My bicycle screeched into a halt as I climbed down and held it. "Hey, Marilyn!"Marilyn was striding briskly on the opposite side of the street and when she heard me, she turned around. Recognition flickered in her grey eyes as she crossed the street, her freshly dyed blonde hair swaying. "Hey JJ, how are you?""I'm alright," I replied and shifted uneasily. The break up between her and Shaun created a sort of unspoken awkwardness between us. I added helplessly, "M-My brother's alright too."The moment I mentioned Shaun, she seemed more upset, but she didn't show it. She only smiled. "That's good. How's France for him?""Marvellous! The French are friendly, not too cold and he claims their towns are more beautiful than ours. Although, I don't think any place can beat where we live," I said airily. "He says his mentor is strict and he misses peanut butter. Apparently, you don't get it there much."Marilyn's smile widened, her plump lips ajar in amusement. She certainly enjoyed hearing a
Third Person's POV [Logan's POV]Logan shoved his hands deep in his pockets and quietly followed Rosemary to the park. He wasn't wringing his hands, cracking his knuckles or tugging at his sleeves- he wasn't nervous around Rosemary. Mostly because he wasn't in love with her and she was talking incessantly, allowing Logan to think of other things. Other things like Joy."---and the manager finally stopped staring at my ass when I wore this huge, puffy adult diapers and let it peek from my pants," Rosemary finished her sentence. Logan having gathered a few words and understanding the airy tone of her voice simply smiled at her. Rosemary was quirky like that- a good friend and a clever employee. But she wasn't the girl he was in love with. "Oh God Logan, the department store is ever so busy right now with the summer sale going on. Clothes, shoes, puddings, table fans and even falsies got this twenty percent discount and people are going mad! Like really, really mad. There are less people
Third Person's POV [Logan's POV]Logan could feel the terror overwhelming him as he ran past the door and into the living room. Joy couldn't be gone now, she had months still left to live. She didn't even know that he loved her. This was soon, she couldn't be gone so soon. Tears were pricking Logan's eyes with each heavy step he took.She had to be alive. She had to be alive to hear that he loved her. She had to be alive to be held, loved and kissed. She had to be alive some more time.Logan's vision had turned obscure as he reached the living room. Through the tears that was welled up in his sea-coloured eyes, he could see the fragile, white shape of Joy by the coffee table. She was seated on the chair with a steaming mug in her hand.Logan rubbed his eyes roughly, his thoughts a chaos- rioting in his mind. He was puzzled and he couldn't believe his eyes. Was Joy alright? Or was he imagining Joy to be alright?As if sight could be mistaken and proved only by the sense of touch, Logan
"Are you kidding me Logan? No, stay right there, don't come any closer to me." Logan halted in his tracks of reaching out for me as I took a cautious step back. "I swear to God, tell me you're joking," I almost begged him to take his words back.I love you Joy.I love you Joy.I love you Joy."I can't Joy, I do love you---""N-No, you don't love me. It's because we are spending a lot of time together, aren't we? Ha! We can fix that. I won't come to the flower shop from tomorrow, alright?" I didn't realize when I started laughing hysterically, but I did. "Alright?!""Joy, calm down," Logan lowered his voice and stretched his hands towards me. I flinched and stumbled back. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He threw his arms in the air, surrendering. He continued warily, "We can sit down and talk quietly Joy. I won't come any closer to you, I promise. Please calm down."My initial shock had subsided as sudden anger bubbled inside me. The nerve of him to tell me to calm down! He dropped a massive b
I sat there on the couch, my fingers drumming the pillow and my feet tapping the floor repeatedly. Somehow, I didn't feel like I had control over my own body. I felt as if my conscious was drifting in and out of me- sometimes I would stop with my movements completely and other times the pace of my movements increased steadily.I was going insane. Absolutely, terribly insane. And I was petrified. Absolutely, terribly petrified.The living room was so silent that I could hear grandpa's old clock ticking. Loudly. It was so annoying. All this while I thought it was broken and maybe it was broken. Maybe I was imagining it ticking so I could blame something for my agitation. Maybe I had really lost my mind.The argument with Logan was replaying in my mind like an old, broken wind up toy. I was trying to put all the pieces together as to what went wrong? Where did it go all wrong? Was it my fault that I spent unnecessary amount of time with him which made him think he was in love with me?"B
Third Person's POV [Logan's POV]Logan carefully balanced the cake on his hands and lumbered towards the cemetery. The night was eerie and the air cold as the uneven, damp grass got trampled under his heavy feet. It was strange how this particular place had countless stars twinkling above, but the rest of the town had pitch black sky.Logan had gone through more than enough hardships for an eighteen year old boy and sometimes even found himself at the brink of death, so myths like spooky ghosts and bizarre legends didn't scare him anymore. Instead, it gave him a thrill that his buried family might actually be around him or right behind him. He just had to look and imagine things.Kneeling in front of his little brother's headstone, he unboxed the cake. He checked his watch and it was already fifteen minutes past twelve. His brother turned fourteen today- almost a man now. If only he was alive . . . If only.Logan shifted back and sat with his arms wrapped around his legs. He gazed at
