I'll Be The One

ACT 27

Despite her being flustered, she found a bit of courage to ask a question. "Snow White?"

"It's nothing. Just a little nickname I used to call you." Katarina said, shaking her head and waving a hand dismissively.

"Used to?"

"Before the accident, I used to call you that."

"Oh, you mean... Before I..." Ashe trailed off.

"Yes, before you forgot about me." Katarina finished for her.

Ashe started playing with her fingers, feeling a bit angry to herself for making the air between them so awkward.

"Hey,"

"Hmm?" She raised her head, along with her eyebrows in question, looking directly at Katarina.

"If you want, we can go take a walk in the hospital gardens. It isn't that cold outside."

"This hospital has a garden?"

"Well, yeah, what'd you expect? This IS the top-notch hospital in Valoran." Katarina teased lightly, chuckling.

Ashe blushed, again. "Right."

"So? Do want to take a walk?"

She smiled and nodded.

xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx

Katarina and Ashe walked down the stone pathway with a comfortable silence between them, glancing at the other patients from time to time.

"The breeze is so relaxing." Ashe commented, smiling in content.

"Yeah, it is."

Ashe turned her head to Katarina, her gaze landing on the small white gem hanging from the thin silver chain of her necklace.

Voices invaded Ashe's head, filling it with words that sounded so distant yet so familiar.

"You can buy me a keychain, not this! This is too expensive!"

"Then use the necklace as a keychain."

"It's a freaking ruby in a silver chain! It's a freaking pendant!"

Ashe's face twisted in a somewhat pained expression, just in time for Katarina to see her hands come up and rub her temples to soothe the small headache that formed in her head.

"Ashe?" Katarina's worried voice reached her, despite the familiar-sounding voices speaking and repeating over and over again.

"I... I think I need to sit."

"Yeah, yeah, sure." Katarina placed an arm on her back and led her to a nearby bench.

Ashe slowly eased onto the bench, Katarina settling beside her, a concerned gleam in her green eyes as she gazed at her.

"You alright?"

The voices finally faded and her headache subsided, Ashe released a sigh of relief.

"I'm fine, Katarina." She flashed a small reassuring smile.

"You sure? We can always go back to your room if you want."

"No need, well, for now, that is. I want to enjoy the breeze as much as I can."

"I don't see why you can't, I guess."

"That's a nice necklace." She said, changing the subject after a brief moment of silence.

Katarina looked down to her necklace for a second. "No doubt about that."

"Is it a gift?"

"Yeah," Katarina ran a hand through her hair. "My girlfriend gave it to me."