MY NAME IS ALEX

Alex

 I was finally able to convince Aunt Rosie to go home and rest. After Ian and the girls visited, Aunt Rosie came with a change of clothes and was determined to sleep here in the hospital again.

I'm feeling much better now though and I feel bad seeing her sleep on the sofa, so I put on my go-home-or-I'll-be-angry face and she finally relented. The woman can be as stubborn as her son.

I was surfing the channels on the massive TV in front of my bed when I heard my door open and close.

I frowned when I saw who my visitor was.

"Kairo?" I asked as I watched him scramble and look around.

"Hello princess, mind sharing a room for a while?" He said but didn't wait for my reply. He took the remote from my hand and started surfing the channels.

"I'm sure you have a TV in your room too," I said, watching with amusement as he settled on the sofa and casually found a cartoon channel to watch.

"They kicked me out of my room. My old man stopped paying for it." He said nonchalantly.

I was surprised. I know we're staying in a really pricey private hospital, so I didn't think Kairo will have financial problems. I don't know why, but I just assumed everyone in this hospital is kind of rich. But maybe his family is having money problems, and if he has to stop his treatment because of it while I'm still staying here when I'm feeling much better, then that is not right at all.

"Oh dear, it must be hard. I'm not really sure how I can help, but I can maybe ask my grandma to help you. It's not right to stop your treatment just because your family is having a money problem." I said, feeling guilty for some reason.

Aunt Rosie told me that my parents left me with enough wealth to keep me comfortable throughout my life. My gran also mentioned that she's managing my dad's business, so I can take over when I'm ready. I feel very fortunate that despite not having my parents anymore, I have people who look after me. It must not be that way for Kairo.

"That's totally cool of you, wait... money problem? What does that mean?" he asked as what I said sunk in.

"Sorry, I just assumed your dad stopped paying because he can't anymore?" I said looking down. I don't want to offend him, but I do want to help if I can. If I have enough money or resource to make sure he's going to get the treatments he needed, then I should, right?

"You're being funny right now. I know you're the heiress to the Montenegro Corp, but I'm not a peasant princess."

"But your dad..."

"He stopped paying for it because he's a tool and because the doctor told him I've been fine since day one." He said, chuckling as if he just said the funniest joke in the world.

"So why are you here?" I asked, confused. Eunice said he's been here longer than I have and that he's here because of a fire accident. She also told me to stay away from him. I didn't ask why and I don't see why I should.

I mean, he does look like trouble with his blue hair and a pierced nose, but something tells me there's more to him than what meets the eyes. Besides, it isn't nice to judge someone because of how they look.

"Because I like it here better than school. Isn't that's why you're still here too? "he asked, seemingly confused as well.

"Ah, no. I'm here because I need to be checked one last time tomorrow then I'm going home." I informed him. Not that going to school isn't scary or anything, but I'm not here by choice either.

"You're going home? Aw man, that sucks! And here I thought I could live here with you for a while." He looked really crushed by the idea. I didn't know what to say and I felt bad I caused it even when it doesn't actually make sense.

"Ah, sorry?" I said instead. I looked at him sincerely, hoping he knows I want to help but can't.

"Woah. Careful princess, you just made my heart flutter." He jumped out of the sofa and sprinted towards me. I don't know how he does that. One minute he's on the sofa, the next thing I knew, his face is right in front me, closer than what's comfortable.

"Huh?" is all I was able to say, trying to lean as far back as possible.

He stayed still, looking me in the eyes with great concentration as if he's trying to search something there. He stayed like that for a minute and I didn't realize I was holding my breath until he shook his head, stood up, and sat next to me in the bed.

"You said sorry. That's a first and it definitely assures me you're still you better amnesiac self." He explained.

"Are you being sarcastic right now? Sorry, I really can't tell. Must be my messed-up brain." I rolled my eyes. I had enough of people being stupidly surprised every time I say sorry or thank you or please. Surely, I wasn't that bad.

"No babes, I'm definitely complementing you right now. I think getting amnesia is the best thing that ever happened to you and to the whole universe. This is a blessing from heaven." He said looking up and putting his palms together as if he's praying.

I looked at him and decided to be honest for once. I've been reassuring people I'm okay for the last week. I've been telling myself it's okay not to remember for now. That I'll be fine. But every time I try to remember and fail, it frustrates me more than I care to admit.

"It totally doesn't feel like it," I told him, feeling the moisture in my eyes. I am crying. I couldn't do that in front of Aunt Rosie, or Ian or the girls because they're worried enough as it is, but I feel like I should be allowed to cry, even if it's in front of someone who doesn't care much, like Kairo.

"Aw, are you crying? Shit, dude, I was just kidding." He panicked. The look on his face was really funny. It's like he's too ready to run any minute. I smiled and wipe the stupid tears from my face.

"I know. It's just, I don't remember anything. I can't even remember my parents. It's terrible that they're gone and I don't even feel sad about it because I don't remember them. People tell me stories and memories of me, but they feel foreign. Like they're just stories. Like they're not mine." I said aloud for the first time. I don't know what it is with Kairo, but I feel like I can tell him stuff and he would just forget them the next minute, so it's okay to spill whatever I like.

"I'd say I understand how you feel, but I don't. It must suck not remembering your parents, but then at least you don't remember the pain of losing them either. I don't know man. But for me, memories are just that... memories. What's wrong about losing them? You can always make new ones." He said rather thoughtfully.

I looked at his face, more carefully this time and realized that the boy is good looking. Not in the angelic way Ian is, but in a troubled bad boy with a lot of angst way. In some way, they are completely opposite. Ian is so beautiful it hurts to look at him, while Kairo has the kind of face you'd want to look at for hours and never get tired doing so. I nudged his arm next to me and teased.

"Woah, careful there Mr. Wisdom, you just made my heart flutter," I said, remembering what he said earlier.

He looked at me, surprised before amusement filled his eyes. He shrugged and started caressing his chin/

"I did, didn't I? It's my curse. Women can't help but fall for me." He said jokingly. I laughed out loud.

"A terrible curse, then." I agreed.

"It is indeed." He fired back.

We talked for a couple more hours with Kairo telling me how he ended up in the hospital and all the tricks and tips he learned on all the fun things we can do while staying here. After a while though, the doctors found him and dragged him away.

It was so funny watching him struggle that I still found myself laughing about it an hour after he's gone. It feels good to laugh and I felt grateful for Kairo's visit.