Lesbian Academy (Girlxgirl, Lesbian)

Chapter 37. Pseudo

Chapter 37. Pseudo

In one way or another, everyone has experienced death. The word transcends the physical aspect of existence. Death could be realized when friends have parted, or when a relationship that has never even started, ended. Death could be a mother crying for her lost child on a cold winter morning. Death could be leaving the life you had behind, in favor of a better one.

There was darkness. There was light. I couldn't make sense of what I was seeing. I bid my time well in the cocoon of warmth. There were voices. There was silence. When, and if I came out, it would be the beginning of a new adventure. I decided that it was worth the shot. I've been asleep for days. It was time.

Slowly, my eyes fluttered open. There was a beep beside me, followed by an uneven sound. I frowned. Something was covering my face. I tugged at it, wanting to get rid of the obstruction. A woman with grey hair came into view. I tried to make sense of who she was. Sigh. It was no use. My head was rattled.

The edge of her lips pulled into a genuine smile. She kissed me on the forehead. "You're awake," she murmured. "I've been waiting for a whole day." She looked relieved. "Relax and stay put Mars. I'll tell the others." I grabbed her hand weakly before she could slip away. Her glance was inquisitive.

"I feel strange," I said. My voice sounded far away.

She removed my hand gently and placed it over my chest. "I know. . . The dosage has been increased. It will take some getting used to, but you'll be fine. Trust me." She left the room without another word.

I stared at the ceiling. The design was remarkable. Swirls of blue, purple, red, and orange. The colors went in all direction, sometimes crisscrossed, other times away from each other, making me unable to predict the pattern except for the circular marking. Looking at them for a long time made me dizzy. I closed my eyes.

Sometime in the day, I woke up again due to an unbearable itch on my chin. I scratched it, or at least tried to. When I couldn't reach the area, I sat up and yanked the thing from my face. I scowled at the oxygen mask before letting it fall on my bedside. Coincidentally, the itching was gone.

The door squeaked open, grabbing my attention. The woman behind it was wearing a relieved smile. "They told me earlier that you woke up, but when I came here, it seems that you've fallen asleep again." She stepped inside. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." I waited for her to sink on the chair beside my bed before I asked, "What happened, and how long has it been? I feel like someone hit the back of my head with a baseball bat." I touched my scalp for good measure. The awful tenderness has lessened compared to when I just woke up. I could look at Dean J now without squinting my eyes.

"You've been missing for two days before we were able to rescue you. The snowstorm got really bad. It usually does when it hits, but the past few days were extra hard on us." I didn't inquire much about that. There were more pressing issues to tackle.

"Blue and Lilith?" I gripped the bed sheet.

"They're fine," she assured. My fingers loosened on the poor cloth. "Both of them were awake when the three of you were rescued." A flash of gratitude flitted on her face. "They kept you warm while you were unconscious. I've already thanked them in your behalf, but you might want to do it personally later."

"I will. . ." Silence hung in the air. While she checked the tank of air beside me, I seized the opportunity to glance around. "This room isn't mine," I said. "Why am I here?" My gaze went back to the Dean. She stopped whatever it was she was doing at the tank to look at me. Her hand froze in the air.

"This is the most comfortable room in the house apart from mine," she said. She avoided looking at me while she settled back on her chair. "It used to be my daughter's. I thought you'd have a better chance of recovering if you're here, away from the noise. The lower floors are livelier than usual. Your friends are making quite the ruckus, especially Ms. Ford and Lilithia. They like to have a debate, those two."