Chapter 4

You cannot let other people make a choice for you when you're the only one who gets to live your life and suffer any consequences people's choices may result in.

- Grace Chanbee

[Amber's POV]

I had stopped crying along the way as I accepted my fate and just looked at my surroundings through the window of the bus.

Everything looked so unusual and different. I didn't even remember ever being in somewhere like this. It's not like I remembered a thing, but I expected to have some connection with the environment at least.

I didn't know my identity and I didn't know what having a life felt like. Everything seemed so new and different and I didn't feel like I belonged here.

The bus came to a stop and I peeked at what was going on outside of the bus. There was a garden just before the place I was probably gonna spend the rest of my life in, and people of diverse shapes and sizes were there.

I spotted an old woman, probably the same age as Justin's grandmother. She had thin grey hair and walked with the aid of a....stick. I felt like there was a name for that stick that aided her movement but I couldn't quite remember what it was.

The doors of the bus opened and one of the men asked me to get down.

I involuntarily nodded my head and stepped out of the vehicle.

There was this strange looking girl with brown hair and bulgy green eyes that laughed hysterically and surprisingly ran to hug me but I shifted back before she came any closer to me.

Yikes! So scary.

The men stared at me probably wondering why I had prevented her from hugging me. They however brushed that aside and motioned for me to follow them.

I walked hurriedly with them to prevent any more unwelcomed hugs and crazy laughters.

One of the men opened the door and led me in while the other one went towards the right direction of the garden.

I followed the man all the way to what seemed like a sort of office.

There was this woman putting on white from head to toe and she really looked smart.

Upon seeing me, she stood up from her desk and gave me a broad smile then proceeded to give me a hug.

I smiled back at her. Now, I couldn't mind getting a hug from a sane person as myself and not some weird lunatic, no offence like Justin will say.

I resented myself for thinking about him after vowing a few minutes ago in the bus when I felt lost and alone to never think of him again.

"Hold on, I don't think she likes hugs very much," The man I had followed in said.

The lady looked appalled. "Oh, really?" She withdrew her outstretched arms.

I rolled my eyes thinking of a million and one ways to end somebody's life. I knew I had practically dodged a hug but that was from a crazy clown. Who wouldn't want to be hugged by a lady with the most beautiful face and who was dressed like an angel?

"Have a seat, young woman," The lady said, gesturing at a stool which looked really old and worn out.

I sat obediently like a puppy.

She put on a pair of glasses and sat on a swivel chair, facing me.

The man I had accompanied sat on the other stool in the room.

"Now, what's your name?" She asked, opening a notebook and taking out a pen from her drawer.

I stared at her and blinked nervously.

"What's wrong, sweetie? Tell me your name right now, I don't bite," She said.

I swallowed hard and started drumming my fingers on the table as my heart thumped loudly.

What if she said I was crazy because I didn't know my name? The doctor at Justin's house had told them to bring me here because I didn't seem to have an answer to any of the questions he asked me.

"The people who called to bring her in stated she suffered from a severe accident and lost her memory. I don't think she knows what her name is," The man said.

The lady adjusted her glasses, "Oh, my. So you don't remember who you are?" The lady asked.

I shook my head in the negative.

Facing the man, she asked, "The so-called people that called, who are they to her?"

"They happen to be good Samaritans who found her lying half-dead on the road and took care of her. They also have no idea about who she is," The man said.

The lady sighed, "This is a tough one."

I bowed my head feeling disgusted with myself.

How come a grown-up lady like me didn't even know who she was? I'd been racking my brain to find my identity ever since Justin's grandmother saw me open my eyes for the first time last night when Justin was fast asleep.

It seemed like the lady understood my sad countenance because the next thing I knew, she had gotten up from her chair and she came to stand right in front of me. She then crouched before me and held my hands.

"Sweetheart, I'm going to do everything in my capacity to help you regain your memory and go back to your friends and family, okay?"

I raised my head and gave her a faint smile.

"When you meet someone for the first time, you get to know them by asking for their names first. Now, since you don't know your name, we'll have to get you a new name; a name that all the friends you'll make in this house can call you," The lady said.

I flinched at that information. Sure, I wanted a name but I didn't wanna make friends, not with those crazy bunch of humans.

The lady sat on the desk in front of me and brought out what I remembered vividly as an iPad.

"Now, we're going to find you some beautiful names and you can pick the one you want," She said.

"What's your own name?" I asked.

She looked up and smiled at me. "Can't you read?" She asked.

"I...umm..why are you asking me that?" I retorted.

"Cause I have a name tag right here so you should already know my name," She said, pointing at her left pocket.

All the letters there were clear and I could definitely read them.

"Doctor Tina," I read out loud.

She looked impressed and motioned that I read the man's name tag as well.

"Doctor Sam," I read out loud again.

"Good. At least, we don't have any problem with you reading," She said.

"Can't we just think of a nice name for her? You don't have to search for everything on the internet," Doctor Sam said.

"Are you in a hurry?" She asked.

"No. I just believe we are human beings with common sense. It's unhealthy to not make use of your brain at all and depend on the internet for everything," He said.

"Fine then. Give her a name, I'll agree with whatever you say," She said and dropped the iPad on the desk.

"Since she's as beautiful as a flower, I was thinking of Daisy," He said.

Doctor Tina seemed impressed because she smiled.

"I like the sound of it. Sweetheart, how do you like the name, Daisy?" She asked.

I felt like puking instantly. My mind resented that name for reasons I didn't know and I didn't like it at all.

I shook my head.

"You don't like the name?" Doctor Sam asked.

"I don't," I replied.

"Just get her something else then," Doctor Tina said.

My eyes caught sight of a magazine resting on the far end of the desk.

It seemed familiar and I picked it up.

There was this beautiful lady on the cover of the magazine holding a microphone and she looked really familiar.

"What are you staring at?" Doctor Tina asked, collecting the magazine.

"Who's that?" Doctor Sam asked.

"It's Ariana Grande. Do you like her?" Doctor Tina asked me.

"I don't know...It seems like I know her," I said.

She chortled, "Everybody knows Ariana. Even those who don't know her songs know of her legendary ponytail obsession," She said.

I felt she was mocking me. However, in my head, I saw two people posing for a photograph together. The images in my head were so hazy but I tried my best to see things clearly.

"Since you felt a connection to her, would you like to go by the name, Ariana?" Doctor Sam asked.

I tried to answer him but couldn't. I was so focused on seeing the images clearly.

"I'm your biggest fan, could we perhaps take a picture together?" I heard what sounded like my voice say.

I was feeling really dizzy as I tried hard to remember and grasp what my head was trying to tell me.

I still saw two people posing for a photograph but the images were still so blurry and greenish.

The images however started getting clearer but not so clear.

I blocked out the rest of the world and focused solely on what I was remembering.

One of the people had my stature while the other one packed her hair in a ponytail style. The images were blurry but perhaps it was Ariana Grande and myself.

"We've been calling her name for minutes now. I think she's zoning out," I heard Doctor Tina say.

The images disappeared from my subconscious mind but I still couldn't see clearly.

Everything appeared hazy and my head spun. I tried to keep my eyes open but couldn't and soon, my eyes closed.