This Girl I Met

16

When we get home, the whole neighborhood is silent. As we were walking next to her building, Emily did take a quick look, only to see the lights were turned off. She sighed, and we decided to go and take the bus, because going to my home is not really what she wants, I can tell by the way she nervously scratches the back of her neck. 

Once we finally get to the hospital, we are received by some doctors. Emily hasn't had the courage to go and see her sister. I get it : she's already seen her for two years, without any sign of her getting better. She now is afraid that something would have changed, that the doctors say she can't be saved and just decide it is best for her to die completely. As the doctors are explaining to her how her sister has been conditioned and being taken care of, Emily is shaking a little bit. Without further hesitation, I slowly reach out to her hand, holding it in mine. She doesn't even blink, too caught up by the doctor's words to realize. 

They then let us into the room. 

Emma Sonnett is not the exact copy of her sister. Even though they're twins - and that Emma is only minutes older than Emily - and they have the same hair and smile, they look very different. Their faces have some things in common, but not everything. And Emily's eyes are way bluer than Emma's, Emily told me that one day. But now that I have both of them in front of me - Emma obviously lying down with her eyes closed, and Emily sitting by her side, holding her hand - I can definitely see how they seem to be close. It's just... a vibe, I guess. When Emily is smiling at her, I can feel the love gravitate around the room. 

She looks up at me. 

"You don't have to stay, Linds" she says, shyly looking down. 

I smirk. "You won't be able to get rid of me tonight" I tease her. 

She seems pretty pleased by this affirmation, but doesn't say anything. Instead, she puts her attention back on Emma. After several minutes of silence, during which I sat down on a chair, looking at my hands with intensity, she finally speaks up. I can feel how torn her voice is. She is addressing her brain-dead sister, tears in her eyes. 

I bet she used to do it a lot back home. 

"Hey, big girl" she speaks up, trying to hide her sadness. "I see you like it here, uhn ?" She then slowly turns around and looks at me. Without her eyes leaving me, she continues : "There's someone I really want to meet you. She's my friend, Lindsey." 

She waves at me. I realize she actually wants me to talk to Emma too. I get up, not as confident as I am used to. I approach the bed, and then sit on the other side of the bed. 

"'Sup" I let out. When Emily rolls her eyes, I let a light laugh out. "Since your sister really wants me to do this, so here we go : hey Emma, I'm Lindsey. I just want you to know that no matter how bad things go, I will take care of your sister. I promise. So... peace out." 

With that said, I get up and go back to my chair. Emily follows me with her eyes, before actually throwing a very warm smile at me. I realize now that my words came out of my mouth without me even thinking about them. But this time, I don't care : I want her to know she's not alone, that she has got me now. There is no way out of this : I won't leave her alone. That's how much I care now. 

She squeezes Emma's hand. 

"See ? Told you I could make some friends" she giggles, and that sound only gives me the chills. I shiver, as she goes on : "You've always been the popular one, I know that. Remember when we were in high school, and that this douche you called your boyfriend came around and you just slapped him in front of the whole school because he insulted me ? Everybody cheered. You're always been my hero, Em." That makes her laugh. "I don't even care us sharing the same nickname. It's kind of an honor." 

Now that I see her like this, addressing her unconscious sister with the slight hope that she'd hear her, I feel my heart melt. How am I supposed to hate her now that I am discovering who she is ? Everything about her is amazing. 

She turns her head toward me. 

"You know," she starts, talking to me this time. "When I see you and Allie, that reminds me of how me and Emma were once, before this whole... shit." 

I start looking down. "I really want to know her" I say, honest. "I bet we'd get along. Does she mess with you all the time ?"

"Even more than you do" Emily assures me, smiling. Then, her beautiful smile fades a little bit more every second. "I really hope you'll meet her, I mean, when she's awake." 

A shy smile is coloring my lips. "I hope that too."

"I gotta warn you tho, she's not as great as I am" she says with sarcasm. 

Nobody is better than you, Emily, I thought. I jokingly shake my head, trying to come up with something mean to say. But now that I know what she's been through - I mean, part of it - I don't even want to hurt her, or make fun of her. 

She's the strongest woman I've ever met. 

"Whatever."

**   

"Time to wake up, love birds !" 

Ashlyn's not so sweet voice just erupted in my room, and I don't really know how I feel about that. I immediately open my eyes and try to sit down, but something is holding me back : my arm has slipped under Emily's body, who is turning her back on me. I can feel her cold hand holding my forearm, and I shiver. 

Yesterday, when we got home, we talked for hours, until dawn. We went though every subject possible, from her belief in God, to the way animals don't deserve to be treated a certain way in Chinese traditions. Every subject, but her father and mother. She told me so much about Emma back in high school. She really seems to be just like Allie is to me : protective, helpful, loving... Everything that has been taken away from Emily. She told me stories about her childhood, and I shared what I remember from it, and from my parents. I have never opened up that much to somebody. I mean, Allie knows everything, but that's because she's been here when things happened. It's the first time I tell my life as a story to someone. 

Now that the goalkeeper is looking at us with a smirk on her face, I immediately feel in danger. She sits down on my side of the bed. I don't want to wake her up, so I just whisper : 

"One word to Allie about that and I'll kill you. Understood ?" 

That makes her smile. "Fine, Sleeping Beauty." She then looks at Emily, and then back at me. I can smell her sarcasm ten miles away, but this time she's holding it back. "It's 8:30, you guys must be ready by 9" she orders. 

"For what ?" I ask, disconnected. 

I feel Emily move next to me, still not letting go of my arm. Once again, Ashlyn wants to say something, but restrains herself from saying it out loud. 

"You two are coming to our game today" she says, as if we actually have no choice. "We need someone to take company to Ali on the stands, she got hurt yesterday at training." 

"Shit, what happened ?" 

Ash smirks. "Well, she fell on her own, like a big girl."

I start laughing. "Fine, we'll be there. Just, let me wake this sleepyhead up, and we'll be down in ten. I hope you're serving us."

She rolls her eyes and gets out of the room. 

I slowly turn to watch Sonnett, still turning her back on me. I would like to just cuddle her, gluing my body to her back, wrapping my arms around her, but I know I can't. So, instead, I just slowly take my arm back, and shake her a little bit. After some minutes, I just give up and start running my fingers though her hair. 

When she turns around, I immediately stop, pretending to be on the move to get up. When I explain to her the program of the midday, she just nods, and smiles. She agrees on coming, but only if we go study at the library afterwards. I groan, but accept. 

God, she's too pure for this messed-up world.