The small girl disappeared into thin air and then reappeared with an expensive violin. A very familiar violin, one I had carefully chosen while thinking grandfather wants to gift it to me. Now that I thought, the piano in the gazebo next to the house also seems familiar.
Was I in seventh grade when he brought me to choose a piano? One I saw him purchase and never saw it again. The one I thought he was gonna give to me as a reward for playing the piano beautifully! I didn't show it, but I always thought he changed his mind after seeing Diana play.
My vision became blurry. I never felt like I wanted anything as much as I wanted that piano. Even getting into the college or having friends, or being loved by the one I love. Seeing that piano felt like an old scar reopening.
With a heavily shaking and frozen body, I give Lucas a small press and loosened my grip on his shoulder. I feel like throwing up, even though my stomach is empty. Lucas took my hand with his warm hands. I looked at him with no energy.
His eyes looked worried. Why? No one ever worried about me. His hands were shaking too, and his lips shook with fear and they moved without a voice coming out.
No one ever had taken my hands even when I was in a hospital room waiting for a brain surgery. The warm sensation of his hands brings me to the day I needed warmth and reassurance. Three years ago, warm summary day like today.
Coming out of the doctor's office, I had dialed the numbers in a daze. I had taken an appointment since the pain was interfering with my studies, hoping for a prescription of painkiller... However a tumor? Never guessed it in my wildest dreams. What did the doctor say again?
Ah, she said since the tumor is in a sensitive area, there is a 50% chance of never waking up.
"Hello?"
"Hi Mom..."
I paused, trying to organize my chaotic thoughts.
"I have a su-"
"I am busy with an important matter regarding your big sister. Call later. "
Beep and she ended the call. I dialed again. Again. And again.
Going back to the doctor's office, I filled out the scary forms. Then, until the day of the surgery, I kept trying to get a hold of my father and mother.
Calling and visiting with no outcome. Mother was busy planning a grand graduation party for Destiny and Father was accompanying Diva to a competition.
Or was there an outcome? Both had messaged not to even try to bother any of my siblings, no matter what business I have. Because they, unlike me, have important matters to attend to.
None of my grandparents were available, either. Grandmother Bright cut me off before I could finish even the greeting. Grandfather Bright had long blocked me. Grandmother and Grandfather Miracle were both out of reach. Leaving me with no one to hold my hand. Even though I might have never woken up again.
Remembering the sensation and feelings of that day, I cursed that damned curse. If it was a game, that curse strengthening memory would be a cheat code, but every cheat code has its own downfall. This one consumes one's mentality like a black hole. No matter how much you feed it, it never stops consuming.
Opening my eyes, there were so many eyes surrounding me I wished I could blackout again. I pressed my eyes tightly, but my brain noticed something off, so I opened them again, looking at the old man sitting like a mountain next to the children. Watching me.
"Where is Lucas?" I said in a worried voice.
The one in the topic's voice came from right above me. So I was leaning on him. Or did I fall on him?
" Are you sick?" Lucas asked with a conflicted expression on his face.
"No..." I said, looking at him for the reason.
"Then why did you faint?" he retorted.WHY? For many reasons? One being the newest vision I saw of doom, one that included people I knew. These children...
"Well, it could be because I have only slept 5 hours in three days. I over-restrained my body. I didn't eat any breakfast and my grandfather dumped a dozen of responsibilities on me!"
"You didn't have breakfast? How can you faint on me because of not having food? Are you a child?" he continued as he pushed me off his feet.
"I havn't had breakfast either!" said the plump little boy again, after hearing food being the topic.
The pink-haired girl kicked him. Rolling her eyes at him.
"Nobody else has! That is why we shouldn't let her die. Grandpa said he will not come anytime soon, so if she dies, we will starve too." She said like a smarty pants.
Wow, she is really exaggerating. I am not dying or am planning on dying anytime in the near years. Further, they can't possibly starve when they have both a functioning bodies and even more!
I took my eyes off them, noting that they were hungry. Patting my head off the grass, I turned back to Lucas.
"Didn't you hear the other reasons?" I asked him in a jokingly complaining tone, with a newly found feeling of closeness. If it was anyone else, I wouldn't have bothered explaining the reasons. Let alone repeating my words.
I had learned that people are not interested in my reasons. But in this short amount of time, he had shown me he differed from everyone else. He wanted my explanations. Even if he didn't accept them, he still wanted to hear them.
He looked at me with narrowed eyes as he shook his head at me.
"I heard them but ignored them since if I didn't I would get stressed out because of how worrisome my future looks in your hands! In this kind of place!" He said in a sarcastic tone.
Well, that is true, therefore I changed the topic. Better avoid things I can't change, like how worrisome and untrustworthy of a person I can be and the more worrying parts of me which have yet to be seen.
"We still have two packs of pastries in the fridge. Would you mind bringing them to your fragile like glass guardian?" I said, as an answer to his sarcasm, blinking innocently.
He shook his head in my crazy act yet practically ran towards the car and hurriedly brought them. Perhaps worried I might faint again. He had even brought a bottle of water, which he unscrewed and carefully put in my hand.
He says harsh things, yet acts like a worried filial son.
I didn't know if I should cry or laugh at my thoughts. I haven't even dated once and here I am married, with a son and a dozen open mouths to be fed.
Everyone had dispersed earlier. However, they gathered around me yet again. Even Mr. Jerald, with eyes as bright as sun and drooling a mouth, was sitting in the first row. All of them looking at the boxes in my hands. Sniffing and gulping.
"Those who want pastry, get in a line over there! Ready to give a brief introduction." I said with a commanding voice, pointing to the bench the green-haired girl was sitting before.
"No pastries for the ones not in the line!"
Hearing this, they hurried to the bench. Mr. Jerald also ran, and he ran so seriously that his steps had a banging voice to them, shaking the ground.