The song in this chapter is from an old movie called Once Upon A Time. It's really weird but I love it and my cousin REALLY REALLY LOVES IT (he's older than I am), so I had to use it. -L
I wake up, and my first thought is of Maria. Then I take notice of the pale white room and the thin blankets I'm covered with.
Immediately, dread and guilt clenches in my stomach. I blacked out. I remember. I fell after thinking too much about the whole... Maria-James Brown thing. Oh god, she must have come back to find me like that.
I sit up, frazzled. This isn't the first time this has happened. The first time was when everyone was out of town. That was worse than this. I think.
I take in my surroundings. Classic hospital cot, table on my right with a glass of water. I take it gratefully and down it in one gulp.
My shoulders slump, bringing me back to the present. This wasn't supposed to happen. I can normally manage it better than this! Then again, normally I have a regular sleep pattern and actually drink water. So maybe this shouldn't come as a surprise.
I need to apologize to Maria though. She must have seen me like that. Is she okay? I know she probably saw that awful man again, despite my pleading her not to.
I move my legs to the edge of the bed just as Angelica and Peggy enter.
Peggy bursts into tears the moment she sees me. "Liza!"
I smile, standing up to embrace her. "Hey Peggers! Hey Ang!"
She buries herself in my arms, hiding her face while our older sister comes and envelopes both of us in her arms. We sink to the floor, a relieved, and crying mess.
When I catch my breath, I apologize to both of them. "I'm sorry you guys, I just got so worried, and I haven't slept or kept myself hydrated lately-"
"Eliza, it's okay," Angelica cuts me off. "We're just glad you're fine."
Peggy sniffles and backs away slightly. She reaches into her pocket and pulls out chocolate. "It wards off dementors, you know."
I beam at her thoughtfulness. "Thank you! Oh, and it's my favorite kind." I happily accept it, taking an unnecessarily large bite.
She grins softly and scoots back so Angelica can take the spotlight.
"How is Maria?" I ask her.
"She's doing..." Angelica makes eye contact with Peggy. "She's doing okay."
Peggy bites her lip. "Yeah. She's okay."
"C-can I see her?" I ask.
Peggy gives a wide-eyed glance to Angelica.
Angelica takes a deep breath. "Um... We can go see...?"
"What aren't you telling me?" I ask them both.
Our younger sister hides her face. "Angelica will tell you, yeah."
"Maria... Maria was stabbed. She lost some blood-"
"What?" I exclaim, standing. I run to the door, flinging it open. No, I don't know where her room is. Yes, I will find it.
Thirty-seven rooms later, I find hers.
"Maria!" I cry out, running to her bedside.
She looks away from her other visitors. "Eliza...?"
I throw my arms, carefully, around her. I'm sobbing, but I can't find it in me to care. "You're okay! You're alive!" I pull away. "You're... ticked that I'm being dramatic. Right. Sorry."
Behind Maria, sitting on the other side, Alex's eyes light up. "You're awake, Liza!"
John smiles up at me, while I sigh happily at the three. "Yeah, I'm awake. Listen Alex, I have to talk to you about something later, could you give Maria and I a moment?"
"Yeah," he stammers, getting up to leave. Maria waves goodbye, and he waves back.
I push John out as well, despite his attempts to stay.
Then we're alone.
Maria rises an eyebrow. "Why does Alex have to leave?"
"Because I can't think about him right now," I say slowly.
She nods a little. "Okay then, I guess. But can you believe the doctors? They won't let me leave yet. Ugh."
"You did get stabbed, from what I hear," I say pointedly.
Maria sighs, a frown playing on her lips. "Well, I didn't mean to. I won't be able to wear a dress until this bandage goes off... But James Brown woke up to the police on his doorstep, if it makes you feel any better..."
I nod. "It does, yeah. So are you gonna go first, or me?"
"What more do you need?" Maria chuckles. "That was my news."
"I just wanted an excuse to stall," I sigh.
She winks at me. "Fire away, Liza."
"Well to start out, I'm sorry that you came home to find me passed out. I didn't take care of what I needed to do, and so it ended like that."
"That's why you should be sorry." The mood immediately switches.
"Y...Yeah?" I ask. Wrong answer?
Yep. "You should be sorry that you didn't take care of yourself. Eliza, you're worth so much more than anything else in this world. So, clearly, would it kill you to drink water? Or sleep well?"
"Well, there was no hope of me sleeping well," I mumble.
"Why not?"
"I was worried," I whisper.
Maria pauses. "About me and James?"
I nod. "I wasn't worried about James, obviously."
"I should have listened to you. But now you don't have to worry about me. I broke up with James via the police. And I can switch and move in with Peggy or someone-"
"What? No!" I'm confused.
"I don't want to be the reason you're getting hurt, Liza..."
I shake my head. "Maria, listen. This has been happening for a long time. It's not your fault. It could never be your fault. I lo-" I suddenly look out the window. What a pretty window. Look there's a tree.
"You love Alex," she corrects under her breath.
I'm tempted to laugh. I thought I loved Alex like that, yeah. But he... I don't love him the way I love her. She's a fire. She's something unearthed and rare and beautiful.
"No," I reply softly.
She gives me a confused look. "But you were so excited to go to the ball with him...?"
"Yeah, I was," I reply. Just let her sort this out.
Maria bites her lip. "Not anymore then?"
"Not anymore," I confirm.
"Then... You really... Love me?" she stammers out.
I take a deep breath, preparing myself for her inevitable, uncomfortable, 'oh that's great. Yeah I'm thinking moving out is still a good idea.'
"Yes. I really love you." I force myself to make eye contact with her.
Maria makes a gasping noise and falls backwards into her bed. "Ugh, I feel an unconscious bout coming on. You should give me True Love's Kiss."
I laugh and dramatically throw my hand up. "Oh dear! Oh love, Maria Snow! However shall we break this spell?"
Then the situation catches up with me. "Wait. So... You like me too?"
"Yeah... I was dating James because, well, I didn't love at all. It's not the same. Like you're... You."
"O... oh?"
"I thought nobody could love me... Not like you. Definitely not you. You're so pure and perfect. And so, I kinda like, swallowed my feelings for you?"
With a sigh of relief, I grab her face and plant my lips on hers.
She kisses me back fiercely. Then, she breaks it. "Not to be a Debby Downer, but you might want to tell Alex before we go full-out make out session in a hospital."
Oh. Right. I nod, and walk out the door. "Alex?"
"Liza?" He looks up almost eagerly. John looks over at me. We make eye contact, and I know he knows.
"This won't be as bad because we were never really dating but... I'm sorry. I love you as a friend, Alexander."
Alex's face falls immediately. "Oh, y-yeah. I understand. Go have fun with Maria..."
John rubs his back consolingly, and I guiltily slink back into the room, closing the door behind me.
"I feel awful!" I complain.
Maria shrugs. "He'll get over it."
I smile softly at her, thinking suddenly of a song. "Maria, Maria," I sing. "You and only you, will be my happiness, my sunshine. Maria, Maria..."
"You are a giant sap." She beams at me.
"I know," I laugh, coming to sit on her bed.
Maria scoots forward, wrapping her arms around me tenderly. "I love you so much, Liz."
I bury my face into the crook of her neck. "I love you more."