✖ [PAST] Rᴇᴄᴏɴᴄɪʟɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴ Sᴛᴀᴛɪᴏɴ | Xᴜɪ Lɪ ✕ Gᴀʙʙʏ
That night, Gabby just happened to be passing by her father's study. She had a very satisfying snack only to have her mood brought down by the mention of one particular name paired up with the alarming word 'hospital'. She had to stop from her tracks, forgetting her parents's constant reminder on never eavesdropping on elders when they're talking in the study. They said it meant private matters, business matters. It was business matters alright, because whatever involves Wang Xui Li is her business. Had she been this stubborn, she would have saved herself from all the trouble of wondering what's happening to her childhood friend. And how it broke her heart to hear just how low Xui Li went, she had crashed. In all ways. Gabby's back pressed on the wall, it was the only thing keeping her standing at that point. She heard the words clearly, 'That Wang girl is at the hospital, should we tell, Gabby?' to which her father replied to with the even more painful, 'What for? They're not friends anymore.'
The response sent her knocking on her older brother's door, insisting that she drive her somewhere the next morning. And the next morning indeed, she stood in front of the door that separated her from facing years of regret and sorrow. Her held onto the fruit basket for dear life, like it would have saved her if suddenly she were to start drowning, nibbling on her lower lip as she tried to organize her thoughts. Was she going to see her friend inside? Or the damaged person she abandoned not so very long ago? Will she be welcomed with open arms? Or slapped in the face? Was she even conscious enough to respond? The latter thought scared Gabby the most. What if it was worse than she'd heard? What if... what if she was hooked up to some machine to keep living? No, no Xui Li is much stronger than that. She's too indestructible to succumb to something like that was what she insisted on. She took one step closer, feeling every reason to abandon this sudden choice to see her. Every reason but one. They are friends, she never forgot it, not for a second. That's why it was hurt all those years... because she never felt like a good one.
But she believed it's never too late to fix things, she'll be there at the time anyone least expected. She'll be there because she wants to, even if she's not wanted. Her fingers rested steadily on the door knob, feeling the cold slither in her skin, making its way up. Slowly, she pushed the door, hearing a steady beeping sound bouncing around the room, the familiar smell of sterile sheets came rushing to her. Gabby stepped into the room, holding onto the basket tightly until her knuckles turned white. There, at the center of the room, lying on bed, looking like what you'll imagine patients to look like, all weak and very fragile. She had this image of the tough Xui Li that she almost forgot she was still human. And this is proof enough for that, "You just look like death eating a cookie to me..." She spoke, loud enough to be heard but soft enough not to disturb.