Chapter 16 — The Quiet Between Us
Trina woke to the faint hum of the hospital AC.
Not the kind of quiet that felt peaceful
but the kind that felt heavy.
Roomy's head rested on the mattress beside her arm, his fingers loosely curled near her own, like even in sleep he didn't want to let go.
Alex was sitting on the chair across the room, leaning forward, elbows on his knees.
Watching.
Thinking too much.
Trina blinked slowly, her lashes trembling once.
No tears.
No shock.
Just awareness.
She ignored the IV.
Ignored the ache in her back.
Ignored the memory of falling.
Her eyes moved to the table beside the bed.
There was a water jug. A glass.
Her throat felt like paper.
She slowly reached for it.
Pain lanced up her spine sharp and sudden.
She froze, inhaling through her teeth.
Alex stood instantly.
He was beside the bed before she could try again.
"You should've said something," his voice was low, not angry — just too tight.
"You could have asked. I was right here."
She didn't meet his eyes.
"You were asleep."
Alex stiffened.
Roomy shifted slightly but didn't wake.
Trina tried again, slower this time.
Alex gently took the jug from the table and poured the water for her, precise, careful , too careful like she might shatter if he wasn't.
He held the glass toward her.
When she reached for it, her fingers trembled.
The glass slipped.
Alex caught it before it could fall, but the movement brought him closer .. tooclose ,their faces only a breath apart.
Trina's eyes lifted.
Not warmth.
Not anger.
Just a quiet emptiness.
"If this were before," she whispered, voice flat, "I would have laughed at myself. Or yelled. Or… something."
Alex watched her ,really watched her like never before , like he's now memorising the three moles around her eyes that always intrigued him.
"What changed?"
Trina didn't respond.
Because how do you explain falling through two worlds and waking up not entirely in either?
She took the glass from his hand this time, slowly, carefully, as though the effort itself was measured.
Roomy finally stirred, blinking awake, eyes widening when he saw her sitting up.
"Trina!!! You're awake, oh thank God!"
His voice cracked as he reached for her hand.
Trina looked at him.
Softly.
But the softness didn't reach her eyes.
"I'm awake," she said.
But it sounded like she was answering a question neither of them had asked.
Roomy froze ; because he could feel it too now.
Something in her was missing.
Or something new was in its place.
Alex swallowed, looking at her differently now ,not confused, not angry, but cautious.
Like he was seeing her for the first time.
And somewhere, faint but unmistakable, behind Trina's eyes
something glowed.