The sadness overwhelmed me; I felt like I should have had a better relationship with her and Pierre. I was so stuck in my past that I never shared any love with Camille as she was wasting her energy to make life easier for us, her children. Camille knew she was sick; I knew something was off with her, but I kept quiet, just judging her. I felt awful. Pierre stopped bullying me, but our relationship did not improve; we were just two kids who shared a house and didn't talk to each other.

Couldn't leave bed for weeks. I was depressed and lonely. Pierre spent more hours out than at home. He left food next to my bed every morning, a kind of caring I'd never even thought I would receive from him. Without noticing, a month passed without letting a single tear come out of me, even if my throat was soaring from all the pain I held to myself.

"Look, I'm tired. You can't stay this way forever. Don't you have friends?"

Pierre asked.

"Have you heard about the King?"

I heard people talking from outside the window.

"Yes, I heard he is on his deathbed. Will the prince ascend to the throne, or will the queen be in charge?"

Another man spoke.

"Who knows? I don't care."

There was a third person.

"As if they ever cared about us."

Suddenly, Charles's face came to my mind. The last time I saw him, he wasn't in a good state, then I disappeared from his life without notice. I took a quick bath and dressed as fast as possible to search for Charles.

Running until I reached our hiding, my lungs couldn't take it anymore, and I fell to my knees near the water. There was no one around. Was I too early or too late?

"Louise?"

Charles's voice froze me. I started crying as he hugged me in silence.

"I'm sorry! I don't want to cry, but I can’t stop!"

I confessed, ashamed.

"Cry as much as you can."

Charles told me with his kind and calm voice, caressing my head.

"My mom died... I should have noticed she wasn't doing alright. I should have been a better daughter and been there for her."

I cried my heart out as Charles held me tighter.

"I wasn't even able to remember the names of my old friends or most of my family members, the streets and restaurants' names I often visited, the brands I wore, most of the lyrics of the songs I screamed with happiness on a night out with the people I held dear. The moment Camille died, those memories started to fade."

I spoke without thinking twice; it was all nonsense to Charles.

"What are you talking about? Well, it doesn't matter. I'm here for you. That's what friends are for, right?"

The tears finally stopped falling from my cheeks.

"Thanks."

I didn't know what was on Charles's mind, he must have thought I was crazy, but he accepted me the way I was. Maybe it was the loneliness we shared, but we had our friendship in the end.