SINB

OUTSIDE, THE STREETS are much more quite, which is frankly strange being that it’s a Friday night. Well that study lesson was so not productive I felt like I just wasted my time, it only made me feeling worse, loading more work on my shoulders. I look up to the night sky, it’s so much more richly coloured than the day, if anyone had the time to realise that. How the sky light up with bright stars. Only the stars ever made me feel safe walking in the dark, because it’s always there when I’m alone. They were watching over me, replacing the city lights in hope they could lead me home.

I plug in my earphones and blast the music all the way. Today was one of those days, just today I need to get out for once. The beat sends electric throughout my body and before I knew it I was dancing, I danced like nobody was watching. I danced until my legs couldn’t feel itself, it felt so good. I felt so alive. I twist and turn, dancing until I reached the corner, eventually leading me to the section with the two streetlights. I continue to walk in the direction of my apartment, but something keeps pulling me back. My heart tells me that there is a faint disturbance further down in the opposite direction, calling me. I slowly make a turn and walk the other way. I turn off my music and follow the unforgiving sound coming from there.

The closer I trail along, the louder the sound became and the torture became unbearable. I stride along stopping at the house light shining against my body. I can hear it so clearly now. The cries from excruciating pain, I didn’t want to turn to look, afraid of what sight I would see. But I force myself to turn. There was so much struggle and hesitation.

Through the window I saw nothing but a moving shadow, following someone as if that person was worth following. I stared a little longer, until the owner of the shadow finally made an appearance, she was angry and had blood splattered on her white shirt. Why did my senses take me here? I waited for things to get better, but it only appears to get worse. And her stance says it all, but her eyes, it says something different. There was regret and guilt. Shadow girl plunges her hand into something, it had enough force to destroy a heart. I could feel it myself, that wrenching pain. She pulls a body from the ground and drags her out of the bedroom disappearing. The front door opens and the soulless mortal shoves the victim out the door, kicking her. The girl stumbles and falls down onto the lawn.

“Are you so tough now?” she scoffs and pulls out a cigarette and lights it, taking a drag out of the toxic fumes. A lungful of sadness and anger. 

I went to take my position in the bush, hiding myself. I took a peek, but it seems like it’s too dark to make out the figures in the distance. Shadows digs a hole with her foot and drops the cigarette in, concealing it. I could hear her footsteps coming towards the front gates opening and closing. I quickly tuck myself in, avoid getting caught. I could see her eyes shift in my direction, then proceeds to walk away. Until I could only see a moving dot far in the distance, I got out of my hiding position and make my way towards the sound of sobbing.

Under the moonlight, she struggles to pick herself up, her face was still unknown to me and I was so curious to know who she was. Then again, maybe she doesn’t want to be seen, and I felt wrong standing here.

I look around, eyeing the streets making sure I wasn’t in potential danger. Stalkers. Watching.

Taking in a breath I walked towards the front gates, opening it. My heart was pounding against my chest, pounding in my ears.

“This is so wrong.” I say to myself. Doubt was hitting me like a wave, I was afraid I knew this person. I went towards her, still trying to pick herself up, she had not enough strength. I stood in front of her. To my surprise she doesn’t notice me. Pausing shortly, I place my hand on her arm, she flinches and I pull away.

“Are you alright?” I asked, my voice comes out shaky.

I rest my hand on her shoulder. She expected it this time and didn’t waver. I sat down to take a look at her face.

The time stopped everything freezes, and my heart cease to beat for a few seconds.

That face. That too familiar face. It’s Yuju. I panicked, and felt a burning feeling in my chest. I couldn’t bear to look at her, her lip was split, the side of her faces was bruised purple and there was blood trickling out of her nose going onto her uniform.

The girl I had met at the Records shop was nothing like the girl I’m seeing now. It twists my heart seeing her like this. I was too late, she was already hurt. I had so many questions. Why would anyone do this to her? I have to get her to the hospital.

Tears flow down from her face and doesn’t stop. I wipe them away with my thumb. I don’t say anything. I can’t. I just want to see those eyes sparkle again.

“Hey, I need to get you to the hospital. Okay? Just hold on a little longer.”

