The Masked Feelings

*** Tasha's POV ***

"Hey, you're awake!" The man exclaimed after the doctor had left. I furrowed my eyebrows at him in return. Who was this guy? Why was he talking to me? He was handsome, my God was he handsome. His hair was styled into perfection, his intent brown eyes that were wide, watching me like a hawk. Although he was wearing a simple shirt and jeans you could tell he had a good body. His musky scent was strong and intoxicating yet familiarly unfamiliar. He had light bags around his eyes that you could only notice if you really looked, but they were present.
"Who are you?" I blurted out, after studying his face and coming to the conclusion that I didn't recognise him. His mouth parted slightly, and hurt took over his features before he composed himself and gave me a forced smile.
"Cristiano." He answered and I squinted my eyes at him when he offered his hand to shake. Cristiano, I felt like I should remember that name, in fact, I felt like I should know him. Like he was something or someone to me but I simply couldn't remember him.

"Why do I feel like I should recognise your name?" I asked, my eyes flicking from side to side as I thought intensely about this stranger standing before me.
"I don't know. It's just one of those names I guess." He replied and I then put two and two together. He's the voice that had been speaking to me while I was in my coma... I considered asking him about what the hell he was on about when he was speaking to me, but decided against interrogating a stranger... for the time being.
"And let me guess, you've also got one of 'those faces 'as well?" I teased and he let out a short chuckle. As the conversation continued I was certain that there must have been some kind of history between us. I could feel the unspoken tension between us, and the words that he spoke, trying to conceal did little help to cover it.

"Ok; seriously. I'm sure that I know you from somewh-" I began before being cut off by four bodies running into the room. As they came closer I recognised them. "Sara, Iker, Pilar and Sergio! Oh my goodness; is it you?" I asked shocked at their sudden appearance.
"Yeah, it's us! I thought that maybe you'd forgotten about us!" Sara gushed and I frowned at her.
"What do you mean that maybe I'd forgotten about you guys? Why would I forget about you?" I blurted out and the five of them all exchanged awkward glances, until Pilar covered,
"Oh, no! It's just a figure of speech!" I looked at the others warily and they all nodded forceful and I decided to let it go, for now.
"Um, I'm going to go get some coffee." Cristiano announced suddenly and walked out of the room.
"Ur, yeah; me too." Iker and Sergio both agreed and ran out of the room, catching up with Cristiano.

"Ok, guys; who the hell is Cristiano? Why is he in my room?" I whispered, careful not to be too loud in case the boys were listening in from outside the room. Pilar and Sara both looked at each other cautiously, and I frowned yet again. Why were they all acting so suspicious? I could tell that they were hiding something, I just didn't know what.
"Um, he's just a good friend of Sergio and Iker and he wanted to meet you." Pilar explained, but it made no sense. The was that Cristiano was talking to me while I was in a coma was not of a stranger. He also talked about Bella, who was she? His daughter? Why would he talk about his daughter to a stranger. Something wasn't right about this.
"Ok, then who is Bella?" I asked and Sara let out a quiet, yet noticeable gasp which she tried to cover up with a cough, but failed. Miserably.
"Um, Bella's his daughter." Sara clarified, avoiding eye contact. She was lying. I could tell that she was. Straight through her teeth, but before I could push further on the subject, Cristiano, Sergio and Iker all came through the door. They all gave me strained smiles, and walked around my bed.

*** Cristiano's POV ***

"Cristiano." I answered, hoping, praying that it would trigger her memory. I searched in her eyes and watched as they flicked from side to side, showing how deep in thought she was.
"Why do I feel like I should recognise your name?" Tasha asked, and my heart fluttered a little, that she did have some kind of memory about me.
"I don't know. It's just one of those names I guess." I replied, and her face showed shock before returning to her usual expression. It didn't matter how much I wanted to tell her everything. I couldn't. If I did it could ruin her recovery. This was something that she needed to figure out on her own, and I just prayed that she would; eventually.

"And let me guess, you've also got one of 'those faces 'as well?" She countered with a teasing smile and I let out a short chuckle. As the conversation continued I could tell that she was catching onto my lies. The unspoken tension between us was growing and despite the words that I spoke, in a pathetic attempt to hide the truth gave very little protection.

"Ok; seriously. I'm sure that I know you from somewh-" She began before being cut off by four bodies sprinting into the room. "Sara, Iker, Pilar and Sergio! Oh my goodness; is it you?" Tasha asked shocked at their sudden appearance. My heart whimpered silently as pathetic jealousy consumed me. She remembered them, but not me?
"Yeah, it's us! I thought that maybe you'd forgotten about us!" Sara gushed and I watched closely as Tasha's expression transformed into a frown.
"What do you mean that maybe I'd forgotten about you guys? Why would I forget about you?" Tasha asked curiously, clearly confused. The five of us looked at each other warningly, signalling to quickly cover up. I'm sure that the nurses called them to let them know that Tash was awake; and when they told them, they also ,mentioned of Tasha's memory loss.
Luckily, Pilar quickly covered, "Oh, no! It's just a figure of speech!" As soon as Iker started nodding in agreement, all five of us joined in trying to persuade Tasha to believe us. I could see the resistance in her eyes, but thankfully she chose to let it slip... For now...
"Um, I'm going to go get some coffee." I suddenly announced, walking out of the room.
"Ur, yeah; me too." I heard Iker and Sergio echo behind me and run out of the room, catching up with me.

"Dude, I'm sorry about Tash, I know that it's not what you wanted." Sergio began, looking at me sympathetically. Although I know that he was being genuinely sincere, it didn't change my attitude at the moment.
"Not what I wanted? That's right. This is far from what I wanted. In fact, this is the complete opposite of what I wanted." I replied, raising my voice. I sighed before continuing, "look, I'm sorry about that outburst but you've got to understand that right now I'm hurting, a lot. I have to look at Tash and pretend that I don't feel anything. I have to pretend that she's a stranger and lie about every memory that we spent together, It sucks. It really does." I finished, with a soft voice as we made it to the front of the cue at the coffee machine.
"Look, I'm not even going to pretend that I know what you're going through, but let's face it. You've put Tasha through hell and back. You broke her heart twice, that's going to cause her pain and that's why she's forgotten you. It's easier for her that way - but don't worry I'm sure that she'll remember you eventually, you can't forget 6 years of your life quite so easily." Iker explained, while making the coffee's and handing them out to the three of us.
"I know, but what if she doesn't remember me? What do I do then?" I asked, openly showing my greatest fear of this situation. I don't know how Bella would cope if her mum never remembered her.
"I don't know is my honest answer, I really don't know." Iker replied, as we walked back into the room, clearly interrupting a deep conversation.