I pull her into me without thinking, my arms wrapping around her like if I let go she might disappear again.
“You’re okay,” I breathe, the words spilling out like a chant, like something I need to hear to believe. “You’re okay, you’re okay—”
She exhales shakily against me, her hands weakly gripping my shirt.
“I… think so,” she murmurs.
Think so.
That’s not enough. I pull back just enough to look at her properly, my hands moving to her face, checking, searching.
Her eyes are open.
Focused.
But there’s a slight delay to her movements that makes my chest tighten all over again.
“You hit your head,” I say quickly, my voice sharper now, more urgent. “Does it hurt? Are you dizzy? Do you feel nauseous?”
“I’m fine,” she insists, her voice soft but steady.
There’s blood on her. She is not fine.
“I’m calling an ambulance.” She doesn't argue much which is a confirmation that she's hurt. I fumble with my phone, my fingers clumsy as I dial. I don’t even remember what I say.
Something about an accident. Location. Injuries.
My voice sounds foreign to my own ears—too controlled for what I’m feeling, like my body has decided to handle this while the rest of me is still stuck in that moment where I couldn’t see her.
I hang up and look back at her immediately.
She’s watching me.
And there’s something in her expression that doesn’t match the situation.
Something soft.
Something almost…amused.
“I’m okay,” she repeats gently.
I shake my head, crouching in front of her now, my hands still on her, like I need to keep checking she’s real.
“No, don’t—don’t do that,” I mutter, more to myself than her. “Stay with me, okay? Just—just answer me a few things.”
Her lips twitch.
“Ishika,” I say firmly. “What’s your name?”
She blinks at me.
“You're asking my name while saying my name in the same sentence,” she scoffs. Okay, she may be okay considering her sense of humor is intact. I ignore her comment though. “Good,” I nod quickly. “Do you know where you are?”
“Road,” she says, then frowns slightly. “Near…your place.”
Close enough.
“Okay,” I breathe. “Do you know who I am?”
