This Girl I Met

22

The doctor says it's a miracle. 

Emma Sonnett was brought back to life, as simply as it sounds. She is a little bit in shock, but is alive and well. Her short-term memory is affected - she doesn't remember anything about the months before the accident happened - but she recognizes her sister as soon as she stepped on the room. Their mom is there too, hugging her two daughters, crying her eyes out. Allie, who insisted on coming with me, is moved by that scene. I know I should leave her be. She doesn't need me here. 

But as I am starting to walk away, I hear some footsteps behind me. Allie is the first one to turn around, and when I do, I am slightly disappointed to see Emily's mom. She seems exhausted, and somehow teary eyes make her seem nicer. But I know what she's done to Em, what she had to endure those past two years. Maybe Emma's comeback will change some things, but Mrs Sonnett will remain the bitch she is. 

Allie, who can seem how tensed up I am, just stays by my side. Mrs Sonnett advances slowly, setting her jaw. She hesitates, before saying : 

"Thanks for driving her"

Her voice is cold, but yet not as mean as it usually is. I raise my eyebrow, while my sister is calmly smiling. She doesn't know the whole story, but she knows I hate that woman for what she's done to Emily. 

"You're welcome" Allie says in an equal tone. 

Mrs Sonnett is not finished yet. "Lindsey" she calmly salutes me, before walking away. 

I hold a mean sentence back, while I see the woman disappear. I am kind of disappointed Emily hasn't come to say goodbye, but I guess seeing her sister coming back to life is more important than I am. And I totally get that. If I was in her position, and that Allie was on that bed, I'd have acted the same. 

We silently drive back to our house. Tobias is here, and dinner is too. When we enter the house, Allie immediately joins him to help him cook, while I am taking my stuff to my room. When I see the screen of my phone turning bright - a sign that I've received a text - I immediately unlock it, just to see Emily's name appear on it. 

My smile immediately fades. 

Stay away from me. 

**

I let Tobin into my room. 

Allie went to see Bati in one of his games, along with Alex, because Serva also plays on the same team. I spent hours just walking around my room, my thoughts still caught with her. I re-read that text over a hundred times. I don't want to answer it. Not yet. And I am so lost, it's like my head is a mess. I just want to go to that damn hospital again and yell at her. Why did she tell me that ? I've always been there for her ! Okay, I messed up at some point, but I don't deserve to be thrown away like shit. 

The worst part is the way I feel about her not around me. That's why I called Tobin, because at this point, my sister's chill friend is the only one able to help me. 

She sits down and looks at me, worried. 

"What's wrong, Linds ?" she asks. 

"Emily just sent me that !" I blurt out, throwing my phone at her. She takes a quick look, and then looks at me as I am walking back and forth in front of her. She knows what's coming, so she just sits down. "Why did she write me that ? I mean, I think I've been a good friend and teammate, and furthermore I never did anything wrong ! If that bitch thinks she's better than I am then okay, but-"

"Lindsey." I stop talking and walking. Tobin is looking at me, frowning. "Can I ask you something ? A question maybe you don't wanna hear ?" she then asks.   

I frown. "Sure. But I don't have to answer, right ?"

"Not if you're not comfortable with it" she assures me. She then looks at me in the eyes, and says : "You know, I was thinking than maybe... I don't know, you like Em-"

"Imma stop you right here !" I interrupt her, in a defensive tone. I roll my eyes. "Why is everybody assuming I like her ?"

Tobin frowns. "I meant 'like' as in friendship 'like', but now that you've turned into a tomato and used that tone, I'm not sure anymore." She thoughtfully says, watching me as if I am some kind of alien.

"Don't" I warn her.

Why am I so aggressive all of a sudden ? The brunette won't back up now, I know that.

"Holy shit" she lets out, her eyes going wide. "You actually have a thing for her !" She then exclaims.

"I do not" I grumpily answer. "Anyway, back to the point. Why did she send me that text ?"

I can clearly see in her eyes that she's not done. I roll my eyes and sighs : what am I so afraid of ? Maybe I should've acted as if I didn't give a shit about her assuming I like Emily ? Instead of reacting the way I did ? Wait, I tried not to react like that. But my head just directed my words in another way.

I restrain myself from thinking she's somehow right, that there's this very tiny possibility that I might... Never mind.

Tobin is rising her eyebrows.

"I don't know, Lindsey, I don't know her the way you do" she says in a softer voice. "Why did you call me ?"

"What?" I ask, surprised.

"I mean, out of all the people you should've called for advice, you called me, the girl that has zero knowledge on human feelings and behavior?" That makes her smile. "The only person I get is Christen. So why me and not Alex, for example ?"

I frown. "I don't know."

"Maybe because you wanted to ask something else to me, something only I can answer" she says in a deep voice, staring at me.

"Like...?" I ask, really confused.

She smirks. "I just say that maybe, and only maybe, you just wanted to ask how I knew."

"How you knew?" I repeat, frowning even more than before. She isn't making any sense. "Knew what, exactly ?"

"That I had a crush on a girl."

I feel my heart jumping on my chest, and suddenly turn around. My face is probably decomposing itself. Oh my God, is she right ? Is that why I called her ? I feel the tears coming into my eyes.

Tobin gets up and starts walking toward the door. She knows what I am feeling right now.

Before she leaves, she only said :

"I knew because her smile made me feel alive again."

After she left, I just stood still.

I take my phone out.

Search for her number.

And just write :

We need to talk.