[1st January]
"Oh," was all Dylan's sister mumbled as she stood by Jay's almost lifeless body. Various machines plugged into him as his chest raised and descended ever so softly.
The beeping noises used to be painful, but they turned into a common sound.
"So, that's what happened..."
"I know it's a lot to take in," I began.
"Since you were gone for so long..." I said uncertainly. I glanced at the doors, expecting Nick to step through them with Jay's daily report.
Hell, I haven't even gotten her name yet. We had a couple of classes together, how was that even possible?
"Jay and I were never really that close, so I'm not that much concerned by this," she claimed, arms hanging loosely at her sides.
"But you seemed close with Rikki."
She glanced at me, then down on her dress shoes. Her eyes wrinkled slightly as she let out a faint sigh.
The doors slid open and Nick's head poked in.
"Visiting hours are over," he declared, causing Dylan's sister to furrow her brows.
"But the hospital is running 24/7?"
"We created a curfew for ourselves so Jay could rest in solace." Dylan's sister chortled.
"As you can see, he's-"
"Ivy," Nick intervened sternly, making her stop.
"It's time to get home, please."
Ivy sighed heavily, followed by a nod.
"I guess I am kind of exhausted." she walked through the door, Nick and I trailed after.
It was silent throughout the whole trip down the hospital's exit. Ivy was indifferent as she hummed tunes in the elevator ride.
"I guess this is where we part, bye-bye." Ivy hummed, already twisting her feet to part ways.
"But we're all going to the bus stop? Let's go together,"
"Nah, I'll be stopping by the store for a bit to get a few things. You two go ahead!" with a swift wave, Ivy skipped out of sight.
"Let's go," Nick touched my shoulder, nudging his chin to the direction of the booth. I nodded, following after him.
Once again in secrecy, we gazed at the sky as snow dropped and melted on our faces. Streetlights were lit and there was no one in sight, except for the two of us.
Then, my mind traveled to recollections I didn't appreciate at all.
"Want me to ask him for you?"
Oh, God.
I felt my face warm up as I remembered Silas' suggestion. I wondered if he had already confronted...
"Ethel," Nick's voice made me pause in my steps. I looked up at him with startled eyes.
"You're blushing all over."
Crap!
"Oh! It's because of the cold..." I blamed winter.
Nick smiled softly before stripping his woolly scarf to wrap it around my neck. I couldn't even protest. As soon as he enveloped it around me, I no longer tremble or felt like I was in cold waters.
"Thank you..." I muttered, reaching to pull the scarf closer.
"You're welcome." we began pacing again.
"...have the court gotten back to you yet?" I asked, seeking to rid the silence.
Nick shook his head with an exhale. A puff of white mist escaped his lips.
"I don't think they would update so soon. Maybe in a week, at least." he turned to me with a small smile.
"Let's be patient," he said.
I gave him a curt nod.
We reached the bus stop. As foreseen, there were not many people seated around the booth. Only a few who were longing to get home after their late-night shift.
"I was expecting Silas to come with you today," I told.
"He didn't like the hospital air. He gets queasy at the smell of medicine." he drew out his phone.
"Silas told me he was on the way to an internet café with Ethan about an hour ago. I guess he should be fine." Nick sighed. It sounded like he was reassuring himself since he spent most of his time together with his twin.
It was unsettling to him to part with his other half.
Nick and I chose to sit at the back of the bus, though it was mostly empty. The back seats were the comfiest, but also the dirtiest. So, we were blessed to find only a spilled slushy cup on the carpet.
I offered Nick the window seat, to which he gratefully accepted.
After a few minutes of waiting, the bus door locked and the vehicle began to roll. Every adult on the bus was either taking a nap or scrolling through their phones, scheduling their time for the day after.
It was somewhat calming, late-night bus rides.
But it was also awkward to strike up conversations with your companion since the ride was so silent. I had a question I'd been intending to ask Nick so I decided to speak in a whisper.
"Nick?" my voice hushed.
"Hm?" he responded just as softly. He met my gaze and I immediately turned away.
"Do you...do you have someone you like?" I glanced at him. He looked taken aback by the question.
"Why are you asking, Ethel?" He asked though he didn't sound defensive.
"Just...curious. You're closed off and strict with how your life goes, you know. Just wanted to know if someone like you ever...liked anybody." I mentally patted myself on the shoulder for coming up with that on the spot.
Nick was speechless as he shifted his gaze to his lap. "Well..." he began after a second.
"I don't think I'm in the right place to...love, right now. With the court, school, and home stuff...I'm too occupied to even think about it." I nodded.
Understandable, so maybe it was all just a misinterpretation-
"But," he said.
"Something has been bothering me recently, and it's kind of irritating." I gulped in anxiousness.
"...what is bothering you?" I asked.
Nick paused, then after a while, he smiled and shook his head.
"I believe it will go away if I don't think about it for too long. It's probably nothing, don't worry." he patted my shoulder reassuringly before withdrawing to the window.
I noticed how his smile vanished almost immediately.
This is so complicated.
-
I was snoozing off on my desk thirty minutes before class commences when I was suddenly shaken awake. Harshly.
"Hey!" I immediately yelled at whoever it was that woke me up from my morning snooze. I barely got any sleep last night pondering over what Nick meant in the bus ride.
Johnny snickered as he stood tall before me. "You're drooling all over the desk, toddler." T-toddler!? I profusely wiped my mouth and scowled at him. This brat.
"Hello!" Ethen moon-walked to the window sill next to my desk, seemingly in a good mood today.
"Did you have fun in the internet café last night?" I asked, stretching my arms.
"Of course! I beat my high score in a racing game and we almost got into a fight with the cashier guy!" I paused.
"You what?"
"What can I say? He gave us too little nachos. Plus, we paid twenty bucks for it!"
Before I could say anything else, the door burst open, revealing the twins.
Our eyes were wide open, we've never seen them so distressed before.
"It's announced," Nick said, his phone clutched in his palm.
"What is?" Dylan pulled away from his lollipop with a pop.
"The court trial."