The Unproven Theorem of You and I

chapter two - faltering breaths

BUT WHEN THEY pulled up in front of a tall, wide, extremely white-walled building fifteen minutes later, she realized too late that they weren't at home.

            "Levi?" she asked, just as her brother parked the car and stepped out. She struggled to remove her seatbelt. Her hands were shaking so much they'd turned numb. "Why're we here?"

            He walked over and opened the door for her, leaving her no choice but to exit the car. As she slowly looked up to face the huge, sophisticated sign above the building, Elle felt Levi's strong arm wrap itself over her shoulder, pulling her close, protective. "Mom and Dad called. They said to bring you here. Room 313."

            Her dad was here. That made the situation a hundred times worse. He was away at work so much, he rarely had dinner with them. He showed up to their graduations, during holidays, and several times whenever Levi had a big game.

            He only came whenever it was really important.

            This was bad. This was really, really bad.

            Elle swallowed down a ball in her throat and stuck close by her brother's side as they entered the rotating doors of St. Stephen's Hospital. In an instant, cold air hit her face, and the bright lights overhead didn't fail to make her blink twice. Everything about the hospital's lobby was cold, and white. It set Elle on edge every time she went there.

            In the elevator to the third floor, Levi caught her panicked gaze on the reflective surface of the doors. He smiled comfortingly and squeezed her shoulder.

            It only made Elle want to cry even more.

            At twenty-one years old and past six feet tall, Levi Rivera was studying in a college a city away from the rest of his family. Though he'd captained a soccer team in high school, the need to pull up his GPA forced him to abandon his hobby and spend more time studying once he graduated. School kept him away from his family, and even though he visited as frequently as he could, Elle couldn't help but miss him when he was gone.

            And now he was back. Only there was no time to celebrate.

            "Hey. Elle, we're here." Levi held open the door for her as she walked out of the lift, sneakers squeaking oddly on the super-clean, bleached floors. She turned and waited for him before continuing to walk down the all-too-familiar hallway, counting down doors. Being with Levi made her feel safe, protected, sure – in so many ways an actual boyfriend could not. Sometimes, it wasn't hard to think that her brother was the only one who truly understood and loved her.

            She held onto his arm tighter as they approached Room 313.

            The numbers seemed to swim before her eyes, as if she was dyslexic. 313. 331. 133. As she took her first step into the room, the smells of antiseptic, ascorbic alcohol, and floor cleaner hit her in face like a thick wave of nausea. Elle swayed a bit, and suddenly felt lightheaded.