Take Me With You ✓

17 ; human nature

Marinette's POV

She calls his name, he looks up from where he sits on the bench by the door, meets her in the eye, and she thinks there's nothing more heartbreaking than the look on his face right now. On another day, his hair sticking out in all directions would make her swoon, but not today. Not with his eyes bloodshot and tear tracks still visible on his cheeks.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he says, looking down again.

"I'm sorry." She focuses on her clammy hands subconsciously clenching on her lap. She wanted to tell him. It's just that cowards always run out of time.

"Alya knew, didn't she? Why couldn't I?"

"Alya's different."

"So, what?!" he yells, standing up and making her shake in place.

"Maybe some people might treat you differently after you tell them, but I'm not like that. Haven't you known me long enough?" He pleads for an explanation, but she has none.

"I don't want- I don't want to be left in the dark. I don't want to get a call that- you're already dead."

"Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I understand?" It's her time to yell. It's time to let everything out.

"I'm sick. You can't do anything about that!" She's mad because where did everything she ever loved about him go? Where did all the tenderness and sympathy go?

"Don't you know how hard it is to tell someone you love you're dying?"

"That's why I didn't tell. We're not even supposed to be friends, but I'm just so hard-headed." Tears start falling. How can he not understand that everything about this is hurting everyone?

"That's why if you don't want any of these, just leave! The door's wide open!" She raises her arm to point at the door.

"So, what if you get a call that I just died, you can't change any of that. Just face it and leave!" With every word, her voice only grows louder.

"Well? Say something? Be more selfish!"

"You think that you're the only one in pain. Well, no! What about Alya and my parents? What on earth do you think are they going through?" She leans on the bed, trying her best to calm down as silence echoes through the room.

"If you're not going to say something, leave." She turns to face the window, hears the door open and close, and concludes he's a coward himself.

When she finally stops herself from crying, she pushes the blanket off her legs and forces herself to stand. Her body feels nothing short of heavy as she crosses the cold floor to reach her bag before searching through it for a small notebook. When she finds it, she makes her way back to her bed.

It was nothing. The fall was actually more painful than the shock that caused it until she realizes the fact that she can't feel her legs at all that she's every bit confused.

She quivers, realizing how much she's sweating. They hurt more than the everyday pain she knows. A string of whispered curses leaves her mouth as she grasps the side rails of her hospital bed, putting an arm on the mattress for support, but when she tries to lift herself, one could only describe the pain as what it would feel like descending into hell.

She falls hard on the floor, and she knows well that's going to leave a mark, but that's currently the least of her concerns.

"Stupid legs, stand up! You're supposed to do what I say! Stand up already! What are you waiting for?! Stand up!"

She hits her thighs between frustrated sobs before giving up and letting out an earth-shattering scream. She rests her back on the side of the bed. She's too far from the nurse call button that lies uselessly on her nightstand. She doesn't have any strength left. All there's really left is to hope someone would find her.