cascade | kotlc

19. Scars of Violet

tw: scars, blindness

June could only remember whispering "I'm so sorry" for the past few hours. Elwin and Physic and Biana had scrambled around Faye, treating her oil-burnt face. From what she could tell, the wounds were horrible. Disgusting, repulsive, permanent.

Faye had woken up a long while ago. She sat stiffly against her pillows, her hand resolutely covering her face. She didn't talk, didn't eat, didn't do anything as she just numbly sat there, breaking apart.

"I'm so sorry," June whispered yet again, hoping for a response.

Silence. June sighed, sitting against the bed, tapping her finger on the soft mattress. After a while she looked up again.

If only she could make things right again. If only she could turn back time and drive the car away, help Faye in her fight...

There were so many if only's.

She repeated the if only's in her mind, her mouth forming, "I'm so sorry," again. If only I could do something now...

"You're sorry. You're sorry?"

June bolted up, shaking her head and staring at Faye. Her mouth was open, her unbandaged eye raging. Her other eye was possibly blinded and scarred -- Elwin didn't know.

"Y-yeah... I'm sorry, Faye, I really didn't mean for it to happe—"

"Save it." She looked away. A tear trickled down her good eye. "Do you- do you know what'll happen to me...?"

"Elwin says there'll be a scar on your right cheek," June told her quietly. "And on the back of your left hand. And your right eye... nobody knows. Biana's still holding out hope."

Faye rolled her good eye, sniffing as she wiped the tear away. "Whatever."

"At... least you'll look cool?" June said tentatively, trying to comfort Faye. She hated seeing Faye like this. Honestly, she hated seeing anyone like this. This was the one time she wanted the bitchy Faye back.

"...Whatever," Faye repeated, looking down. June reached out to touch her leg and she felt a shock run down her finger, and she shrank back, hurt making its way into her eyes, followed immediately by shame.

"I... I'm... if you..."

"Just shut up!" Faye screamed, turning on June, her eye flashing dangerously again. "It's not like you can do anything to fix it. I don't want your stammering pity. Go back to hating me. It's what I'm used to anyways."

"I didn't hate you," she defended. "I just..."

What did I just? There's no point. She's... she's right. I did hate her. And...

For good reason...?

I don't even know anymore. But even then, if I did hate her, I'm still sorry... I wouldn't want anyone to get injured like this. Nobody deserves this.

"Yeah, right," Faye said.

She uncovered her eye.

June winced. It was a milky white, creepily staring at her, not moving or anything. It reminded her slightly of a thundercloud. Naturally white, but darkened by the shadows passing through it. Bits of blue flickered through her eye, flashing without life. Faye looked to the side sadly, rubbing her blind eye. A tear dropped down, sliding slowly down her cheek.

"You win. Congratulations."

Faye reached into a pocket and pulled out her Ace of Spades, handing it to June. One last bolt of electricity flitted through the infinitely thin stainless steel card, making her hands tremble. The shock didn't hurt. It was simply a stroke of energy that filed through her finger.