YOURS

Chapter 40

"Thank you so much,"Delia ended the phone call, feeling a smile begin to tug at the corners of her lips. She had just gotten off the phone with Dr. Greene,the head doctor in charge of Roman's case,and she had just given him the clearance to go out of the hospital with her that afternoon. And while Roman would have to be checked again and was expected back before midnight,Delia was grateful for the opportunity,short though it was.

And she had something in mind that would be perfect for the both of them. She hurried to his private ward and hastily knocked before letting herself in,eager to tell him the good news.

"Roman - "she began, stopping dead in her tracks when she realized that he, had company.

There,sitting not on the chair but his bed, was a girl.

They both turned as soon as she barged in the room. The girl turned to look at Roman,then back at her and smiled as she got to her feet. Delia began walking towards them,and the closer she got was the more she couldn't help but notice just how strikingly beautiful the girl was,in the most unconventional way possible.

Dressed in an oversized long sleeved grey sweatshirt and matching loose grey sweatpants with white socks and plain white crocs,she had her hair parted in the middle,falling over her shoulders in two neatly done plaits. Her hair was platinum blonde,the hair right above her forehead a pure white,streaks of burgundy among the rest of her platinum locks.flowing just past her navel in the plaits. She had the palest skin Delia had ever seen,almost a porcelain white, just as clear,just as smooth.

Her nose and cheekbones had a faint but noticable rush of pink,as if she had been permanently caressed by a cold wind,her lips, a darker shade of the colour,her lower lip fuller than the top one. Her eyes... Delia couldn't tell if she had worn contacts,or it was just their normal colour even as she got closer to her. Hedged in by eyelashes so long they touched the lower part of her eyebrows,her irises were a soft violet,a faint ring of pale blue surrounding each of them.

And in as much as she tried not to,Delia was helpless against staring at the long scar that ran from her right temple all the way down her cheek and stopped a mere hair's breadth from the curve of her mouth,the light fleshy brown contrasting greatly against her near white skin.

Delia couldn't help mirroring the girl's smile as she stopped before her. She held out her hand.

"Hii. My name is D -" immediately,the girl tackled her into the biggest hug her slender arms could muster. And when the initial surprise wore off,Delia hugged her back,which caused the girl to tighten her hold on her. After a moment,the girl slowly let go of her.

"Delia," the girl finished for her. " I know who you are. Roman has told me so much about you... I've been waiting to meet you for so long,"she revealed shyly as a faint blush coloured her cheeks.

"My name is Isis. Isis Hawthorne.I'm...sorry for literally tackling you into the hug earlier. I was just so excited to meet you and in person too," she explained,her soft voice matching her demeanor entirely,her blush spreading down her face and disappearing into the neckline of her sweatshirt.

"I am...a friend,of Roman's," Isis said with a smile as she turned to look at him. Roman immediately responded with a smile of his own,his face beaming . And was that a hint of a blush Delia saw cross his face?

" I came as soon as I could to give him his birthday present,"she finished, motioning to the large flat wrapped gift on Roman's laps. Her voice,Delia noted,was like the wind. Soft enough that you felt it's soothing effect almost instantly,yet loud enough that you could hear what she was saying without any strain.

"You didn't have to get me anything Icy," Roman replied,his eyes softening as she turned to him again.

"I wanted to,"Isis replied,her lips tugging to a small smile. "Open it." Isis requested. Delia took a seat right next to his bed as Roman began carefully opening the gift. And when layer after layer was removed, Roman's eyes went wide, mirroring Delia's expression as they did. Right there in his hands,was a life sized portrait surrounded by a beautiful inky black wooden frame. Never before had Delia seen such detail,such finesse and skilful artistry. The blacks,whites and greys of the picture blended and contrasted so beautifully,the portrait looked more of a black and white photograph than a drawn picture.