"I'm sorry," she whispered again as she touched Oliver's pale hand, now feeling guilty that she was alive.
Astrid offered her a smile. "It's fine. I mean, it's not but," she sighed before she continued, "You don't have to stare like that, looking guilty, you know. You did nothing wrong by surviving. Honestly, I'd feel worse if you were both unconscious. Plus, you weren't the driver that ran you two over so there's nothing over your head."
Bianca nodded, accepting her words. "So the police didn't catch the person who ran us over then."
Astrid hummed. "I think they're just so fucking incompetent, you know. You'd think there'd be cameras everywhere to record such things. I don't even know what they think your explanation is going to do. You weren't the driver of either cars."
"Unfortunately," she mumbled. "I don't remember much, but hopefully with some more rest I'll remember."
Astrid simply shrugged, her attention back to her brother. She reached out a hand to trace his eyes and then his hair.
"So where are you going to stay?" Bianca asked after a thought. "You said you came to surprise him and all so…"
She shrugged. "I could stay here. Or go to the hotel I booked for a few days. Might have to extend the days now considering what's happened now."
Bianca frowned. She didn't like that. She really wanted to help, but what can you do when you're still a patient at the hospital? And she probably wouldn't accept her help because she wanted to stay by Oliver's side.
"I'm really sorry."
"At some point you've gotta stop apologizing, especially when I've said you've done nothing wrong," Astrid chuckled a bit. "My anger and annoyance isn't with you, Bianca; you're a victim. If I were mad at you, I wouldn't have been by your side with a smile on my face." She paused before continuing, "Seeing you wake up gave me hope that my brother would wake up too."
Bianca felt her heart melt by those words. She hoped he'd wake up too. It was taking a lot for her not to breakdown crying, and one of the reasons she held herself was because Astrid was the one closest to him. If she wasn't crying, then what right did she have to cry? And crying might make it look like she assumed he was dead already. She had to put up a strong front. She was usually very good at that. She'd been praised throughout her life for that.
"They said he's in a deep coma," Astrid spoke. "They don't know when exactly he'll wake up, but the good news is that at least he's alive." She mumbled, "But I don't know if that's really good news."
Staring at her boyfriend of a few months, Bianca's thoughts went to Celestine. Who was he? She didn't feel like he was evil, but she didn't think he was good either. She wondered if he'd suddenly appear somewhere with the way she was thinking about him. That's how it usually went, right? Or was it all just a figment of her imagination and she didn't meet anyone?
"You're really beautiful."
Her head snapped towards her direction, eyes widened in surprise.
Astrid didn't have a smile on her face as she continued straightforwardly, her green eyes looking her over, "I'm just stating a fact. Oliver sent me some pics before, but they don't do you any justice. Even if I don't see what he sees when he said you're cute and meek, yet, I do see something. A lot of things."
Her face was hot, she knew. Covering it would mean she was embarrassed or shy. And she was never either of those things. So she fisted her hands by her hospital gown, cleared her throat as she responded, "You too."
"Me too?"
"I mean… you're beautiful too," she croaked.
Then she heard a beautiful laugh come out of her. Because of that, in mesmerization of the scene before her, Bianca forgot about how embarrassed she felt and looked right into those deep green eyes.
Astrid's mouth twitched, likely forcing down a wide smile. "Thanks, Bianca."
Bianca couldn't say anything, wondering why her heart was fluttering for such simple things. And why her face was still on fire. She was a girl. Sure, she never minded being complimented by women, but this was just…different.
Astrid was different.
The next day was bright and it was annoying Bianca that she wasn't allowed to walk yet. She wasn't allowed outside yet, unless she went out with someone who'd be watching her and helping her with her wheelchair. Despite how inconvenient it all felt, she knew she couldn't complain much because at least she was alive. There were people who weren't…or who were alive, but not conscious.
She sighed, staring out the window from her bed. Thinking about Oliver made her sad. If she'd known such a thing would happen, she'd have refused when he asked her to go out that night.
The door banged open suddenly.
"Oh, hi, auntie."
Her aunt Celia had a bright smile on her face. The sun reflected on her aunt's smooth and shiny skin and made her look more ethereal than usual. She'd always wondered how a woman in her fifties always looked so good, and now she still didn't know. She could only hope she could look as good as she by her age. Maybe the key was to change boyfriends like she did. Because if she wasn't with Oliver she wouldn't be going through this.
She wasn't exactly blaming him, but… it did feel like like maybe she was a bad luck. Because this wasn't the first time an accident happened between her and a boyfriend. At least the last one didn't end up in a coma.
"I brought you some rice pudding, fresh bread and fruits for you to eat," she rattled off.
"Thank you," Bianca said with a smile, taking in the aroma of food.