oxygen | druig

Chapter XXIV

Maya gasped invisibly before she even saw more than a figure, but immediately knew it was her.

Hair shorter, scratches all over her body and face.
She also seemed taller, even if she couldn't have grown in less than a few days.

But what she didn't recognize was her attitude, the way she laughed or turned her face.
It was not Persia, even if she copied her looks.

It wasn't her Persia.

Phastos knocked against the open door to grasp their attention, their heads shooting up.
"We got a visitor for you, Persia."

Persia cocked her head in interest, her gaze catching the outline of a girl who walked in with a lowered face.

Maya took a breath, unable to look into her eyes but forcefully moved her face up anyways. "Hey Pear."

Persia's lip twitched up for a moment, "Hello, I-" she knitted her brows, "You already know my name."

The brown head took another step closer, the others politely walking out of the room.
"Yeah, um, do you remember me?"

"I-" the girl started, making space for Maya to sit opposite her, "I feel like I should, but I'm sorry. I don't. Could you tell me your name again?"

Maya sucked in the discomfort in her stomach and shoved it aside, "I'm Maya."

Persia's eyes unintentionally filled with tears, one of her fingers moving up her cheek in confusion, "I don't know why I'm crying. That's embarrassing, sorry."

"Oh no," Maya assured, resisting the urge to close her best friend into her arms and beg her to remember.
"It's okay, don't apologize."

Just something.
The tiniest bit would have puzzled her world back in place.

"Were you important to me?" the girl sniffed, the glassy look vanishing from her eyes as best as possible.

God, the guilt that her voice carried made her heart shatter with the second.

Maya was unsure of what to say, looked behind her to find Druig standing in the hall.
He gave her a tilt of the head, nudging towards Persia.

Maya parted her lips to say something, but then decided against it right before she spoke.
"No, not really. I just wanted to check up on you."

Persia calmed a little, then started picking at her hands which rested in her lap, "That's nice. You know everything seems a lot like a blur. I feel there should be something where there's not."

Maya nodded understandingly, using all her willpower to stop herself from submitting to her emotions, "It's going to be okay, Pear. Everything will be alright."

Persia clenched her eyelids shut, the muscles of her face tightening.
Then it loosened and she sent a weak smile in Maya's direction.

Her chest made a jump, for a moment she could almost feel the presence of the girl she knew.

"I like what you did with your hair." she pointed at the shorter white strands just barley falling below her collarbone.

Persia chuckled and looked down at herself, "We had to cut it, half of it was burnt off. But I still don't know if I will grow it out again."

Her bestfriend faded before her eyes.
Persia hated her hair short.

Maya cleared her throat, pushed up from the couch, "I guess I will be leaving now. If you ever want to talk, you know my-"
she broke off her sentence.
"Check your phone, my number should be in there."