My appetite had vanished, but I still pushed myself to eat and tried to take my meds regularly. I didn't want to die right now only because my life was in pieces. This was exactly the kind of drama and fights I didn't want in my life at this stage. I wanted peace.But who's fault was it? Mine.My mum and dad knew something was wrong since I was cooped up in my room all day. My dad had showed up in my room, worry gathered between his eyebrows as I simply shook my head and told him I was feeling tired. I had a bit of fever which came and went like my mood swings on periods. But overall, my health was normal.I needed to tell someone about all that had happened- with Logan, with Jamal. I wanted to hear meaningless 'It's going to be okay' and repeated assurances that I was a good human. I wanted to talk to someone, but I didn't know who.In my head, I was still talking to the dead-Liz, can you hear me? If so, I'm terribly missing you. I wish you hadn't died that day, I wish you had lived
Third Person's POV [Logan's POV]Logan got up groggily, an acidic taste lingering in his mouth. His brain felt like it was going to burst into million tiny pieces and his body ached from sleeping in an awkward position the entire night. Why did he drink alcohol anyway? The last thing he wanted was to turn to that poisonous liquid whenever he was in crisis.He stumbled towards the bathroom. Where was he? Never mind. The only thing he wanted was water against his skin. He leaned forward the small sink and twisted the tap handle several times until the water dribbled thinly. He repeatedly washed his face and mouth, the muddled questions in his head increasing with each passing second.He swung open the bathroom door and stepped outside. In the darkness, his feet hit several objects as he cursed under his breath, making his way back to the couch. He found his phone and was blinded by the sudden light when he switched it on. He narrowed his eyes at the screen.What the hell was he doing in
Third Person's POV [Logan's POV]"What the hell do you mean you have a baby? Shaun, what on earth are you blabbering about?" Joy's mum was yelling on the phone as Logan stood outside at the door. "Who's Marilyn? What do you mean you have a baby? Don't cut the call- damn him!" she cursed and looked wearily at Logan. "He cut the call! He's been talking nonsense about a baby and this-this girl Marilyn- If he's implying what I'm thinking . . . Logan dear . . . I think I'm going to faint . . . "She did pass out then and there and Logan quickly held her before she fell face down.He half dragged her inside and laid her down on the couch. Gemma who was eating by the dining table hastily rushed to him for assistance. She asked nervously, "Did she die?""No, no, Jesus no," Logan muttered, reaching for a glass of water from the coffee table. "She heard some shocking news from your brother.""Yes, Shaun told me he became a father. I can presume why that is shocking, but considering the time he
Third Person's POV :Jamal slipped into Joy's signed Katy Perry sweater, wore bunny flip flops and ignoring his stepmother's incessant pestering to eat his lunch, he headed to his mother's dingy apartment. There he found her sprawled haphazardly outside the door in the empty corridor, wasted. It was one in the afternoon and he wasn't surprised to find her knocked out. He fished for the duplicate keys from his pocket and opened the door. He picked her squirming body up with difficulty and carried her inside."Antonne you asshole . . . Fucking that white ass girl would get you nowhere . . . I curse you and that-that bitch---""Mamma, I'm your son, Jamal," he said in a clear voice, placing her on the unmade bed. "And it's over now. He's married to her, you can't do anything.""Fuck you! I can! You know nothing about what lies underneath this . . . " she slurred and Jamal tiredly averted his eyes at the ceiling when she unabashedly pulled her dress up. "Look here Antonne, look what your b
Shaun's POV :It had been five months since Joy passed away and here I was, back in the city of lights, Paris. It was late in the night, but the people were acting wild in the pub like the night had just begun. I didn't even know why I was here instead of editing some clips in my small hotel room. All I could think of was . . . Why exactly was I here? What was my purpose? I should have been with Joy all those weeks I came here . . . I should have stayed at home. I should have fought for Marilyn. I shouldn't have let two strong women slip from my life just like that.From across the room I saw Alice who was seated on the couch, one of my many friends I had made here. Without thinking twice, I glided to her with a cheeky grin and ruffled her platinum blonde hair from behind. She glanced up at me confused and then bit back her smile. Feigning irritation, she exclaimed, "Hey, ne touche pas mes cheveux!"'Hey, don't touch my hair! Keep your greasy fingers away!' Joy would say the same and
