Chapter 1: The sleeping one

A brown-haired girl was running down the corridor of the infirmary. It was long since dark outside and the rest of the Duel Academie was shrouded in deep sleep. Carefully she pushed open a door and crept inside. There were all kinds of medical equipment around and in the middle of the room was a bed in which a young man was lying. A girl with long blond hair was sitting on a small stool next to the bed. She fell asleep. The brown-haired one smiled and closed the door behind her. Slowly and quietly she walked towards the bed so as not to wake the girl. When she got there she put her arms around her back and her head on the blonde's shoulder.
"Alexis, you can go to bed now," she whispered in her ear.
"Hmm ..." came back only from the blonde girl.
"Take a rest a bit. I'll relieve you."
Alexis slowly opened her eyes and looked around.When she saw her friend standing behind her and noticed that it was already dark, she straightened up, startled.
"Is it that late again?" She asked, rubbing her eyes. "Did I sleep late?"
"It depends on how long you've been here.", Answered the brown-haired. "It's eleven o'clock now. Go to bed."
"And you?"
"I've already slept a bit, that's enough," she replied with a smile.
"Zoe, take care of yourself. If you don't sleep anymore you will get sick," said Alexis worried.
"Oh what," said Zoe, laughing. "I'm tough. Don't worry about me."
She looked at the young man who was lying in bed.
"We have to take care of him now. There is no time to worry about me, Atticus wouldn't want that either, would he?"
Alexis looked at Zoe, slightly worried. She knew what her friend was like and that she never cared about herself, but only about others. But she also knew that it wasn't good for her in the long run.But she didn't know her any other way.
"I'll go then," said Alexis after a while of silence.
"Yes, do that." Zoe sat down on the stool Alexis had previously sat on. And I'll take care of Atticus here and do a little homework on the side. I don't want any stress with Prof. Crowler. "
Alexis had to smile. She found it remarkable that her friend was in good spirits despite the situation, which was not very easy for everyone, but twice as difficult for her. First Atticus had disappeared a few months and now he was in a coma.
"I'll stop by tomorrow before school, okay? Then you can get ready because!" Said Alexis, who was already standing in the door and was ready to leave.
"Yes, sir!" Zoe replied and saluted with a low laugh.
"See you tomorrow, Zoe!"
Then the door closed and Zoe was alone. She sat down again and opened the book she had brought with her. "The 101 most important rules for duelists, before Prof. Doc. Crowler".She sighed and looked at Atticus. How peacefully he lay and slept. She couldn’t even imagine what it’s like not to hear anything from its environment. She was also firmly convinced that he felt when someone was sitting next to his bed and talking to him. Zoe gently stroked his forehead. How had she missed touching him.
"Oh Atticus, I wish you would finally wake up," she said softly and kissed his cheek.
He had been sleeping in this room for several days. And no one could say when he would wake up again. Everyone hoped that this would happen soon, because they missed talking to him and feeling his presence.
Zoe took Atticus' hand and rested her head on it.
"Do you remember the first time you patted my cheek like that? It was a year ago, out in the park on the girls' campus. You snuck up there against the rules and just to see me. You would have get reprimanded, dear.But you didn't care ... I don't even know why I kept avoiding you, maybe I ran away from myself. But I know it wasn't because I didn't like you I liked you very much and my feelings haven't changed ... but I wonder why you left without saying anything. You haven't told anyone anything. Not even your sister. I just want to know what's going on. "
She fell asleep with tears in her eyes ...

"Zoe! Hey, Zoe! Wake up!", Alexis had grabbed her friend by the shoulder and was shaking her. "It's already half past eight! Wake up!"
"Hmmm ... what's going on?" Zoe grumbled to himself.
"Lessons start in half an hour!"
“WHAT?” Zoe startled. "What time is it?"
"Half past eight, I told you!"
"Oh, what a crap. I probably fell asleep!" Zoe jumped up and ran towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Alexis called after her.
"I just want to freshen up quickly, I can't go to class that way!", she answered and yanked the door open.
Zoe ran into the hallway and didn't look around for the hurry and crashed into a person who had just turned the corner. She almost fell, which was what she was missing. But the person she'd bumped into had grabbed her arm and hip and was just able to hold it.
"That went well again!", He said.
"I'm so sorry, but I'm in a hurry," she apologized to him. Only now did she notice who she had bumped into.
"Zane?"
"Who did you expect," he replied with a smile.
"Where are you going?" Asked Zoe, straightening her skirt.
"I want to see how my old friend is doing, and then I'll go to class, will you?"
"Lessons ... Oh yes ... you, I'm in a hurry, I overslept and I have to freshen up quickly, otherwise I'll be late." With these words, Zoe was gone."But ... the girls' campus is in the other direction!" He wanted to call from behind, but she was already gone.
"Oh good morning, Zane," said Alexis, who just stuck her head out the door when she heard his voice.
"Tell me, do you know what was wrong with Zoe? She meant something about sleepy and freshening up and being late," he asked Alexis and walked up to her.
"Yes, she was on a night shift again today!"
"Oh, I see, so she spent the whole night with Atticus again," thoughtful Zane looked to the side and bit his lower lip slightly.
"At some point she will forget her head," said Alexis, shaking hers.
"W-what?"
"She took her school book with her and left it ... Well, I'll give it to her in class!", She said, put it on the stool behind her and continued to take care of her brother. She put a damp, cold washcloth on his forehead to lower his fever and gently tugged the covers properly."Oh, let me do that, I'm in a class with her. I'll see her in a moment," Zane explained and took the book.
"That would be very nice of you," said Alexis, turning her attention back to Atticus.