- Car's outside -
01:43 ━━━━●───── 03:50
"SILVEEEEER! WAKE UP!" Scream my little sister.
Before I can even open my eyes, she jumps on me and shakes me with all her strength which is not much. I grab her hand to make her stop and open my eyes. Suddenly Liam and Rebecca walk in, sweating like they run a marathon. We look at each other, I'm waiting for them to talk.
"Hey, sleeping beauty!" Says Liam and Rebecca hits his arm."Sorry, sorry, James called: 'Marie' is awake."
"That's better. Come on, we're going to see her." Complete Rebecca.
I stand up and grab my thing. My phone is almost dead because I slept on it but the traduction app is surprisingly still on and didn't reset. Marie's words are still here, safe. My mother gives me something I'll have to give Demonia and we sit in the back of Rebecca's car. She drives to the hospital and we're able to reach the secretary where the rest of the group waits for us.
"Right on time!" Says Antoine. "James just finished talking with the doctor."
"What did he say?" Ask Liam.
"Apparently 'Marie' is okay but when he was asking her some basic questions she seemed lost. He's scared she might have lost her memory again."
Rebecca analyzes the information and smiles. She doesn't let the silence worry us and grabs my arm.
"I don't believe this. Come on guys, let's see if this girl remembers us! "
James guides us, once again in the hospital. We walk to the fifth floor and stop before the number 555. James knocks and enters. He let us enter too. The room is similar to the other hospital's room. We observe the room and see Marie standing next to a wide-open window. Her hair is flying behind her like an animated movie character.
" 'Marie'!" Scream Liam, excited.
She turns around and we can finally see her face. I'm horrified, is it my fault? Will it stay like this forever? God, why am I so stupid? Beside her left eye, there's a scar. How did this happen? How could I let it happen? She closes the window. James walks closer to her but stops before they touch each other.
"A-are you alright?" He asked.
"Better than ever," she responded.
"Are you sure? The doctor said you seemed lost when you woke up, do you remember everything?"
"I do, James, from the day we met to yesterday, I remember everything. When I woke up I had a weird feeling. It's just, the other marie, she left."
"What do you mean 'she left'?" Ask Max.
"I mean exactly what left means, marie told me her goodbye when I was unconscious after scolding me because I hurt her body and then poof: she disappeared. This is kind of ironic, considering we just started getting along instead of arguing all the time.
Without a warning, James pulls her into his arms. Marie smiles and accepts the hug. Seeing the opportunity to get a hug, Liam jumps on them and squeezes them like they're going to disappear at any minute. Then, excited, he ask:
"Does that mean you're staying here, in Atlanta?"
"J'avais complètement oublié," she responds surprised.
Everybody looks at her, not understanding what she said. James sighs before laughing:
"You're unbelievable, Marie. How can you forget this?"
"I don't know, it just went out of my mind since... I don't know, it just did."
"So will you stay, Marie?" I ask.
"For now, I guess. I will continue to look for my memories and I'll see what I'll do after."
"Good that's a great decision, 'Marie'."
She smiles, a smile similar to what Liam can show sometimes. Surprisingly, it's not forced. Guess the other Marie leaving isn't a bad thing after all.
"Anyway, I want to go swimming! I feel dehydrated..."
"I'm sorry, 'Marie', but for now it's forbidden, says the doctor as he enters the room. Because, he says, cutting her from arguing, when you wake up you fall after trying to stand, you couldn't see and your body is very weak. "
"I mean, it's the second time I have had an accident in less than a year so that's kind of normal, I think?"
"That's exactly why you won't go swimming for at least two weeks, and that's an order, 'Marie'."
They looked at each other as if there was a place for a discussion. James kicks her arm. She sighs: the doctor wins.
"Great, now my little victim, please be obedient and manage your efforts. I'll be back later to take you to your death."
He leaves the room laughing like a Disney villain. Marie runs to her window, opens it, and evaluates the distance to the ground.
"Don't even think about it, 'Marie'. You're on the fifth floor," warn her Antoine.
"It's nothing," she says as she takes the jacket on her bed. "I won't do anything you call stupid."
"Promise?" Ask James
"I promise, geez."
"It's not your jacket, is it?"
"No, it was here when I woke up and the doctor Williams said it was on me when I arrived."
