9
I opened my eyes and found a strange sight, this isn't my room, it was more like a hospital room. I saw that my hands were decorated with IVs and a few small band-aids with lumps of cotton for injection treatment.
"Are you feeling better?" someone asked me, a familiar voice.
"How did I get here?" I asked him. He walked over to me with a cup.
"I found you lying in front of your door when I wanted to drop off your bag that was left behind," he explained.
"Thank you, Deanis. I owe you a lot."
"No problem, I accept payments in installments. You can pay me later on." he joked, enough to make me smile. "I didn't think it could get someone to the hospital," he said.
"Sorry?" I said sorry.
"Your moon day, the results of the examination say that your body is very weak. I just said that you were on a moon day, and they said that was the main factor." explained to me.
"Really?" I pretended to be surprised.
"Yep, your lab results are in the desk drawer." Deanis pointed at the table beside my bed.
"Okay, I'll check later. Thank you very much." I said seriously.
"I think I should go now, something really important came up, do I need to call someone to accompany you?" Deanis offers.
"I'm fine, you can go." I convinced him.
"You mean it, I can buy you something, you name it," Deanis said sure.
"No need, I'm really good, you can go."
"Well, I'll be back as soon as I can. I'm sorry to have to leave." he regretted, and a quick peck on the surface of my hand.
After that Deanis left. Now it's just me and the stench of the hospital. I took out my cell phone and saw hundreds of incoming calls, from Arielle.
O M G !
"Jesus Christ! Where are you?" Arielle shouted on the other side when my call to her was connected.
"In the worst possible place, in turquoise pajamas, and an IV in my hand, and some band-aid." I didn't mention my location right away.
"Oh my God! You were in an accident," she screamed once again everyone within 1km around Arielle must have heard her voice.
"For God's sake, Arielle. Lower your voice. It's not that bad, I just passed out." I explained to him.
"Give me the location, I'll be right there," Arielle demanded, her tone so worried.
"I'm fine, really. You can come here when class ends, I'll probably be here until tomorrow." I answered. I don't know where it came from suddenly a feeling of drowsiness spread throughout my body.
"Tomorrow? How bad are you? Look, I'll be right there, give me the location." Arielle insisted.
"I'm fine, this has happened a lot. I just need to finish a few bottles of IV and then go home." I convinced Arielle.
"You are sure?" she asked just to make sure.
"100%" I answered simply.
"Fine, do you need anything? I'll get it from your room." Arielle offered, exactly what Deanis said.
"No need, just buy me a big gummy bear." This time I asked for something.
"That's all? Are you sure?"
"Yes."
After my call with Arielle ended, I lay back on my bed, feeling even more sleepy. I glanced at the clock before completely closing my eyes, it was 11 in the morning. Then I fell asleep.
***
A nurse woke me up because it was time for dinner, and I had to take my medicine. I'm very used to hospital food, but in Paris, the food is terrible. I can't feel anything. Salt, pepper, or anything else that can make this food taste good. God.
"Hey," said someone behind the door of my room, he smiled and then walked over to me. "How? Better?" he asked.
"Yeah, but the food is terrible," I replied while stirring the food in front of me.
"What do you expect from hospital food." Deanis sat on the edge of my bed. I just realized, Deanis has such beautiful eyes. I can't imagine how lucky his child will be.
"In my country, all hospital food is delicious." I'm bragging.
"So, you've tried all the hospital food in your country. Great!" said Deanis, as he scrutinized my lunch menu.
"Not all actually, just some."
He laughed at my answer. "I don't think trying some hospital food is anything to be proud of." Deanis was right.
"Sure, but I'd rather talk about the food than answer questions about my illness," I answered honestly in a joking tone.
"Sorry,"
"No need, you've been very nice to me and it's not something I'm offended by or anything like," I replied, trying to smile to make him feel less guilty. "What did you bring me?"
Deanis brought out a bunch of flowers with small white petals, so beautiful.
"Oh my God, thank you," I said amazed to see the flowers. "Though it would be better if you brought me some chocolate or some cookies." my joke.
"You want it, I'll go buy it," he said and hurried off.
"No need, I was just kidding Deanis." I really can't hold back my laughter. Now we both laugh together.
"Aubrey!" someone shouted from outside, gosh, I know exactly whose voice it is.
Sure enough, when the door opened, El's face was very worried, she with a group of people behind her. I looked at Arielle with a face demanding an explanation which was only in response with her shoulders raised.
"Oh My God, Dean. How did you get here?" asked El, surprised, they seemed to know each other.
"I brought her here," Deanis explained to El, and everyone was looking at him questioningly. "She fell unconscious in front of her room."
"You're lucky Aubrey," El told me.
"Oh, really. And you guys already know each other?" I want to know.
"Oh my God, Aubrey. You don't know who he is?" El asked quite surprised.
"Deanis," I answered simply.
