The Strings of a Violin

1. Mariya

I sat on the windowsill of my room watching the rain fall slowly. The white shrug that my grandmother had knitted me falling off of my left shoulder. Sighing, I watched as my breathe left a spot on the window. Before it faded away I took my finger to it and drew a face on it.

I heard a knock and turned my head to face my door. It opened to reveal my personal nurse Ellie.

"Afternoon Miss Mariya, I've brought you your lunch and medicine," she whispers knowing I don't like loud noises.

I turned all the way around in the windowsill to face her, I pushed my small frame out of it and slid my feet into my light blue slippers while rubbing my eyes out of sleep. Wrapping my shrug around my shoulders tighter I made my way to the tray on my desk.

Ellie smiled kindly and handed me a glass of apple juice along with my two pills. "Remember Mariya, one at a time. We wouldn't want you to choke again," she said preparing a cup of tea for me.

I took the two pills carefully and drank the small glass of apple juice before sitting down in the desk chair. "Is it the black mint tea?" I asked ever so delicately.

"It is actually, you liked it so much last time I asked the staff to order some more for you," she said putting the tray in front of me.

"Thank you Ellie," I said picking up the fork.

"You're welcome Mariya, I'll be back in an hour to check in on you."

"Okay," I hummed and looked down at my lunch.

It consisted of chicken alfredo pasta, mashed potatoes, and a chocolate chip cookie. I was usually never hungry, or didn't feel like eating. But Ellie knows that chicken and cookies were my weakness.

I started eating my lunch bit by bit. I was looking at a community page that my friends share, they had pictures of everything going on in the real world. Going to school dances, going out to eat, participating in sports, and going to expos.

Looking at my friends having fun without me made me upset. While I was locked up in a hospital room, they were down there having a blast and being the teenagers they're supposed to be.

I closed the window on the computer and opened a video game that my brother had sent me from college. It was sort of like a virtual online game. My character was a hero, a savior to be exact. The game is too hard to explain, but I was able to be someone that I wanted to be.

I sipped my tea and left my half eaten lunch on my desk. Making my way back over to the windowsill I made a stop at my mirror.

My pale skin, light blue slippers and dress almost seemed to blend in. The shrug was still positioned off of my shoulder. My long white hair hung in my face and cascaded down my back. But my light blue eyes made me seem so elegant.

Some might say I was enchanting, or beautiful.

Maybe even adorable and perfect like a goddess.

Maybe you would think the same thing, but you don't know me yet.

When I looked at myself in that mirror, all I saw was a girl that was sad, too skinny, and unloved.

In my eyes, life wasn't fair to me. After what happened everyone got the wrong impression of me. All it was, was an accident. I wasn't thinking. . .

I picked up the book I was reading and sat back down in my usual spot on the windowsill. It was warm now since the sun decided to peek out from behind the clouds. Curling my toes I look down at the world below me. Everyone looked like ants from up here, in my mind it was funny.

Putting one earbud into my ear I turned on my music. It was mostly 80s, I enjoyed it a little too much according to my mother. But what did she know? It made me happy. . .

I started to read where I left off as I listened to one of my favorite songs. I tapped my foot slowly to beat of the song. I was into my own little world so much I didn't even realize I had a visitor until he came over and set his hand on my bare shoulder.

I jumped and hit him with my book by accident. I left my windowsill and went to hit the call nurse button.

"Wait, wait, please hear me out," he said setting down a case that was in his hand. "I was hired to play music here for some of the patients," he continued sounding annoyed, "Your nurse Ellie, thought me playing my violin would help you in a way. You're Mariya, right?" He seemed honest.

I nodded slowly and stepped away from the call button.

"I'm Kito Ramano, nice to meet you Mariya."