Rebecca nods and looks at me. Stray into my eyes. Did I do something wrong? Liam starts a conversation with 'Marie' and the coach. Rebecca takes the opportunity and comes to talk to me. She gives me a little tap.
"What?"
"It's yours, isn't it? The jacket."
I look at 'Marie'. She's wearing a black jacket from my favourite store. Yep, it's mine. I remember putting it on her while waiting for the ambulance. Her body was extremely cold so I was a bit worried but now, as I think about it, I don't think I remember her touch ever feeling warm or anything close to normal body heat.
"I knew it."
"Oh shut up, Reb."
She laughs and I feel a strong heat on my face. Great. I'm embarrassed. I feel like I'm going to hear about this for a long time, maybe even after my death. We join the rest of the group and talk until the doctor comes to take Marie to her 'death'. He proposes we wait for her but James says it's better to let her rest. After we left the room, I told them that my father is going to come to pick me up so they leave without me. I feel like I need to speak to her in private. So I'm going to wait for her even if it takes my whole day.
Two hours later, Marie accompanied by the doctor came back. They stop when they see me.
"Silver? Why are you still here?"
I stand up and smile.
"I just wanted to talk, we didn't have the time earlier."
Marie looks at me before looking at her doctor. He sighs but nods.
"You can talk but you need to sit, so go to your room."
He smiles and leaves. Marie opens the room and we enter. She closes the door and stands before me. I look at her, is she going to sit? Who am I kidding? Of course not. I pick her up and walk to the bed as she tries to escape from my grip.
"SILVER! LET ME GOOOO-!"
I pose her on the bed and she stops screaming. She's all red.
"I'm out of breath-one minute ..."
I laugh.
"Aren't you supposed to be a swimmer?"
She gives me a death stare and I laugh. This face reminds me of her face towards me at the beginning of the year. It's funny how her scar doesn't change it. She takes a breath and poses her eyes on me.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" She asks.
"Nothing much, it's just I'm sorry... all this...it's my fault, I should have been careful-"
She laughs. Her beautiful laugh. The wind blows in her hair behind and her eyes show a spark I've never seen before. If only I was able to record this moment so I can see it again and again. And make my phone ringtone out of this beautiful sound. I'm stunned: why is she laughing like that? I'm not complaining but I don't understand. I want to ask but will it stop her from laughing? Please Marie, I'm begging you. Her eyes catch mine, I can't resist: I pass my arm around her and hug her as if my life depends on this moment.
"I'm sorry, Marie..."
"Hey, Silver, stop apologizing. I'm alright, you're alright too. It's not your or anyone's fault."
I take her head in my hand.
"Are you sure you're alright? This, I say, my thumb touching the scar, must hurt..."
She smiles.
"Don't worry, it doesn't hurt anymore."
I look at the scar, worried. Marie doesn't say anything and lets me look at it. I don't understand how it could happen but I'll never let something like that happen again. I promise.
"I like this scar, don't you think it would look cool with my new clothes?"
I imagine her in the dress we bought yesterday. With her hair down, she would look like those women in action movies. I smile.
"You're right, it would look fantastic. By the way, your clothes are at my house. My mother would love to see you in them! How much time left do you have to be in this hospital?"
"I'm here for two weeks: they don't trust me because they think I'm going to swim at the first opportunity. Doctor Myers told them about my behaviour so that's they put me on the fifth floor."
"You're not going to be transferred to the usual hospital?"
"No, even if Doctor Myers doesn't agree with that, I'm stuck here with Doctor Williams. It's going to cost a lot to the Millers because my French doctor can't pay for it. After all, it doesn't concern the contract they made. So, yeah, it's complicated."
"That sucks..."
"It does but I can't do anything. It kind of reminds me of before I joined the school. Feel like déjà vu, am I right?"
I take a step back and take out my phone to check the time it can take to come here from my house. Practically, one hour.
"Do you know the visiting hours of this hospital?" I ask.
She takes time to think about it.
"I think it ends at nine pm, why?"
"I'll come to see you tomorrow, alright? And every day of the week until you're bored of me."
She laughs.
"I don't think it's possible to be bored of you, child. But alright, see you tomorrow."
"Don't underestimate me, Demonia. And close these windows before you get sick."
She nods. I kiss her cheeks- I don't understand why I did that- and leave the room. I'm going to visit her every day so she doesn't feel lonely again. I won't let it repeat.