"That's it? You mean it?" El asked, she was waiting for a response from me. Well, I never really wanted to know. "Okay, I'll explain. Deanis McFrust, majoring in Music, second year, college pride, and handsome," explained El with great pride in her knowledge.
I responded with applause I didn't expect him to be known by everyone. I looked at the man who had just been identified by El. He put on a very annoying face.
"How did you all get here?" I said to all of them. Do you want to know who El brought? Hilaire, Reine, Emilie and Nethan.
"Oh that's easy, I followed Arielle. She's so easy to read." El explained casually.
"Oh, good to you," said Arielle annoyed.
"Thanks," replied El coolly.
"Thank you, Arielle," I said thank you.
"As long as you're happy, Aubrey."
"So, what happened to get you here?" Nethan finally spoke up.
"Deanis explained it, I passed out," I explained briefly.
"Yeah, but why did you pass out?" asked Nethan again, he walked over to my bed.
"Stressed, maybe."
"And?" this time Nethan put his hand on my forehead, you know, like checking my temperature.
"Just stressed, I think."
"Her blood pressure was very low when she first checked, I thought maybe it was because she was on a moon day." Deanis helped me explain.
Nethan opened the desk drawer beside the bed and took my lab results.
"What's that?" El asked curiously.
"My lab results, do you understand how to read them?" I asked Nethan.
"A little," Nethan was lost in the scholarly paper, and perhaps only Sherlock Holmes understood what it contained.
"So, what did it says?" I asked curiously.
"Stress," replied Nethan too briefly.
"And?" I asked more.
"Heart-broken." this is stupid.
"What???"
"That's what it said," Nathan reassured.
"I don't believe you," I said.
"You don't have to" he joked, "But, I'm glad you're fine." and a hug he gave me.
After that the others came to hug me too, just like Nethan, the only difference was that my girls made an "Owwww" sound when we hug. I talked a lot with them, spending the rest of the evening. El told me a lot of things that happened on campus during my absence, well, although I only missed one day.
When visiting hours finally ended I asked the others to go home, Arielle had insisted to accompany me, but I refused because it would be very uncomfortable sleeping on the sofa. So Arielle understood and finally went home. I asked Nethan to stay a little longer, I have something to ask him.
"So what did he tell you?" I asked Nethan matter-of-factly.
"He?" asked Nethan, I bet he knows who I mean. Nethan pulled up a chair on the other side of the room and moved it next to my bed.
"Traynor," I answered and relented.
"I don't know if you call him Traynor too," said Nethan pleasantly. When Nethan finally sat down in his chair, I looked at Nethan with a demanding look. "Well, he said you didn't answer your phone and went out 'til night without a word," he explained.
"Then?" sue me again.
"He snapped at you," Nethan continued to explain.
"Continue." definitely more than that, I'm sure.
"You said that you two weren't a couple," he explained again.
"We're not," I said frankly.
"Yep, but it hurts him." Nathan joked.
"You are overreacting," I answered not responding to his jokes.
"I saw him, he was hurt." Nethan looks serious.
"Okay, then?" I asked again, trying not to care too much.
"Only that." obviously Nethan ends the story.
"Only that?" I demand more.
"Yep," said Nethan finished it.
"Impossible." I don't believe it.
"What do you expect?" Nethan wanted to know more.
"He lied to me." I finally said.
"Well, I don't know that part."
"Last afternoon I asked him to come to see me in the cafeteria, and he said he couldn't." I started to explain.
"And you're angry about that?" Nathan is judging.
"No. He couldn't come because he said he had important business and had to go, but after I got back to class Arielle said that Jeffyin had been in the cafeteria all lunchtime, sitting in the back seat." I said full of emotion. I almost cried. "Sorry, it's my hormones."
"I know," replied Nethan understanding. He got a tissue for me. "Look, something must have happened that he didn't tell you the truth and I'm sure it wasn't because he was bored with you or anything. He couldn't have asked you out if he wasn't really serious." Nethan gave me understanding.
My tears finally really flowed, did I misjudge him.
Nethan held my hand tightly, "I don't know how you feel about Jeffyin, but I'm sure his explanation is worth for you to hear if you care."
"I care," I defended myself.
"Good, because Jeffyin won't do anything for nothing," Nethan reassured me again.
"Thank you, Nathan."
"I'm always there if you need me, Aubrey. Now rest."
I lay down, the remnants of tears still flowing. Nethan continues to hold my hand until I fall asleep.
***
"You ready to go home, Miss Aubrey?" said someone at the door of the hospital room, his voice startled me.
"Tom?" I said no less surprised after seeing who it was.
"I've come to serve you miss." He said while bending his body about 60 degrees with the ten fingers he met on his stomach.
"You don't have class?" I asked still not believing what I saw.
"I have, but someone threatened to kill me if I didn't pick you up," Tom explained to me.
"Jesus, is it Arielle or Elainne?"
"Try to guess," said Tom. I can only laugh, whoever sent Tom, I'm very grateful. "Is there anything I can help with?" Tom offered to help.
