Thank you." I smiled a little. He doesn't seem really worried about me, which weirdly put me at ease. Everyone I met so far had been worried about me.

"Temporary amnesia huh? Dude. That's cool." He said, tapping my shoulder gleefully.

"I don't think there's anything cool with it," I said, frowning.

"No, it's totally cool. I only heard about it in movies and shit and here you are... a living proof it could actually happen. Wait, you actually have it right? You're not just messing with me?" he said, now frowning too.

I just nodded my head. 'Have it?' Like it's some kind of disease? I think that should have offended me, but it didn't. Maybe because he sounded genuinely impressed by it and maybe because he's sporting a really cute frown that makes him look a lot younger than he probably is.

"Kairo." He said suddenly holding his arm out.

"Kairo," I repeated his name as I shook his hand, hoping for some memories to come back, but none did.

He smiled at me and was about to say something when we heard a noise from behind calling him.

"Kairo! Come back here!" a man in his late forties was running towards us, heaving in and out of breath.

"Oops, there they are. I was wondering when they'll catch up. See you later Alex." He said as he ran away, the old man and some nurses on his tail.

I shook my head. What was that about?

I was on my way to the garden when I came across a little play area for kids. It must be terrible staying here when you're that young.

I was watching them from the open door when a nurse found me.

"Do you want to come in?" she smiled nicely. I didn't know what came to me, but I smiled back and nodded.

Some of the children noticed us coming in and stopped playing. I smiled at the little boy who was watching me curiously. He has the sweetest frown lines on his forehead and his tiny face is being framed by his dark curls. He couldn't be anything older than six.

"Hello. I'm Alex. What's your name?" I asked as I sat next to him on the floor where he was drawing.

"I'm Tommy. You're pretty." He said, which made me smile even bigger. The other children started coming towards us as well.

"Thank you, Tommy. What are you guys doing?" I asked them.

"Nothin'. It's so boring here." He complained, and the others chimed in.

"Do you want me to teach you a song? Then we can be like a band, a super cool one" I don't know why I said that but a song came to mind and I wanted to sing it with them.

"Really? Okay. But only if I can be the leader" and he smiled.