In the pulsing core of Timberwood town, cradled by the vast expanse of Eldoria City's urban jungle, there resided an inconspicuous building at 13 Crescent Moon Lane. Amidst the towering structures and the ceaseless hum of city life, this modest apartment complex whispered of untold stories behind its unassuming walls.
Within the confines of Apartment B, under the sanctuary of a black blanket as dense as the night sky, a sixteen-year-old boy was lost in the throes of sleep. His snores thundered through the cramped space, a tumultuous orchestra of sound that filled every corner with its resonant timbre. Restlessly, he tossed and turned, a mariner adrift on the tempestuous sea of dreams.
Clutching the dark fabric with a fervor that spoke of longing and comfort, he drew it closer with each unconscious embrace, as if holding on to a cherished memory or a treasured secret. His lips, caught in the act of a pout, quivered and released intermittent snores, each one a note in the melody of his slumbering innocence. Perhaps, in the sanctuary of his dreams, he was a young knight stealing a forbidden kiss, a moment sweet and elusive as the morning dew.
But who would judge this young soul for indulging in such innocent fantasies? Alone in his abode, dreams were his cherished escape, his silent yet vibrant rebellion against the solitude that enveloped his waking life.
The clock, a sentinel of time, marched in relentlessly, its hands sweeping across its face in a tireless dance. The time was around 6:05 am.
After about thirty minutes, he woke up with a yawn, the first shy rays of dawn sneaking past the curtains to play upon his face. Stretching his arms up and wide from the blanket drools drooled from one corner of his mouth as he yawns.
The teenage boy was Luca, it was another splendid month in his life, Luca had picnicked alone on his birthday in the park which he celebrated the previous month during the summer vacation, he went hiking, cycled around, and skateboarded, enjoying the scenery.
However at some point, something made him sad, and that was the group of families he saw there, being alone, Luca wished he had at least a friend, but the thought only came for a moment, it had happened many times, like when he was on a stroll in the street, seeing a dad carrying his daughter or son on the shoulder as they passed by, or a time he saw a mum chatting with her son or daughter about Luca's age, although the thought didn't last long, it would come and go within a moment, Luca had begun to wonder about his psychological evolution, had he grown so emotionally detached? Is it because he didn't get any motherly or fatherly love? It had been six years since his Uncle had left him, Luca had managed to live alone since that day, with his uncle only sending him allowances every month which he survived on, Luca knew he still had his emotions like when an accident happened one day when he was coming from a game store at River Pearl Avenue, he could remember how he felt when he saw the live accident, the urge to save, that day he felt the urge of dashing into the road with superspeed and saving a young boy before a car knock him but he couldn't Or...
During the summer vacation, when he had gone to the park to relax, a girl had gotten lost only to wander to where Luca sat, she looked up at him and greeted and explained what happened to him, she was starting to get teary-eyed. The girl was about eight years old, Luca looked at her scrutinizingly, he contemplated whether maybe he should hand her over to the security personnel or he should find the girl's mum himself, Luca being a rational guy was quite smart and knew multiple ways to get around the situation.
Luca introduced himself and reassured her that he would help her, he asked the girl if she knew her mum's phone number, the girl nodded and called it to him, Luca somehow felt relieved that the situation was solved and at the same time he felt a strange pang, is he actually helping someone? Luca wondered. After calling the girl's mum, they met, and the mum was already panicked.
~ My Brother saved the day~ the girl said cheerfully while pointing at Luca as her mum embraced her.
Luca's heart pounded, and Luca suddenly knew what it meant, deep down, he still yearned for family love, to be called a family, to hold hands with someone he loved and cared for, that was what it meant.
It was now another academic year, having been promoted to 10th grade, and at the same time another year had added to his age, Luca seemed to look more mature. The day was Monday.
"I'm not going to school today" he muttered. "I should get a haircut"
Luca got down from the bed, stood, and walked to the bathroom, it seemed he had grown a couple of inches during the vacation, before, the shower was just above his head and he would get under it to bath, but he could see atop the shower now as he stood in front of it, the shower was 72 inches high and Luca who had grown a couple inches, with his previous 1.75 meters height, he now stood at the almost the same height as the mixer shower, Luca was now 1.8 meters tall.
He made a smug expression, as he looked at the mirror on the wall of the small bathroom.
"This strand has grown long yet again, and my hair is out of shape, I'm definitely getting a haircut today" he muttered.
Luca used his right hand to brush back the tousled hair, the two strands dangled, and they were now long to the cheekbone.
Should I cut them now or I should let the barber do it?
Luca was contemplating whether he should cut the strands before leaving for a haircut, his mind shifted to what happened during his haircut the day before his tenth-year birthday.