"I'm fine thank you."
"Ready to go, miss?" said Tom as he opened the door for me like a palace maid.
"Yes, I'm ready."
Tom drove me safely to the hostel, I offered to stop by, just sit down and have a coke. Don't worry, my refrigerator can serve guests, but Tom refuses because he has other things to do. I couldn't help it, picking me up at the hospital was enough to bother him I'm sure.
I'm planning to go to the basketball room tonight, my whole body is stiff from lying down for too long. This time I brought one bottle of mineral water, I needed it.
At half-past ten at night, the campus was already very quiet, surely the rest of the people were in the cafeteria. I walked down the campus building, and some of the lights were still on. Cold air came past my neck which seemed real because of the hair I tied up high. Just before arriving in front of the basketball room, a message came on my cell phone.
'Where r u?' it's written there.
I was initially hesitant to reply to his message, but I couldn't keep dodging. I walked into the room while replying to the message. "westcast Basketball".
I turned on the spotlight that was right in the middle of the field, the light was enough to help my vision. I walked to the stands to put down my water bottle but was stopped by the ringing of an incoming message, the sound sounded quite far from me, but true in this room.
I tried to look around until I finally found the owner of the cellphone, I screamed a little surprised when I saw it, first because I thought I saw the ghost of Paris, second because I finally knew who he was.
"Hey," I say, trying to make this less awkward.
"Hey," he answered, he walked slowly down the stairs. "Sorry for the surprise. Are you feeling better?" he asked.
"How does it look?"
"You are alright," he answered, his face slowly getting light from the spotlight above me. "Does Tom make you uncomfortable?" he asked again.
"It was you?"
"Yes, does that bother you?"
"No, it's fine. Tom kept me laughing all the way through." I explained, all to lighten the mood.
"You finally replied to my message," he said, to the point.
"Yep," I answered, I untied my hair, letting this hair fall loose.
"Thank you." now he was in front of me, under the light.
"Can you come closer?" I said I missed him.
"Sure," Jeffyin stepped without hesitation.
At that second I clasped my hands on Jeffyin's face, then pulled his face even closer. His lips have landed perfectly on mine, I kissed him briefly.
"I'm sorry," he said.
I kissed him again, "Give me an explanation." He was silent and didn't even touch me one bit. "I'm waiting."
"You said someone else's name when you said goodnight to me," he explained to me, I didn't think that was the reason.
I kissed him again, this time a little longer. "So that's why you lied to me?"
"I didn't lie to you anything." The answer pissed me off.
I removed my hand from his face and walked away. "You said you had things to do and you had to leave when I asked you to come to see me at lunchtime, but you were there, sitting in the backseat."
"Oh God, I'm sorry Rain." Jeffyin immediately hugged me.
"Then why are you so mad at me? I mean, you exploded when we talked that night." I asked in his arms.
"I, I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I promise." he regrets.
"That's not the case, Jeffyin. I need an explanation." now I'm away once again, I need to see his face.
"I thought you went out to have fun with someone else and ignored my calls," he said.
How shocked I was to hear his reason, "Oh my God," I hugged him again, "That would never happen."
"I'm scared," he said.
"Of what, exactly?" I asked.
"Losing you," he said slowly.
The sentence was so short, a false excuse that I often hear in novels or tv-series. Do you know? When you are too often fooled by people who always say you are everything to him but immediately leave when asked to fight for what you live, a word that is the most romantic in the world will not feel anything to you.
But somehow when Jeffyin said it, those words touched the deepest point of my heart, the part that I guarded the most against someone's presence.
"But Jeffyin, you're afraid of losing something that's not yours. That's a little weird, I think." I joked, well, I'm a little foreign to this kind of atmosphere.
"Okay, I think we need to confirm this. You and I, we are together... right?" his eyes probing, expecting high at the answer I was about to give.
"Yeah Jeffyin, I'm now in front of you and it's just the two of us, so you right, we're together." My answer solves this.
"That's not what I mean Rain, I mean you and I, we..." Jeffyin looked at me waiting for a response from me.
"For God's sake, I don't understand what you mean Jeffyin," I say.
"For God's sake too Rain, do I have to explain this?" Jeffyin replied that he made the same tone I spoke before.
"Yeah, not only do you need to explain it, but you also need to get it right, I mean if it's true you want this to be official," I demanded of him.
"Should I?" the answer is not sure.
"I'm not forcing you, Jeffyin. You said yourself that you were afraid of losing me and thought about me-may-just-go-with-someone else. So make it official, then we'll see if anyone will ask me out or not." He was silent, I don't know what he was thinking because of that flat face. "I'm fine if you don't want to make this clear."
"I'll think about it." Said Jeffyin.
"What?" I asked to make sure he understood.
"You do you mean 'what'?"
"What will you think carefully?" I explained my question.
"I will think carefully and very seriously about how to make you mine."
I just responded with a smile because he did everything I wanted.