Overrated | The Voice France / MIKA & OC

5.3 - Live 2. Again?!

Pain, sharp and bright as a lightning, shoots through my leg.

- Alice! - I heard someone's alarmed call, but I don't listen.

It hurts! Shit, it hurts! Somebody stop it!

The pain is so sudden it takes my breath away, and I can't even scream. I just lay there, holding my leg, and try to breathe.

There's a commanding voice above me that's giving orders, and I asently realize that it sounds like Mika. Then someone sits down next to me.

- Alice, - he calls me, - Everything's gonna be fine. I'm here. Look at me.

I open my eyes and see that he's sitting in front of me on his knees. He speaks in a deep, calm voice, and fear slowly recedes.

- We're calling an ambulance. It'll take ten minutes or so, just hold on. It's going to be fine, do you trust me? Tell me where it hurts.

- Here, - I carefully rub my knee. It feels bigger than it was, dammit. Mika frowns, but nods. I don't like seeing him so worried. I'm almost tempted to say I feel better to calm him down, but who am I kidding, he'll never believe me.

- When did you get it? - he asks.

- I think yesterday. After that fall on stage.

- Makes sense, - he sighs and closes his eyes for a second, - Why the fuck they didn't check on you after the show?

- Well... They wanted to. I said I was fine.

- What- why?!

- It looked like a bruise! I got them a lot as a kid, I was pretty sure...

- Oh my God, Alice, - he sighs again. A sigh of a tired parent.

- Sorry.

- It's fine, - he puts a weak smile on his face, - Just know, when you're a performer, you don't get to walk off your injuries. The sooner your learn it, the better. I'm sure you heard it before, but remember that time I almost got a pneumonia during a tour?

- Yes, but I never heard it from you.

As we talk, the pain slowly becomes more bearable, although me standing up and walking is still out of the question. So I stay where I am, letting Mika distract me with his story, though I mostly listen to his quiet soft voice.

He's still here when Flori brings a doctor and, after a silent "You're ok?" and my nod, leaves.

After a painkiller and a splint, the pain is finally gone. My leg begins to grow heavy, as if it turned to stone. I sigh in relief.

- Better? - Mika asks, and I even manage to smile back.

- Good girl.

Gaspard appears in my field of view, as the doctor steps back.
- She'll probably feel sleepy, - she says before leaving, - It's normal. I'll be back in a few minutes.
- Thank you, - Mika whispers to her before she leaves.

- You holding up? - Wizard sits down on the other side next to me, - Just a few more minutes. You try to relax, ok.

These are the two guys who make me feel calm. So I just rest my head on Gaspard's lap, close my eyes and let them guard me while we're waiting for the doctor. I think I dozed off, or seemed to.

Because then I hear Mika nervously giggle.

- Hell, that's one shitty piece of bad luck, - he says, - Poor girl. Does this happen to her often?

Wow, thank you, Mika.

- From what I've heard... Yep, - Wizard replies. Mika chuckles again.

- Take care of her, ok, - Penniman tells him then, - Her friends can't be around all the time, neither can I. And she's too wonderful for our team to lose, you know.

- She is. Will do what I can.

Then - distant steps. I open my eyes and see that Mika got closer.

- May I...? - he asks, holding out his arms to me.

- Of course.

And then he gently, as if I was made of porcelain, lifts me up and carries me to the exit.

Warm. Careful. Strong. Like it always should be. I cling to him and close my eyes again.

- That's right, - I hear him mutter quietly, - Everything will be fine. You're a strong girl. We'll get through it.

I listen to his labored breathing, I feel his hot hands on my back and gentle swaying to the beat of his footsteps. I inhale his thin, subtle smell - spicy, with fresh notes of citrus. Karma fully rewards me for all the suffering, that moment in the hands of the living sun that he is - it's worth the pain and fear.

The noise of the street is coming closer, some new voices fill in. Light hits through my closed eyelids. I open my eyes when Mika is lowering me on the gurney. The doctor is here again, and she's checking the splint.

I start to panic when Mika suddenly steps back, leaving me alone in the van. But he assures me that he will come after, as soon as he can.

- Don't you dare break down, - he strictly tells me, - You still have to perform next Saturday!

His optimism is absurd at this point, but it gives hope. I wave to him before the doors close and the car moves off.

- Well, what can it be? - I ask the doctor who examines my swollen knee. She sighs.

- It looks like a strain, and long-standing one. There's a small chance your knee cap was damaged as well. We'll do some X-rays to make sure.

I stretch out on the gurney and let a long sigh. Don't cry, Alice, just do not cry. Everything will be fine.

In what way? - There is a voice from the depths of my consciousness - How the hell am I gonna perform?

To escape the dark thoughts, I start humming. Mika sang it when we were walking on the set:

Here I stand, staring at the sun

Distant land, staring at the sun ...

- You're from The Voice? - the other doctor asks, - From Team Mika?

I nod. The doctor smiles. And, having risen, he pulls out a notepad.

- My son likes you, - he says, - Voted for you yesterday. I know the time is not appropriate, but...

- Of course.

I silently thank him for the distraction, and sign, in fact, the first autograph in my life. It seems that karma continues to apologize for the pain it caused. Or is preparing something much worse...