At first she didn’t speak. I stared at her, tracing the creases of her eyelids and those open wounds with my tired eyes. She barely moved, only crying a little more. I stood up, pulling out my phone to call the ambulance, but I felt a grip around my ankles, I turned, looking down upon her. Her head was still down. 

“Please stay, don’t go.” She whispers, out of breath.

“I’m not going anywhere, you need help. Let me help you, please.”

“Don’t report my sister in. She didn’t mean it, please. She doesn’t mean any harm.”

You terrible liar.

“Will you stay with me?” I couldn’t say no. I sank into the freshly cut lawn lying down with her. I felt her arms around me, my limbs find my way to hers.

“It’s okay, you’re safe with me.” Somehow that didn’t feel weird. That coming out of my mouth. It’s funny how this person, I only just met makes me feel like she would be my everything. I felt like I knew her. I can’t believe that we were just total strangers. I hold her tighter.

“When you wake up, the whole world would be a different place tomorrow. I promise. This would all be over.” I whisper to her.

I can’t predict what will happen next, but I can predict this: I am certainly going to fall in love with Yuju, I’m already falling in love with her eyes, even if they don’t know me yet.

And it’s certainly going to be a storm of disaster.

YUJU

She holds me tighter. I place my head into her chest. It fits so perfectly, like I was meant to always be there, like this was the place to be. I could feel her eyes looking at me, not leaving my face.

We were in each other’s embrace, body against each other, my arms wrapped tight around her waist. I could hear her heartbeat racing. She’s thinking about something. I close my eyes and trace the miracle of our hand making their way together. I slip my hand into hers. Our fingers slide into position as if we’ve been holding hands like this all of our lives. I tense up, the butterflies are rioting in my stomach, excited and restless. I drift away deep, deep, into sleep. I will always keep this memory forever. I hate myself for believing her that tomorrow this would be over, but I like to hope that would be true.

SINB

Yuju falls asleep that night, our body still tangled together. I squeeze her hand one more time, and let her go. I picked her up, arm under her knee and around her. I enter the house and start climbing the stairs. I make my way to her room, and placed her softly on the bed. Her shirt lifts up a little and I could see the side of her ribs were bruised.

“What the hell did you guys get into?” I curse under my breath. I cover her with the blanket, switched off the lights and walk out of the room. I turn to look at her, she’s so beautiful when she sleeps, guess she won’t know that.

“Nobody deserves your tears Yuju, please don’t cry anymore.”

I’ve seen your worst and I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.

I open the door to my apartment and went in, going straight to my bed. Flailing out my arms, landing back first on the mattress. So much has happened today, everything raced by, time wasn’t waiting for anyone today, not even saying sorry for wasting our time like this. My heavy eyes force itself shut and the world blackens. Oh, my life is so sweet, sweet like honey. Like a ing dream I’m living.

YUJU

I come awake slowly, languidly. The sun cuts through the glass window, the warmth kisses with my face. I sat up, wincing at the pain all over my body. I look out and see the trees blowing softly with the wind and people enjoying themselves with a walk. I glance at the clock. I’ve been sleeping for a long time and it’s 1:36pm on a Saturday afternoon. I shake myself awake and get out of bed and call out to my parents, they’re still not home. I went to my sister’s room, the door was wide open, and she’s not home either. Probably drunk somewhere. Going back to my room I got changed, disposing the bloodied uniform. I head to the bathroom and brushed my teeth, I look at myself in the mirror.

“Damn, these wounds make me look y as. This is definitely gonna leave a scar.”

I went downstairs to the kitchen and open my sister’s phone. Idiot, she left her phone at home. 1 message. I opened it and it was from omma.

Your dad and I won’t be home until the following Thursday next week. There’s some meeting we need to attend. There’s some money on the bench for you. Treat yourself to some takeaway. Make sure Yuju doesn’t leave the house, she goes to school and come back home, with no excuses. Love Omma.

I smiled my greatest and biggest smile, then stopping at the pain on my cheek and lip.

“Till Thursday? Did I read that properly?” I laugh. Unbelievable. I grab an instant curry and rice meal out of the fridge and put it in the microwave. I lean against the bench, waiting for it.

