Blue

Chapter Two: The Brother

"What - what are you doing here?" I gasped, my body becoming rigid with fear. My eyes followed his movements as he slowly walked toward me. There was something different about him, something I couldn't name immediately.

"I'm not who you think I am." Cobalt sat in the seat my mother had occupied and I shuffled slightly further away from him. God knows what he'd do to me this time. Rip the IV out of my elbow? Suffocate me with a pillow?

"I know who you are." I stumbled over my words. I felt my lips begin to wobble and I clamped onto it fiercly, hoping he didn't see it.

"No, you don't. I'm Cobalt's brother, Asher."

The words didn't fill me with relief. Instead my body continued to stay in it's tight posture and I still looked at him fearfully. Asher's features were exactly similar to Cobalt's with the same high cheekbones, hair color and eye color. He held himself with the same air of confidence Cobalt did but it looked as if he was saddend by something. He had his elbows on his knees with his back hunched over and his head slightly downward. Suddenly his head lowered and I caught small mutterings under his breath. My ears heard a snipet of, "look what you've done, Blue" before it turned lower.

"Why - why are you here? What do you want?" I whispered. I felt the need for him to leave. For all I knew, he could be just as dangerous as his brother. He could secretly want to do any sort of bullying of his own. An image of him dragging me out of the hospital by my hair came to mind and I flinched.

Asher studied me with an emotion I couldn't understand. "I'm here to apologize."

"W - what?" I knew I was stuttering like an idiot, but maybe if I continued he'd get so annoyed he'd just leave. "You never did anything to me." Yet, I added silently. Everybody seemed to be doing something harmful to me lately. Or maybe I was harming myself. Maybe because I was always so dumb and idiotic, that's why people hated me.

Yes, I reasoned. I was to blame.

"I'm apologizing on behalf of my brother." He spoke with sincerity but I didn't look into his eyes. His eyes were just as enrapturing as Cobalt's and I knew I would only be sucked in and hurt in return.

"If - if Cobalt wanted to apologize-" I stopped, mulling over my words before continuing. "Then why didn't he come here himself?"

"He can't. No one will tell him the room number because you're mother has specifically asked the nurses not too."

"What?" So many questions bounded into my mind. How did you get my room number? Wouldn't you tell your brother anyway? And more specifically- "Why would he need to apologize?"

My eyes met his. Asher's eyes bored into mine as if he were searching for something. I wanted to look away, but he held my eyes so strongly I couldn't.

Asher never gave me an answer.

"Teal, Cobalt sent me here to say to you that he's sorry, and that when you're sent back to school, he'll apologize there, okay?"

Instead of replying I simply nodded and looked away. I was unfortunately reminded of school which made my stomach turn with dread. When I heard Asher stand and make his way to the exit. My body filled with ease and I looked to the IV beside me to see if anything looked out of place. Maybe he had done something to it when I was looking away.

But when I studied every detail, nothing looked different or wrong.

*~*

I was wearing a white dress.

My hair was a long plait against my back, swaying with every step I took. It made me feel free, a somewhat happiness inside if me that was rare on days that held school. But I was happy because this dress reminded me of elementary school where I was always exhilarated and vibrant and alive.