Trevor had a worrying grin on his face as he entered my flat, jostling me as he went. He then looked around, hands behind his back, sure of himself.

— Hey, watch out, said Daniel as he approached me.
— Watch out for what? Who are you anyway? Trevor questioned dryly, looking Daniel up and down.

The latter stared at him warily.

— You don't push Elizabeth around like that and I'm... a close friend.
— Is this guy your boyfriend? enquired the intruder, turning to me and regaining his composure.

I didn't know who Trevor thought he was, sending me messages and breaking into my house. Technically, he had told me he was coming, but I didn't know he knew my address and that he was so close to my house. My heart rate had increased and I wanted him to leave. I raised my voice, my fear giving way to anger.

— No, he's not, but under no circumstances do I allow you to talk about him in that way. Get out of my house, Trevor. How did you know I live here anyway?
— There's no need to get upset, I just glanced at your address in your file.
— Which file are you talking about?
— In the cooking class, for fuck's sake! he blured out, making me jump. I pretended to want to plan you a surprise birthday to get this information, I pretended to have a doubt if it's this coming week or not.
— But why did you do it?
— Because I wanted to know where my sweetheart lives.

His sweetheart?

— What the hell is wrong with you?
— Absolutely nothing. I just don't like being taken for a fool.

He looked so serene and self-assured that it gave me the shivers. A stranger turned up at my house knowing nothing about me and yet he had the audacity to be mean and arrogant.

— Well, you'd better get the hell out of her house if you don't want any trouble, said Daniel behind me.

From the sound of his voice, he was starting to get angry.

— Or what?

Daniel walked towards him.

— You don't want to know.

The intruder watched us one by one, then seemed to challenge Daniel for a moment before backing away. He approached me with a look that made me extremely uncomfortable, and I took a step backwards. Daniel stood between us to protect me. His fists clenched and he whispered something to him that I couldn't hear.

Trevor looked slightly surprised.

— Right, I'm off, but I'll see you soon, Liz!

With a smile on his face, he left my flat, slamming the door behind him.

Relieved, I shivered in response to the stress his arrival had caused. After a few moments, Daniel turned round. My breathing was ragged, my vision blurred and I realised I was having a panic attack.

— Liz! he shouted as I hyperventilated. Breathe, calm down.

I sat down on the floor.

— I just can't do it.

The room began to waltz around me as I heard my heartbeat in my ears as if it were playing an accelerated melody. Daniel's breath on my right temple, however, seemed to keep me in reality.

— Lie down on the floor and I'll go and get you some water, he said as he hurried off.

I was about to tell him I could do it myself when I felt my head tilt back.

— Liz? Liz! I heard in the distance before switching off my brain and plunging into absolute silence.

— She only suffered a slight head injury when she fell backwards. It's quite rare given the short distance from the ground. She's in no danger, we just need to wait for her to wake up, check her reflexes and then she can go home.
— But when will she wake up? almost shouted a voice.

Harry?

With my eyes closed, I had an unbearable headache and shivers ran through my body in response. I gradually regained consciousness.

— In three hours at the most, I don't see why she shouldn't wake up in that time.
— But that's not enough! replied Daniel.

I thought I was at home but the smell was foreign to me. I tried in vain to open my eyes but it felt like superglue was keeping my eyelids glued shut. I gasped inwardly, not having the strength to do it physically, as I felt someone take my hand and kiss it.

— Liz, for fuck's sake, stop scaring me like that and wake up, Harry whispered beside me.

His voice was about to break, which prompted me to open my eyes, but to no avail. I didn't want Harry to be in this state when there was nothing wrong with me. As I knew him, even if I'd only had a sprained ankle, he would have made the trip from Orleans to Lille.

— Don't worry, he said it won't be long before she wakes up, says Daniel to my left. We just have to be patient.

I wondered what Daniel was doing there. I tried to remember what had happened but only Trevor came to mind. What's more, I didn't understand. I couldn't open my eyelids, as if I'd been sedated.

— Do you want to explain to me who you are and what happened? I've only just arrived, I've been driving like mad and all to find my little sister lying in a hospital bed.
— I'm the guy Liz is seeing at the moment. I mean, I don't know if she's seeing anyone else, but we've been talking for a few weeks.
— I didn't know she was seeing anyone. What is about Liz that you appreciate? Harry questioned him, as he questioned all the boys who showed interest in me.
— Well, she's absolutely extraordinary, and very noble-minded. She does so many good deeds, especially with Simon.
— Simon?
— Yes, a homeless man she has been feeding regularly for some time.
— I had no idea...
— Neither did I, until Simon pointed it out to me.

They kept talking and gradually helped me to recover my memory.

— He dared to push her? Who's this idiot?
— I understand, but the so-called Trevor allegedly tricked someone into giving him her address and he just came into her flat.
— But you didn't get him out?
— Believe me, I was itching to kick him out. But out of respect for Elizabeth, I didn't interfere. After all, this is her house and she chooses who goes in and out. He's shady, you can tell.
— And he went off on his own?
— No, I had to threaten him to get him to do it.
— Where did this guy come from?
— Some cooking class Liz attends, I think.
— What an asshole.
— Really. Now I'm angry with myself for not getting him out of the house sooner. But I was afraid she'd think I was violent and get scared.
— Are you worried that she might not want to talk to you because of that?

I had no idea that Daniel cared that much about what I thought of him. I felt much calmer thanks to his closeness.

— Yes, he replied.
— I can become very violent when people attack those close to me and she's never seen that as a problem.
— But that's because you're his brother.
— No. I mean, Elizabeth is a passionate person with a big heart, and for her, a true proof of love is not putting up with someone close to you getting hurt or something, so believe me, she got very upset when she found out that a boy had played with Eve's heart, to the point where she hit him in the face and in the balls.

Daniel laughed so hard.

— That bad?
— Oh yes, Liz is a lot of things but you don't have to be afraid of her judgement, because she's the most open-minded and forgiving person I know. As long as you don't take it out on the people closest to her, she'll always be lovely to you.
— Well, for a brother, you're awfully respectful.
— Why would you say that?

He laughed again.

— Well, let's just say I'm not like that with guys who hang around my little sister.

I was surprised to hear that he had a little sister. Realising that he knew more about me than I knew about him, I decided to find out more about him, although I understood that he was very discreet about his private life.

— Oh well, I was like that a few years ago when a lot of guys were after her. They'd come knocking on the door to go out with her but she's never been attracted to anyone in particular, so I'd be the one to put them off. But I don't think she'd allow me to speak ill to the first boy she met.
— I think I heard you wrong.
— She didn't tell you? You're the first person she's been with in her whole life.
— I mean, I know she's never been in a relationship, but she hasn't ever been on a date before?
— No.
— But wait, I'm the first?
— Yes. Wait a second, are you Daniel from the publishing house?
— Yes, that's me. She told you about me?

It became urgent that I intervene. So I forced my eyelids open and was immediately blinded by a whitish light. My vision became clearer as I was blinking. I saw Harry on my right and Daniel on my left. We were in a small hospital room with a white cupboard. I glanced at my brother and saw that he was wearing a white shirt. Next to him was his black leather bag, the one I'd bought him a few months earlier. His hair was neatly combed. He'd probably come straight from work.

— Yes, a lot, I mean it was the day you met, she...
— Shut up, Harry, I managed to say with a slight smile.