In the future, when all of this was over, I promised myself that Colin and I would take good care of my parents.This winter break had been relatively uneventful for me. Aside from my parents, I didn't want to see anyone or go anywhere. I spent most of my days lounging at home, focusing on my comics. Occasionally, I would call Nico to check on the progress of our experiments.Since Nico's house was near Jesselton College, he was left to handle everything in the lab during my time at home. Despite being on his own, he worked with complete dedication and never once complained.As I settled back into the familiarity of my childhood home, long-forgotten memories resurfaced with newfound clarity. It dawned on me that, throughout my early years, Colin had always been a constant presence. His love and companionship were significantly more profound than Felix's.Colin had always indulged me, showering me with kindness and leaving the best of everything for me to enjoy. He would save whol
When Aunt Mel saw that I repeatedly refused to visit, she finally broke down in tears and asked if I still resented her. She wanted to know what she could do to earn my forgiveness.I wasn't sure if I could ever be magnanimous enough to forgive them completely, but I knew I would eventually accept them, only because they were Colin's family. I could disregard Aunt Mel's feelings, but I couldn't ignore Colin's.Mardi Gras was approaching, and aside from the occasional social media update, Colin remained silent. I yearned for him to come back and spend the holiday with me but feared that such a rash decision might lead to irreversible consequences, leaving his debt of gratitude unpaid.My anxiety grew with each passing day.On sleepless nights, I would hug the little backpack Colin had given me, stroking it as I closed my eyes and reminisced about our times together. Eventually, those memories would lull me to sleep. More than a decade had passed, and the backpack was no longer in
Dad emptied a whole case of beer during the dinner. He got so drunk he started talking nonsense and insisted on drinking more. Mom had to force him onto the bed and lull him to sleep. It seemed that Mom had practiced her soothing skills on Dad before she used them on me. After dinner, I intended to watch Mardi Gras with Mom, but Dad was too irritating. He kept calling for Mom incessantly. When she didn't respond, he came out with bloodshot eyes to grab her. Mom gave me an apologetic look and blushed as Dad dragged her into the bedroom. The door slammed shut, shutting me out of their world.It all made sense now. I was an accident, and they were the ones meant to be.Watching Mardi Gras alone was pointless, and I wasn't in the mood for it now that Mom wasn't watching with me. Since my parents had gone to their room, I no longer had a reason to keep watching. I tidied up the living room and went to my room. After showering, I lay on the bed staring at the ceiling.Bursts of la
"You sleep like a baby. I want to devour you." Colin's husky, magnetic voice murmured in my ear. I could hear the eagerness and restraint in his tone. I could even feel the warmth of his breath on the back of my ear. The crisp scent filled my nose. It felt so real, as if he was right beside me. I reached out and hugged him with all my strength. Then, I thought to myself that this dream felt too real, more real than any before. It was too good to be true.I yearned so desperately for Colin's embrace. We didn't have to do anything; I just wanted to hold him like this. Pressing against his chest, I wanted to listen to his strong heartbeat and inhale his crisp pine scent. That would be enough.Even in the dream, I knew that I was asleep. Everything before my eyes was a beautiful dream, but it felt so real as if Colin was right next to me. It was as if all I needed to do was to open my eyes to see him.So, I tried hard to open my eyes to confirm that this dreamlike scene was real
So, where did this thing on my neck come from?I quickly felt up my neck and found a small flower on a chain. The uneven texture left me utterly shocked.Emotions surged as I nervously caressed the chain. A suspicion formed in my mind that I could hardly believe.In my dream, Colin had placed an orchid necklace around my neck. The pendant in my hand was also a tiny orchid. So, last night wasn't just a dream!I leaped out of bed. A small square box poked into my palm when I propped myself up with my right hand. I opened it and found a set of high-quality brushes with soft, hard, and pointed bristles. Beside it lay a flat, paper box containing a very old book. The pages were worn, and even the corners were frayed, revealing an ancient paint recipe without a title page.No other words were needed. It had to be that Colin was back. His gentle calls to me in my dream were real.He had come to see me, but I had slept through it like a log, mistaking our long-awaited reunion for a mer
Mom yelled at the top of her lungs, making my ears pound in pain and my head spin. When would she ever treat me as gently as she did Dad? Instead, she always shouted at me. I guessed that was just another one of my unrealistic dreams."Lulu, you usually could even hear an ant crawling, so how did you sleep through such an important moment? We couldn't even wake you by pinching you! What kind of sleep were you in?" Dad held Mom's shoulders, silently comforting her while giving me a look of utter disdain.I was just asleep. How could that be my fault? It was all because of that damn pill. Who knew one pill would knock me out like that? The instruction manual didn't say it would."I couldn't sleep, so I took Dad's sleeping pill." I sobbed, finally admitting the truth.Mom and Dad stared at me with incredulous looks for a full minute, then exchanged bewildered glances before both silently left the room. They left me on my lonesome. I was stunned. What kind of parents were they? N
My mood was the brightest it had been in two months.This good mood lasted until Uncle Austin and Aunt Melinda came to visit us for New Year's with Felix tagging along. Since the incident with Felix, our families had grown distant. We now barely greeted one another, and that was only if we happened to meet. Otherwise, we'd never initiate contact.We weren't thrilled about their visit, but we put on good expressions for Colin's sake, especially since they were all smiles and full of well-wishes. There was also another important reason we let them in. I wanted to ask about Colin. Due to Jasmine's terms, Colin and I couldn't contact each other directly, but there were no restrictions on his family visiting.To my surprise, Hannah bounced in behind Felix, cheerful and unreserved. After greeting everyone, she clung to me, calling me "Luna" in the sweetest voice."Hannah? What's going on? Are you here to make an announcement?" I whispered to her when I found a chance.Her face flush
Felix was a real piece of work, a bona fide jerk.But when he mentioned Colin, my spirits soared. I tossed aside my toy and ignored Felix's snarky remarks. Leaning in with anticipation, I asked, "So spill it. What's Colin up to?"He shot me a disdainful glare, then flopped onto the couch with an air of indifference. "Colin came back yesterday afternoon, trailed by Jasmine's goons to keep tabs on him. He had this grand plan to get them sloshed at New Year's dinner. But those two could hold their liquor like champs. They drained my dad's top-shelf booze and still begged for more. "Eventually, my old man had to slip some sleeping pills into their drinks to knock 'em out cold, giving Colin the chance to sneak out and meet you."I had a hunch Colin went through a lot of trouble for this rendezvous. "So what's the deal, then?"Felix suddenly raised his voice, startling me. "He wanted me to check if you were crying and to tell you he'd find another chance to meet you, but you have to