Me And The Dark

Chapitre 46

Valentina

I've learnt that love can come by surprise or die overnight. That great friends can become complete strangers, and that on the contrary, a stranger can become a friend for life.

That "never again" never happens and that "forever" has an end.

That those who take risks never lose anything, and those who risk nothing never gain anything.

That pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional, and above all, I've learnt that denying the most obvious things is absolutely useless.

I had lost Mattheo.

Those words echoed in my mind like a melancholy echo, a symphony of bitter truths. The soothing potion had extinguished the all-consuming fire of my panic, but it had left in its wake a foggy consciousness, saturated with grief.

I slowly emerged from a state of semi-consciousness, reality gradually taking shape in the infirmary wing.

The blurred outlines of my foggy dream mingled with the worried faces of Lorenzo, Aurora and Theodore. Beside my bed, a profusion of colourful flowers on the small table formed a small garden, a burst of life in my sadness.

The tears rolled gently down my cheeks in salty streaks. I stared at the ceiling without moving, trying to anchor myself in this world that seemed to be crumbling.

A whisper ran through the room, signalling my awakening. The approaching footsteps became a familiar presence, and I heard Enzo's soft whisper. "Val..."

I glanced at him, my eyes deeply tired. Enzo was trying to communicate his compassion, but his eyes also betrayed his feeling of powerlessness in the face of my distress.

"How are you?" asked Aurora, her gaze tinged with concern, searching for answers in the meanders of my broken thoughts.

Theodore, usually the bearer of friendly teasing, remained silent. His face revealed a contained sadness, a mute understanding that avoided the need for words.

The words whispered during my crisis still seemed to hang in the air, creating an atmosphere heavy with unspoken truths. My syllables were pebbles in my throat, each thought a blade that dug deeper into the gaping wound of my pain.

Madam Pomfrey, observing the scene with a serious look, approached. "She needs her rest. You'll see her later, alright?"

My friends nodded silently. Theodore placed a light kiss on my forehead before following the others out of the infirmary wing.

The door closed, leaving me alone with my torn thoughts and the sweet scent of flowers that tried to pierce the sadness that enveloped me.

"How are you, my dear?"

The nurse's benevolent voice rang through the room, rousing me from my gloomy thoughts. I looked up, still wet with tears, at the benevolent figure standing at the foot of my bed.

A mixture of emotions overwhelmed me, but I was still too shocked to formulate a response.

She took a cautious step forward, scrutinising my face as if looking for answers in the depths of my eyes.

The urge to utter one of my usual sarcastic sentences was there, but my heart was bleeding too much to find the necessary energy. Instead, a heavy silence settled in, an echo of the whirlwind of emotions that were tormenting my mind.

"Miss Pierce, I think you need to take a break. I've been thinking about contacting your parents and-"

I instantly cut her off. "No, don't do that!"