Problems of adults

Chapter 47 : A Drawing

Max was sitting next to Jane. The days were very long without her, and Max was beginning to feel worse and worse. Beverly, Mike, Will, and Lucas came with her. The five friends were quiet, working on their exercises. It was weird, but Jane's room became like a studying room. It was so quiet, only the beeps of the machines were filling the room of noise. Max was trying to finish the work she had to do in chemistry, but she couldn't stop looking at Jane. She was missing her failing their works in chemistry. She would exchange all her good marks in chemistry to have Jane in good health next to her, with no hesitation. The group of friends were interrupted by the arriving of Troy who was followed by a girl. When the girl saw them, she immediately stepped back.

- "It's fine, you can come in," Max said.

Abigail shyly entered.

- "I didn't want to disturb you."

- "It's fine, just don't talk," Max sighed. "We'll give you some privacy with her. Come on, guys, it's time to take some air."

The friends closed their books and stood. Max gave a friendly tap on Troy's shoulder to thank him for coming. Will warmly smiled to Abigail, wanting her to feel encouraged for her change. As they were hungry, they went to the vending machines to take some snacks.

- "Why is she here?" Mike asked.

- "She is worried," Will said.

- "She feels guilty," Max added.

- "It doesn't mean she is not worried."

- "Yeah, whatever..."

- "You're nice with her," Bev stated.

- "She saved Jane, in a way," the boy said. "That's why Max is tolerating her too, right?"

Max clenched her jaw before nodding. She hated admitting it, but, yeah, Abigail saved Jane. While they were buying everything in sight, Troy and Abigail were alone in the room with Jane. The boy sat next to the bed on an armchair while Abigail was shyly pacing. She didn't realize immediately that she was crying too. Seeing Jane like that was harder than she thought. She couldn't stop thinking that Jane could have finished like that way before just because of her and her stupid jealousy and lack of attention.

- "I can wait outside if you want to talk to her," Abigail proposed.

- "No, I'm good. And I prefer not being alone."

- "I understand, but maybe I'm not the right person to this."

Troy looked at her and tapped the armchair next to him to invite her to sit. The blonde girl hesitated but did it. She was still feeling uncomfortable when she was around Jane, not feeling at her place. She was sure Jane could feel her presence and was hating on her in her head right now. She couldn't blame her; she was deserving it.

- "You know, when I was in Middle School, I had no self-confidence. I was just beginning training to play Football, but I was very bad at it. Anyway, I didn't have lots of friends because I wasn't feeling at my place. But then, I had my first class with Jane. She still had her Leukemia, so everyone was looking at her like if she was a monster, but I didn't. When she sat next to me, she warmly smiled to me. Everyone was mocking her but she wasn't scared to smile to the first person she was seeing. I was very impressed by her strength, so I smiled back, happy to be seen by someone, finally! Sadly, because of her treatment, she couldn't be every day at school. I said sadly, but, in a way, it gave us opportunities to become closer to each other. I was visiting her in hospital to give her the lessons and homework she missed. She is a hard worker; she didn't want to be late in her study. She is super smart; she understands things quickly. Well, except chemistry, she is a disaster in chemistry. It's a miracle that Max didn't kill her yet because of it!" he chuckled. "But then, in High School, I became...the guy you know! The stupid hunk who embarrassed his best friend just to be accepted by the wrong people."

Abigail's face paled. She was smiling the whole story until he got to this point. She knew she was part of the wrong people and immediately lost the warm sensation in her heart. All the bad things she had done in her life just came back in her mind, making her feel more guilty. Troy turned his head to her and realized he made her feel bad. But, yeah, she was part of the wrong people.

- "You're not like that anymore, I can see it," he reassured. "And I'm sure she saw it too."

- "I don't think she did, but it's okay, I'm not expecting her to forgive me."

- "Jane is the best person to see people how they really are. She saw exactly who I was before seeing it myself, that's why she never hated me for inviting her for a date, because she knew I wasn't doing it for me, but for the others. And I'm sure she saw that into you too, when you helped her to join Joyce, she let you help her not just because she didn't have the choice, but because she knew you wouldn't hurt her again."

- "She still yelled at me."

- "She yelled at Max too a lot at this period. It was the pain that was yelling, not Jane. She is not the kind to yell."

Abigail nodded. She couldn't agree with that as she had spent her time pushing her over the edge, she had already heard Jane yelling. She looked away and noticed a picture on the nightstand. She stood and took it to look closely at it. She felt a pinch in her heart. She recognized this picture.

- "It's her mother," Troy said.

- "I know."

- "She was a tough woman too, she faced Jane's sickness and her own sickness. She is Jane's example."

- "She was a pretty woman."

- "Yeah, she was."

Abigail felt a tear falling on her cheek and quickly wiped it. She remembered when she put Jane's head in the toilet and almost flushed this picture that was so important for the brunette. She was such an idiot. 

The two friends were cut by the arriving of a young woman holding a young girl with blonde hair, followed by Max. Mary and Emily wanted to see Jane. Mary wasn't sure that it was a good idea for Emily, but the young girl insisted a lot, wanting to give her another drawing. Abigail stepped back to let pass the mother with her daughter. Emily was holding tight her mother.

- "Can she hear us?" Emily asked.

- "We like to think that she does," Max answered.

- "Hey Jane, it's Emily. I made another drawing for you. It's you again, and you fight against a monster. In fact, the monster is your sickness. But don't worry, you win at the end."

Max had an amused sigh. This small story warmed her heart, it was very cute of Emily, and brave, not every kid would have managed to see someone in Jane's condition without being scared. The young girl put the drawing on the nightstand before leaning to Jane and kissing her cheek. Mary proudly smiled to her before turning to Max and softly smiling to her. The redhead had a weak smile but wasn't feeling good enough to do more. But when Emily opened her arms in her direction for a hug, Max felt better. She took the young girl in her arms and hugged her tight. Emily's hope was contagious, Max felt a quick amount of hope inside her, sure that Jane would be okay.