Elina jumps up. "It's our turn."
Why us? Instinctively, I shake my head. "Go ahead, I'll wait for you here."
Instead of leaving, she extends her hand to me. "Come with me. I want you to meet him."
Even though I have no idea what this is supposed to achieve, I take her hand and accompany her into the examination room.
"Noah, this is Klaus," Elina says, closing the door behind me. Normally, she would warmly greet her friend now. Instead, she stands right by the door, giving him only a brief wave.
As if she wanted to block the exit.
Something is not right here.
"Hello, Noah." The doctor smiles at me warmly, then motions toward a sofa. "Please, have a seat. Elina, will you join us?"
Wait. What kind of doctor is he anyway? And why should I sit on his sofa? I quickly look around. There's no treatment table or medical equipment here. Just this couch. In front of it is a long glass table with a table fountain. And a chair.
I whirl around to face Elina. "What is going on here?"
She takes a step toward me and gently places her hands on my upper arms. "Klaus will help you get rid of your nightmares about the accident," she says in a tone as if she's trying to calm a distressed animal. "So that your fatigue disappears. And you can enjoy your life again."
Get rid of my nightmares? The ones I only know from Elina's stories?
He wants to talk to me about Julian.
That will never happen.
I ball my fists. "By rummaging around in my head?" My voice almost breaks.
Elina lowers her gaze, looking remorseful. Then she nods.
"No." I abruptly break free from her grip. How dare she lure me into such a trap? I can't believe that she, of all people, would do this to me.
"Give him a chance. Please." Now she lifts her eyes and looks at me with that exact fighting spirit I admired in her just minutes ago.
But now I can't stand it.
Not at all.
"You should stay away from things you don't understand." I stare at her in disbelief. "You have no idea what demons you're conjuring here."
"You're mistaken." She straightens her shoulders, while this Klaus attentively listens to our conversation. "I know everything," she says, keeping her gaze fixed on me.
Everything? What does that mean?
"You went hiking with Julian. A storm surprised you. He fell, and since then, everyone believes you're responsible for his death. Even you. You've withdrawn from all social contacts and only focus on punishing yourself."
She can't know that. I didn't tell her these details. "What the hell..." My head becomes even heavier, adding to the intense throbbing pain in my forehead. Yet suddenly, my thoughts become clear.
I know exactly what's going on here.
"You spied on me," I say tonelessly.
Unbelievable. She's no better than the villagers who abused my trust and reveled in my misfortune.
And I was such an idiot to actually believe that she loved me.
"Noah..."
She can spare me this pretense. Since we met, it has never been about me. Miss Super Doctor only wanted to solve the puzzle of my fatigue. So she could have a sense of accomplishment and feel important.
"I shouldn't have trusted you." Just like I shouldn't have trusted the villagers who tore apart everything I told them. "How foolish I was to be blinded by you." Suddenly, my tone becomes so icy that I shudder.
I look at Elina with disappointment.
She stares back as if she's still fighting for something that has long been lost. Doesn't she realize? Doesn't she see what she's doing to me with this ambush? "Talk to Klaus. Please, Noah. Then you'll realize that..."
Disheartened, I avert my gaze from the woman who just tore a hole in my heart that can never be mended. "When I come back from the afternoon shift tomorrow, your things better be gone from my house. Clear?"
There's nothing but pain inside me. Barely have I spoken the words when an overwhelming fatigue takes hold of me. I have just enough strength left to flee from this cursed examination room.
