That Winter You Came (Completed)

Episode 15

I was always the kind of girls to never keep a promise..
It's frustrating for others .. It's disappointing, still, it doesn't look like I'll grow some consciousness any time soon and stop disappointing others.

I tried hard to work on this lacking side of mine, however, I still neglect my promises.

Like that time when Salim injured his arm, I promised to visit him in the hospital but I never actually did.
I thought about my family's opinion of me, I was afraid of my brother's reaction to be precise.
Nowadays things are mostly more different, but having a boyfriend back then was like a sin in our conservative society, So I could only hide this fact from my family.

I tried to convince few students of my class to go in a group to visit him at the hospital, this would be ok for my family. But even before we had the chance to do anything Salim was already discharged.

When I called he said his fracture was the kind that smashed the bone and cut through muscles, he needed a surgery for it.
So it was especially more painful than a plain fracture.
The tone in which he spoke was strong and willful so I underestimated his suffering. It wasn't until he came back to school weeks later that I finally understood what he was talking about.
I met him at the gate like we planned on the phone. But one look at him made me regret not walking him all the way from his house.
He had so little of weight to begin with.. But meeting him again I noticed he looked much thinner, so thin that his shirt looked so large on him and his cheek bones became so prominent on his skinny face, dark circles draw thick lines around his popping eyes, And his face looked paler than a sheet of paper.

The first thing he said to me was:

_" I need to sit down."
In a faint tone.

And the first thing I said to him was:

_" are you sure your doctor said it's ok for you to come to school?"

he nodded.

We skipped the morning salute of the flag late that October. 
We were sitting in the class .. He was leaning his head on my shoulder since he couldn't lean on the table because that would make him move his broken aching arm.

Although I found this a bit too intimate.. I didn't object for the sake of the sick.

Plus we were not alone in the class, Rayan who skipped the morning salute for no reason was in the class with us as well.
it sure was uncomfortable to let a someone lean on my shoulder in front of the boy I once loved, But at that point I didn't care about wining extra credit in front of Rayan, I didn't care about his opinion of me at all.

Salim had all my mind and heart.

_" does it hurt so much?" I asked worried.
Salim nodded his head on my shoulder and explained:

_" I took pain killers this morning, But they have just a little affect."

_" you shouldn't have came to school.. You should rest until you're much better."

Salim lifted his head then .. Turned around to check on Rayan and then he whispered in my ear:

_" what to do? .. I missed you so much "
I smiled feeling shy and whispered joyfully:

_" You're such a liar."

While the students chanted the national anthem loud and clear.. I kept looking at his weak sky eyes.

" We swear by the lightning that destroys,

By the streams of generous blood being shed,

By the bright flags that wave,