As I turn around, I see someone who gives me the strangest sense of deja Vu. A young girl with sickly pale white skin, thin spindly frame, sandy blonde hair that borders on being pure white, with fiercely intelligent emerald green eyes staring back at me. The only drop of color in an otherwise black and white photo of a person.
"Oh, it's coma boy? You're finally awake. I'm sure Sampson is glad you're up." The pale girl says nonchalantly with a faint smile.
"Who are you? How do you know my brother?" I ask the girl.
"You can call me, Kira. And your brother would tend to wander the halls..." Kira says while looking to me, "I think I see where he gets it from. Anyways, I was having a not-so-good day and he came in and talked my ear off about big brother this and big brother that. It was annoying, but it kept me distracted so I let him continue keeping me company."
"Well, I'm sorry if he was a nuisance and I'm sorry for interrupting your peace and quiet." I apologize with a small nod.
"Nah, you're fine. It's nice to have the company between my brother's visits. By the way, what're you in here for? Didn't want to upset the little guy by asking." Kira shrugs while giving me an inquisitive look.
"Little guy? Aren't you two the same age?" I ask trying to measure her height from this distance.
A grave expression crosses her face before she says in a deadpan tone, "I'm 14..."
I give an awkward smile before rubbing the back of my neck with my left hand and saying, "Oh... I was in a bad car wreck. Some things are a bit fuzzy up here," I point to my head, "But they say I should make a full recovery. What about you?"
As I ask her a wistful smile grows on her face, "Isn't that nice? No clue what's wrong with me… No matter how many tests they run… No matter how many times they stick me… I just keep getting worse… I get better every now and again… But I've been in here more than I've been at home."
"Damn… I'd offer you a cigarette if I smoked, but I hate the smell and they're bad for you." I say in consolation.
Making Kira giggle, she says, "Thanks, but even if you did. I'd have to turn you down. My brother smokes and I find it awful too."
"Smart kid." I say with a smile.
"Who are you calling a kid, aren't you like 16?" Kira retorts.
"17…" I say with a deadpan tone like she had earlier while we stare at each other quietly for a moment before we both bust out laughing.
"You're not so bad for a guy with head trauma." Kira says between laughs.
"Thanks, you're not so bad yourself." I laugh back.
"Kiranne, what are you doing out of bed?!" I hear an oddly familiar voice call out in concern.