Chapter 4 THE GIRL I'M NOT

Glenira's pov

As I slowly opened my eyes, I was met with a wave of confusion. I wasn't sure where I was or how I got there. But what really threw me off was the fact that I was awake at all. I had no memory of... well, anything. But somehow, I knew I wasn't supposed to be alive.

I looked down at my hands, and they were foreign to me. They were younger, smoother, and more delicate than I remembered. I flexed my fingers, and a shiver ran down my spine as I realized that these hands, this body, wasn't mine.

But whose was it?

I sat up straight, taking in my surroundings. I was in a hospital room, surrounded by beeping machines and sterile white walls. A faint smell of antiseptic hung in the air.

A nurse burst into the room, her eyes wide with surprise. " Oh my... you're awake! " she exclaimed, rushing to my side.

I tried to speak, but my voice was hoarse from disuse. " I... I'm fine, " I croaked.

The nurse nodded, still looking stunned. " You've been in a coma for two weeks. We thought... we thought we might lose you. "

I looked around the room, trying to piece together what had happened. But everything was a blur. I turned to the nurse, hoping she could fill in the gaps. " Who... who am I?" I asked, feeling a sense of trepidation.

The nurse's expression softened. " You're Michelle, sweetie. Your family has been worried sick about you. "

Michelle? That wasn't my name. But as I searched my mind, I realized that I had no memory of my past life. Only fragments of thoughts and emotions that didn't feel like mine.

The nurse left to call the doctor, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I smiled wryly to myself, feeling a sense of wonder and trepidation. I was alive, but in a new body, with a new mind. And I had no idea how I got here or what lay ahead.

The doctor bustled in after about a two minutes, a look of surprise on his face. " Michelle, can you hear me? "he asked, shining a light in my eyes.

I nodded, still trying to wrap my head around my new surroundings.

He checked my vitals, poking and prodding me with a practiced air. But I could sense his confusion - everything seemed normal, but I wasn't reacting like I should.

He stepped out of the room, phone in hand, and I heard him muttering something about " Kathleen " and "Beta Matthew ".

Before I could process what was happening, a couple more minutes later, a middle-aged woman burst into the room, tears streaming down her face. " Michelle! Oh, my baby! " she exclaimed, rushing to my side.

I flinched, unsure of how to react. This woman seemed to know me, but I had no memory of her.

The woman, Kathleen, hugged me tightly, sobbing into my shoulder. I patted her back awkwardly, feeling like an imposter.

A tall, imposing man followed her into the room - Beta Matthew, I assumed. He looked at me with a mix of surprise and wariness.

As they helped me finish my meal, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was living someone else's life, I felt irritated by the thoughts she held in her head, they were puerile and i wasn't surprised, i was still a young adult, by ' I ' i meant the Michelle's body.

Before I knew it, they were wheeling me out of the hospital, taking me to a home I'd never seen before. Kathleen chattered excitedly about "getting me settled" and "helping me recover", but I tuned her out, overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sights and sounds.

As we pulled up to a cozy suburban house, I felt a sense of disorientation. This was my home? I had no memory of it.

Kathleen helped me out of the car, and I stumbled, my legs unsteady. Beta Matthew caught me, his grip firm but gentle.

" Welcome home, Michelle," he said, his voice low and soothing.

But I wasn't Michelle. I was Glenira, trapped in a stranger's body. And I had no idea how to escape and I didn't want to escape, this felt like the family I once had but lost. I was grateful but still confused.

As we entered the house, Kathleen led me upstairs to a room that was supposedly mine. I felt like an intruder at first, surrounded by unfamiliar walls and belongings.

Paintings of horses and sunsets adorned the walls, and books on romance and fantasy novels cluttered the desk. The room was a teenage girl's sanctuary, but it didn't feel like mine.

Kathleen smiled warmly. " Make yourself at home, sweetie. It'll take some time to get used to, but this is your space now." She then turned and left, probably to go make dinner or something- I didn't really care.

I nodded, still feeling like an imposter. The bed, with its fluffy pillows and colorful blankets, seemed inviting, but I hesitated before sitting down.

Beta Matthew entered the room, his tall frame filling the doorway. He gazed at me with a gentle smile, but I felt intimidated, lowering my head to avoid his eyes.

He approached me slowly, his footsteps quiet on the carpet. Then, he wrapped his arms around me in a warm hug. " We're so glad you're home, Michelle. We love you so much."

I felt a surge of discomfort, unsure of how to respond. This man, my supposed father, was showing me affection, but I didn't know him. I didn't know myself.

As he released me and left the room, I felt a mix of emotions: comfort, cringe, and confusion. This was my new life, but it didn't feel like mine. I am Glenira, no- was Glenira. That brief moment nearly made me cry as I sat back and looked through the window, out into a bright blue sky, I knew deep down that this was just a beautiful beginning for something grandeur, and I needed to cherish every single moment, no matter how trivia.