"No matter your problems, face them with a bright smile and a bucket of chocolate ice-cream," nana once wisely told me. At the time, I was barely twelve and thought that I could summon a unicorn if I just believed in myself.
A decade later, despi...
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Maeva's point of view.
"Congratulations!"
What? Why's everyone I know gathered around me? Why am I laying in a bed? And most importantly, why is there a blue balloon floating in the air? It suddenly becomes hard for me to inhale oxygen as I read It's a boy on the rubber sphere.
"Michael, shut up and give me that!" shouts Kimberly.
"They were out of Get well soon balloons, so I got this" He moves his hand in circles while his weight shifts from one foot to the other, dragging the helium balloon like a toddler in a theme park. "Sorry for not wanting to show up empty-handed!" he shrugs and hands James his toy reluctantly.
"Maeva, sweetheart. We were worried sick." Mom repeatedly strokes my hair, pushing it back as dad rests his hand on her shoulder. They both look like they've grown decades older, and the way their eyebrows are raised in worry brings back memories from when I still was an infant.
With a push, I manage to raise my head then sit up, resting my back on the only thin pillow I seem to have. I mean, why don't they give me a folded towel to sleep on? It would've been way more comfortable than this sorry excuse of a pillow! Pft...
Taking in my surroundings, I immediately recognize the room I'm in. From the blunt walls, poor decoration and dropping serum, it is clear to me that the tic-tacs did not work their magic this time.
"Mea, are you feeling alright?!" Mark's voice is so grave that I almost fail to comprehend what he says.
I nod while thoroughly scanning his face, and find no color or sign of life. It's blank, almost as blank as the sheets I'm drowning in. He must've sensed that I was growing worried, so he flashes a smile, but it fails to reach his eyes, which makes me even more concerned. Even the green of his eyes seems to have lost its gleam, which frights me as to what has happened when I was asleep.
Looking down at my hand, I realize that he's wrapping it in his own as if I would evaporate if he lets go. I press on his palm in attempts of reassuring him and all I get from him is another forged smile.
'That is not part of the plan! Nobody's supposed to be here! I, I mean you took the medication when the symptoms manifested, right?
Right.
'Then why in the world are we in a hospital room? What if they know about you, I mean us, I mean... ughhh'
As much as I'd like to disagree with the voice in my head, it seems that for once, we're on the same page. Something terrible has happened, otherwise, there would be no reason for the awkward silence and worried gazes surrounding me. Even Kimberly remains silent, her eyes wandering outside the window.
'Okay, we must remain calm. We're not sure that they know about the disease after all...'
You do realize there is a huge heart monitor in here, right? Oh great, look at all the wires connected to me.
