When I wake up from my sleep in the hospital, I see I’m in yet another room, one, I again, don’t know. I start to scream when I see that there are pictures of me and my family in frames all around the room. I hear someone running up the stairs and come crashing into the room. The person, who is holding a frying pan, I realize is my brother, who I just saw at the hospital. 

    “Ame, what’s wrong? Is someone here? Did you see someone?” Noa is sounding so worried that I realize he is being one hundred percent sincere.

    “Where am I? The last thing I remember is falling asleep in the hospital after you said I was-oh. I’m at your house, aren’t I?” I am in a state of shock at my revelation. I’m at my big brother’s house. But how did I get there? He must have carried me out of the hospital while I was sleeping. Now that I mention it, I remember being in a car. I guess the saying ‘dumb redheads’ is accurate. 

    Noa just sighs and walks out of the room. I get out of bed and walk around the room. All the pictures I’m seeing are from now and before mom. The one that draws my attention is from about a week ago. I was at the fro-yo shop and was with Cobalt and he made me laugh by smearing his fro-yo all over his face. I smile at the memory and look to the next picture. It was a week before the ’freak accident’ with my mom. Her, Noa and I are at the park that was around the corner from the house and we went there for a picnic while my dad was away on a ‘business trip’. Now I know he was really meeting with his new wife. He even had a son with her. For 10 years. I’m only 16. He is an asshole. I start crying thinking about it.

    I look at what I’m wearing and realize it’s not the same as in the hospital. When I look up I see another picture that’s really recent. It is of me and Cobalt when we fell asleep together in the hospital. I make the picture off the wall and a piece of paper falls out from behind it. I hear people coming up the stairs so I shove it in my pocket. The door to the room I am in slams open and I see the one person in the world that would always be there. I run up and hug him like he could disappear at any moment. He might and I need him here. Cobalt hugs me back even more like he understands what I am thinking and thinks the same way. I completely forget about the picture that had me wondering how it got here. 

    He releases me and I go to pick up the picture frame. And finish putting the paper in my pocket. “Do you know how this got here? It’s from when I was in the hospital and finally woke up. And where are we? I thought Noa lived on campus, not here because if he lived here, he would have visited me more, wouldn’t he have?” I think by the end I was trying to reassure myself rather than asking Cobalt. He looked at a loss for words when he saw what the picture was. 

    I watch as he turns around and storms out of the room, picture in hand, too, who I assume is Noa, to ask about the picture that is now being crushed in his fist. I quickly follow him to the staircase that leads to the lower floor. We both storm down the step, on our way to greet peeping tom who happens to be my brother. He is sitting on his couch and is watching T.V. He looks up from his bowl of popcorn when we walk into the room. Cobalt walks right up to where Noa is sitting. You know, most people in Cobalt’s position would be slightly scared and intimidated, even if Noa is just sitting but to Cobalt’s defense, he is just standing there, taking the look. I have never been more proud to call him my friend. 

    “I thought I told you to delete this” I never knew Cobalt could be so cold and nasty to anyone. “You said you would. You promised you would. You know that if this gets out she will be in even more danger than she is already. Why don’t you get that everything I say to do is for her? To keep her safe and undetected. My dad was able to hide her until the accident and now there is nothing I can do to protect her but to hide her and you go and do this shit. Why?” By the end of the speech, Cobalt’s voice is cracking. 

    Noa is at a loss of words now. I’ve never seen him like this. It’s new to me. He opens and closes his mouth, a true fish out of water moment, one I wish I could capture on camera. Finally, he knows what he needs to do. “Why don’t you understand that that is my little sister, my flesh and blood. I would never do anything that could danger or harm her well being. I get it, you’re looking out for your mate, but I’m looking out for family. You’ve known her for, what, a month. I have known her for her entire life. I think I have the right to do what I need to keep her safe. I respect the fact that you are helping out but you need to understand that I know what I am doing. And I know you said to delete it, but it was so cute I wanted to keep it so I bought a frame and printed it off at home. Now lay off dude.” I have never heard Noa talk like that to anyone, not even our father after what happened to mom. It was a stark change to boy I grew up with. 

    Thinking back to what Noa said, I realized he referred to me as Cobalt’s ‘mate’, whatever that is. “What is a mate? And why are you calling me one?” They sigh and gesture to the couch that Noa is sitting on.