Out of Focus |finished|

54- heaven and light kisses

Simi was in heaven. All around her she could hear laughter and an eerie calmness had enshrouded her mind. All she had to do was open her eyes and she'd be with Elder and her grandparents. Heaven smelled weirdly like antiseptic but the laughter she was hearing seemed to drown everything out.

Her eyes fluttered and when she opened them, she was lying on a hospital bed with her neck in her caste. Disappointment filled her and she wished she wasn't alive.

Simi craned her neck and was hit immediately with immense pain. It felt as if a thousand pins were pricking into her neck. The laughter died down and her vision came into focus.

Jamal's twin sisters were running around the room while Simi's mother napped in a nearby chair. When the girls realized Simi was awake, one of them tapped her mother.
"She's awake,"

Mrs. Holman-Brown's eyes snapped open and she stood with a bolt. The smile on her face was so huge it drowned Simi's disappointment that she was alive. Her mother was here and she couldn't leave her alone, no matter what.

"Ma," she tried to say but the words came out scratchy and her throat felt patched as if she hadn't drunk water for days.

"Shhh," her mother caressed her face and continued, "Don't say anything."

Simi nodded and her eyes were suddenly teary watching her mother and the twins.
Her mother's face had a sad expression and she hugged Simi lightly. It was a miracle her daughter was alive. She had been in a coma for almost two weeks and their hope had slowly waned that Simi would wake up. Even if she did, the doctors had told them of the implications of a broken neck. Paralysis being the prominent one.

"I thought I lost you Simi," her mother's voice was choked with emotions and her face was wet with tears.

The twin sisters, Ama and Kali stood by Mrs. Holman-Brown and one clutched her legs. They'd grown attached to Simi's mother the first day they had come to see Simi with their brother.

Simi's mother touched held their hand in both of hers and smiled at them. The scene was so beautiful to Simi she wished she could use her voice. A single tear fell from her eye and she slowly wiped it with her hand and winced at the pain in her back.

"Malachi told me everything and as much as I'm angry that you took matters in your own hands, I'm just happy you're awake. But you aren't off the hook young lady."

Simi saw in her mother, the stern but loving woman she knew and opened her arms for another hug. Her mother hugged and brushed her hair as Ama and Kali hugged Mrs. Brown's legs.

No sooner than when Simi woke up, they heard a light knock on the door. Her mother shouted for the person to enter and when he did, it was the last person Simi thought she'd see.
Peter was standing in front of her with a sad smile on his face. His hair was streaked with even more grey hair and he still looked breath-taking to Simi.

"Hey Si," he tried to smile but it didn't reach his eyes.

Hearing his voice made Simi angry and sad at the same time. She still liked him but he had lied to them, lied to all of them. How could she ever trust the person partially responsible for her best friend's death.

"Oh it's you," Mrs. Brown turned to Peter and back to Simi, "He's been here - Simi's what's wrong?"

She hadn't realized that she'd an anger expression on her face. Simi shook her head and gestured for her mom to leave her and Peter alone.

Mrs. Brown stared at Peter suspiciously and asked Simi, "Are you sure?"

Simi nodded once and her mother walked out of the room, the twins trailing after her.
As soon as she left, Peter knelt beside Simi's bed and held her hand in both of his. His facial expression was so sad it might have even softened Zeus's heart.
Simi looked at her hand in Peter's and said nothing. She was tired of everything, tired of trying to figure people out.

"I'm so sorry Si. I wanted to tell you everything, I did but they would have hurt my dad," the words spilled out of Peter.

Simi nodded once and pointed to the door.

"You want me to leave," Peter asked her and she nodded again.

"Please Simi, you have to forgive me. I never meant to hurt any of you. Even Elder. I may not see you again and-"

Simi gripped his hand firmly at his last sentence. She quirked her eyebrows and waited for him to explain what he meant.

"My dad is sending me out of the country. I don't know if you know this yet but I was undercover in the Chill Network. Everything I did, I thought it would help expose them. Elder was my fault; I should have stopped Julia Benson."

Simi shook her head. She had seen the monster Julia was. Elder hadn't stood a chance against her when he told Julia about his plans. She listened to Peter talk and when he was done, she placed her free hand on her ear, mimicking a mobile phone.

"You want my phone?" Peter asked and took it out for her.

She went to Notes and typed a question and showed it to Peter.

Even though Peter was already kneeling down, his shoulders sagged lower. "I'll be leaving next week. My dad is angry at me and he says the only way he knows I'll be safe is if I'm far from de Heer and her people."

Simi typed another sentence and showed it to Peter. He smiled and responded, "I'll miss you too Si."

He stood up and embraced Simi. Simi hugged him back and ignored the pain she felt at her back. The anger was dissipating after he told her he had been undercover. Life wasn't black and white, she knew that much now.

Peter pulled out of the hug and after Simi lowered herself back to her bed, he made a bold move and planted a light kiss on her lips.
It was at this exact moment that Malachi and Jamal entered the hospital room.

Discussion Area

Anyone else thought Simi was gone for good? We couldn't do that to Malachi. How do you feel about Peter and his apology? Let's discuss!
Fingers crossed on what Malachi and Jamal do to him in the next chapter.