Marilyn's story began on this muddy land where twenty three years earlier, her single mother- Emilia gave birth to her in presence of a midwife and no family. Emilia's partner had disappeared as soon as he learned she was pregnant. But Emilia's spirit never broke, she raised her baby with all the love she had never got.Marilyn remembered her childhood days as fun and carefree where she got everything she desired with either tantrums or buttering her hardworking mother. She wasn't allowed to do any chores so she could play and study with her friends. Not a day went by without her belly filled with food and her body in the most comfortable, warm clothes.Emilia with her meagre salary as a waitress could afford only sufficient food, but still she bought her daughter all the toys and pretty dresses she had never got as a child. She only wanted her daughter to grow like all the other kids. Her life's purpose was to keep her daughter happy, to keep the only person who loved her close to he
Third Person's POV [Logan's POV]Four days after Christmas, Logan was trying to sleep in the sleeping area, but his eyes remained wide open. He tossed and turned on the bed, his thoughts drifting to Joy. He hadn't slept a wink in the last three days and had stayed next to Joy, talking to her until her mum asked him to rest. Logan curled himself in a small ball, forcefully squeezing his eyes shut.Sleep. Sleep. Sleep.Dream. Dream. Dream.Suddenly, he heard unsteady footsteps approaching him and he held his breath."L-Logan . . . J-Joy," Shaun said forcefully, barely spilling the words out.He immediately shot up from the bed and stared aghast at Shaun who nodded mutely, his eyes red-rimmed.Logan didn't recall the next few moments vividly- he had followed Shaun to Joy's room and his arms and legs felt like they weren't his. They felt oddly heavy as if he was dragging himself to face the inevitable. They quietly entered the room where Joy's mum held Joy's bluish hand and talked softly
Third Person's POV [Logan's POV]Logan adjusted his costume, took a deep breath and barged in through the door. "Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!"A deafening silence followed and in his head crickets chirped at a distance. Everyone in the room- Joy's mum, dad, Shaun, Gemma and grandpa's eyes darted from him to Joy bemusedly. Logan awkwardly tugged at his fluffy, red sleeves, wanting for the floor to open and swallow him whole.Finally, Joy's mother cut through the silence, "Oh my God, it's Santa!"Everyone broke into a wild cheer, grabbing Logan and patting him on the back. Logan's cheeks flushed in embarrassment as he shyly glanced at Joy. She was wide awake, laid on bed with blankets draped over her and an impish smile slowly formed on her dry lips.When he had walked in this place, the nurse Jasmine had winked at him. Joy had made it.Logan shuffled closer to her when she beckoned him towards her. He leaned down and she rasped, "You're the skinniest Santa with the biggest heart I have
Shaun's POV :I was delaying to go back to France. Joy wanted me to go, but how could I leave her? She was so frail like a china doll and all I wanted to do was snatch her pain away, bundle her up in the thickest blankets and take her safely home."Gem, maa will come to pick you up before bedtime," I said softly, concentrating my attention on her after taking a glimpse of my watch. "Grab your things, we don't want to create a mess in this place."Gemma nodded vaguely, her gaze travelling the liquid trickling in the tube next to the urine catheter."Can I stay please?" she asked suddenly in a pleading tone."Yeah . . . Okay. Maa will understand, I'll tell her," I said gently, not wanting to say no to Gemma. She had already suffered through many mental breakdowns this month and it hurt me to see my other sister go through so much misery. It hurt me to be rendered useless, not knowing how to help them.She murmured, her voice sounding lost, "Thank you."I didn't say anything, only reache
Third Person's POV [Logan's POV]Logan met Gizmo on the way to the hospice care centre, bought him snacks and petted him for a while. Then he strode to meet Joy- at the hospice care centre. She had been in there for many days now and Logan didn't know what to feel anymore. The dread and impending, heart-wrenching end was close. Too close, he forgot how to breathe sometimes.He greeted the nurse politely at the lobby area and knocked on Joy's room. Joy said, without looking, "Come in Logan.""You have superpowers wow," Logan jested, advancing towards her. She was seated on the plush sofa by the window with her long skirt tucked under her legs, gazing at the harsh ocean. He kissed the top of her head and inhaled deeply, her hair smelled of herbal shampoo. "You look nice today."Gemma who was seated beside Joy stood up abruptly. "I'm going to the library to bring your books."Joy clicked her tongue. "You can stay here Gem, it's only Logan.""No, I'll go." Her eyes darted between Logan a
Third Person's POV [Logan's POV]Logan was discharged from the hospital and although the doctors advised him to rest, he barely could afford to do that. He had to make frequent trips from college (to catch up on notes), his job, police station for enquiries and Joy's house where he finally felt like home. At the station, the cops were searching for the criminals based on Logan's descriptions about them.Logan wanted them to be punished, but he didn't care any longer. He knew karma wouldn't let them get away or his cruel uncle. He also knew that because of the police investigation, his uncle wouldn't dare to touch him for some months now. Besides, he felt invincible, like no force on earth could even blow a strand of his hair. The power in him was more spiritual than physical and all the events leading him to the brink of death taught him that stressing out caused him to only die a little bit everyday.For the first time in his life, he truly believed that he was strong.Logan ate the