spotlight. (book two of missing melody) // katy perry

thirteen.

{Katy's POV}

"What happened?" Markus asks, making me sigh-- mind you, it's all I've ever done since Shannon and I started "fighting". A few minutes after Bonnie left, Markus woke up. At first he was a bit confused, furrowing his eyebrows as he looked around; But when he saw me crying, he started panicking. I struggled to calm him down, to be honest. I'm just glad he isn't going bonkers over me anymore.

"Shannon and I had a little. . . disagreement." Yeah, let's just say it like that so Markus wouldn't worry. But I was wrong. He raises his eyebrow, sensing the hesitation behind what I said as if to say 'Really?' in a sarcastic way.

"Fine." I grumble. "Shannon got mad at me and she won't talk to me because she thinks that I don't care about you." I roll my eyes. I start biting on my fingernails as I cross my legs with the lack of nothing else better to do.

"Where is she, anyway?" He asks, looking at me with confusion.

"Oh her and Bonnie went out about an hour or so ago, saying something about getting coffee or whatever." I shrug.

"Shouldn't they be back by now? I mean, an hour for coffee? Hello?"

"I know right! Where are they?" I agree, grabbing my phone from my pocket.

"Ugh, it going to take weeks for these bruises and wounds to heal. I'm temporarily an ugly duckling right now." He groans, rolling his eyes. I laugh as I shake my head.

"Don't worry, you'd be back to your beautiful self in no time." I smirk, seeing him do the same as he looks at me.

"I'd better be." We both laugh, throwing our head back. I stop laughing as I hear a knock on the wooden door. I stand up, opening it slowly. I come face to face with a tall woman, wearing a nurse's uniform. I smile as I open the door wider, seeing her enter Markus' hospital room wearing a surprised expression. It fades quickly however, composing herself as she ambles towards Markus.

"How are you feeling, Mr. Molinari?" The nurse asks, her voice calm and sweet as she sets Markus' medicines down on a table beside his bed. I close the door, my gaze not leaving from the quite attractive lady who just walked in.

"Please, don't call me that." Markus whines jokingly, making me shake my head.

"Just call me Markus." He says in his usual "diva tone" as I call it. The nurse giggles, covering her mouth with her hand as she laughs.

"Okay." She smiles. "How are you feeling Markus?"

"I'm better. Though I couldn't feel my fucking right leg because of this cement thing around it." He replies.

"Well, that's because your leg almost got cut off by that metal thing in your car which penetrated halfway through it and we had to put that cement thing, as you call it, around your leg so it wouldn't move and probably lead to completely chopping your leg off. Thank God it didn't chop your leg off, right?" The tall nurse replies simply, as if it was a usual thing to have your leg cut halfway through.

"You're funny." Both of them laugh as Markus speaks, though I do know he was a bit mortified as I am of what she said.

"What's your name dear?" He asks her, smiling as he waits for her reply.

"Liliana." She smiles. "But you can call me Lily." Lily looks at me briefly, flashing a cute smile. I grin back at her, thinking how could such morbid words escape from this innocent girl's mouth? They kept talking, laughing occasionally at each others jokes. She's a really funny girl, that Liliana. I didn't join in their conversation though, not wanting to disrupt anything. It seems like Markus made a new friend. I smile at the thought. Atleast he wouldn't be so lonely when we aren't around to keep him company. They converse like they're old pals who just reunited after several years of separation, I like that.

I look down on my lap, my phone sitting on it. I turn it on, seeing my lockscreen just bring in the stinging tears into my eyes.

"Chloe." I breathily say, murmuring as I look at the picture on my screen. The warmness of her smile makes my heart ache as I look at her picture. I blink back the tears, forcing myself not to cry. Not now, Katy.

"Kate?" Markus calls me, making my head snap up.

"Yeah?" I reply, my eyes widen a little bit as I look at him.

"Are you okay?" He asks.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I give him the not-now-but-I'll-explain-later look which he thankfully got.

"Okay well, why don't you talk with us?" He offers.

"Nah, it's okay. I don't wanna bother both of you." I giggle, my nose scrunching up-- a little habit I have which Chloe picked up.

"Can't you just let the matter pass?" Shannon, as I presume, says loudly behind the door. The door opens, revealing Bonnie and an annoyed and tired looking Shannon. Lily looks at both of them, her eyes wide as her mouth slightly opens. She looks at me, her lips still parted.

"Uhhh. . . I- I guess I have to go." Lily stands up, stuttering as she shakily grabs her clipboard. She excuses herself, quickly stepping out of the room.

"Who was that?" Bonnie asks, helping Shannon down on the opposite side of the only couch available.

"A new friend of mine; She's very lovely. Her name is Lily." Markus replies, beaming as he speaks. Bonnie nods, her eyebrows raising a bit.

"Are you ready to talk now?" Bonnie asks Shannon, looking at her with both of her hands on her hips. Shannon murmurs something I couldn't quite hear, something she intends to keep for herself.

"Oh come on, Shannon." Markus speaks, making her head snap up towards his way.

"You have to be this damn stupid to keep this little disagreement going on for so long. We can't resolve anything if you won't talk." That took Shannon by surprise, her eyes slight widens but then it quickly fades, her face blank as she looks away.

"So I'm the bad guy now?" She asks sarcastically, laughing dryly.

"It's not like I was mad for no apparent reason. I don't get mad for no apparent reason!" Her voice raises, a single tear racing down her cheek. She quickly wipes it away, not wanting to cry I guess as she sniffles. Both Markus and Bonnie sighs, angering Shannon even more.

"Fine, tell us why you're so mad then."

-a/n-

this chapter is dedicated to the strongest and loveliest girl i know, lily.

lily, i want you to remember something. i want to remind you how strong you are. i want you to remember how much i love and care about you, okay. you're gonna get through this. your family will. i know its hard rn but it wont last forever. you'll get through this bc you're strong. i'll always be here for you when you need me and i know you'll be here for me too. i'm sorry if i couldn't be there like physically for you. but i'm still here for you regardless the number of miles between us. i love you and i admire how strong you are. stay strong for me and for your daddy, okay?

and to all of you who are going through shit: stay strong. yeah, i know it's like the only thing people always say. but that doesn't mean we care. i love every single one of you and i care about yall. never forget that. you're going to get through this, okay? believe in yourself.