I thought of last night. What was she doing there? How did she find me? I don’t care, she made feel something, which I cannot imagine I could ever hope to feel. She made me feel alive. I found myself lost in the rhythm of her heartbeat and I don’t think I’ve found my way out since.

She makes me feel like the ending of songs, that slight moment of silence, until the music starts and the magic begins all over again. I replay that moment over and over in my head.

The microwave goes off and I melt into reality, what a perfect fringe of maddening daydream and repressing thought. I let out a sigh and take out the meal, taking off the film and the great curry spices hit me, pleasuring my sense of smell. I take my seat and devour the rice in one bite. Finishing, I cleaned up grabbing the money on the bench, I put on a jacket and head out to meet the different part of the world.

I need to find this girl, before I explode and disappear into a dark black hole and I won’t ever find her. Ever.

SINB

I find myself daydreaming, analysing my findings about Yuju. That girl was such a mystery. Is her family part of a drug dealing gang? I don’t know anymore. She doesn't even know that it was me last night. 

My hand reached out for my cup of coffee. Vanilla latte. Addicting. With an extra espresso shot and two sugars. Yep, a lethal cup of diabetes. Always my favourite drink. In my favourite coffee shop.

I was eighteen. Miserable. Bored. I mean what am I meant to do anyways, it’s not like I have the whole world ahead of me. 

Staring out the café window, I see bicycles speeding past now and then. There were two men arguing over taxis, even though there were five others passing by them every second. I look up to the sky, watching as the sun melts away the clouds. Fascinating. But my mind never seems to stay focus on the things I’m doing. I float away as I unconsciously sip some coffee or turning the pages of the newspaper scanning the words but not actually reading them. There was something different about the days now than the past. Something changed since yesterday night and it has never been the same when I opened my eyes this morning. The thought of her consumed my waking hours, adrenaline would rush into every part of my body, until all energy collapses. Then it stops for a while until it reboots and starts all over again. What is this feeling I am feeling? And why does it make me beg for more?

I have to find her, before combust into a million pieces.

UNIVERSE

I breathe in power, exhaling stardust of magic. With my ravelling excellence you could tell they were in…what? It’s a secret I won’t tell you.

SINB

I seriously have to find her before this week ends, after that I won’t know her. We would be silenced strangers. That moment when we were entangled with each other would have to wait. And I don’t want to wait. That moment would only be a memory. Or even cease to exist and would probably disappear into the universal cosmic graveyard of lost dreams and forgotten promises. Then we would have to find it again, only if I were to find her and we meet again. The magic would fall and fade away, and I would wake up everyday like as if anything has ever changed.

I chugged down the last of my coffee, bottoms up. I head out of the cosy café and stopped onto the crowded streets. Must be peak hour. Where now? I haven’t planned this through. I circled around, unsure of where to go. I have to feel my way to her house again, like how my heart did yesterday. It must be a few blocks from down here in the fifth avenue. I speed walk into that direction. Hope she is at home. God I have so many things to say to her, ask her, so many things to do with her. Sunset. I have time, till sunset.

YUJU

I make my way out of the fifth avenue and went onto the city streets. There were people in all direction, mostly business workers out for lunch It was so crowded today. I was forced to walk in a single file, even both sides of the sidewalk were congested. I was on a mission to find this mystery girl, whom I don’t know. What am I doing? I don’t even know what she looks like. All she left behind for me was her voice and her touch. She stole my heart though.

I stop in the middle of the sidewalk, and close my eyes, maybe this way I could hear her. I heard a series of sorrys and excuse mes in the distance, intensly pushing through the crowd. That voice was so familiar could it be her? Until a body bumps into me and I stumble, a pair of hands grabs either side of my arm, bringing me upright before letting go. The feeling still lingers there. That touch. I flicked my eyes open, to take a glimpse of this person. But I turned around too late and she fled off down the street, my eyes follow the back of her. And she disappears down to the fifth avenue. That touch, that sound of music. My body numbs, where is she going?

“When you wake up, the whole world would be a different place tomorrow. I promise. This would all be over.”

Whole world. Different. Promise. Over. I recall those words in my head. 

A/N 

Hello peeps, hope you guys had an amazing start of the week. Here's the next chapter! Hoped you enjoyed it. Tell my how you feel.  :)