"Cash or card?" The attendant suddenly said, and Luke turned away from me. He pulled out a card and gave it, then smiled at me.I stood there, trying to blink myself back to reality. Reality though, was far off. Nothing here was reality. Not even Luke.I nodded at him as he gestured at me to come with him. We went out of the shop and into the car, where he handed me what I had bought with a couple others that I don't remember picking."I am okay with these," I said and he rolled his eyes. Probably the first childish gesture I had seen from him. It was weird how matured he was for a guy who just turned nineteen."You need to eat a lot, because we still have some time to go. You also didn't have breakfast, and I intend to cook dinner only after we arrive.""Seems a like a long time." I murmured quietly, and accepted it.He started driving again. This time, it was more quiet in the car."Music?" I suddenly asked."Just choose whichever you would like."I nodded, then connected my phone.
I was about to go help Luke out with preparing when suddenly, the ringtone of my phone rang through the car."I think it's yours." Luke said, the delicate allure of the moment interrupted. I nodded, still a little dazed and went to it.It was Bernice and I immediately picked it up. I was expecting her to tell me about how I had been missing classes and all, but the first thing I heard as I brought the phone to my ears was the sound of her crying."Ber..Bernice. Why are you crying?" I asked, concern lacing my voice. Luke stopped what he was doing and turned to me, even though I could see he was trying to not come too close so he wouldn't intrude."Very cheap of you to ask me that, don't you think, Karla?""What are you talking about?" I asked, feeling nervous for some reason."How could you do this to me? I am your friend! We have been together since high school, we have done everything together and what? Nathan?" Her words were jumbled, and I was finding it hard to understand."I do
I sniffed, blinking back the tears. My memories of this time flashed before my eyes.Everything had been perfect. From that ceremony at my house to the party they organized for me. Shopping, getting ready for college, we had done all of that with Bernice and Kate. The problem had started when Bernice had asked me to come to Natalie's birthday party. She was more of a distant friend, and I hadn't really felt like going. I could remember now, that I had a headache, and decided to stay home. But much later, I decided to suck it up and go, since Natalie had attended my own birthday party last October.FBThe party was the normal teen party, with a few couples dotted here and there and lots of red cups. I felt a little sick to my stomach with the crowd, and I decided to go and wish Natalie, then probably make it upstairs and get some sleep, hoping Bernice would find me."Happy Birthday, Natalie." I said, walking towards where she was standing. She broke into a smile and hugged me."Tha
The depiction of time as an interloping of threads was just too accurate. An interloping of regrets and missed chances. Short bursts of happiness and overwhelming sadness and most importantly, the things we wish to have a second chance with.I raised my head to look at Luke who was quietly sitting in the car with me. After helping me get rid of the initial sadness, he had helped me into the car, then drove away from Kate's house.There, he sat in silence and let me just cry as the second wave of sadness hit me. The thing with Bernice didn't hurt half as much as the realization. The realization that there was so much I could have overlooked and forgotten like this one, manipulated my memory into thinking it just happened with no fault of mine, and moved on with my life.I was once a bubbly person with pink all around her, but then I grew...not necessarily into the world, but further into a shell. The person that had been with Luke hadn't been my true self either."Can you tell me some
"I thought you wouldn't come. I was not expecting you to come at all." Her voice was shaky, and I knelt to her height. "I am sorry mum, I have been....""You are always just on your father's side, Karla. All you have ever wanted was to support him, and neglect me. It felt as if I didn't have any right to you.""Mum, please. How can you say that?"She watched me, as her lips slowly quivered. "How am I supposed to live with losing both of you? My daughter feels like A distant stranger and your father...." Her voice trailed off, but she did not even need to finish it.My father had cheated. And to make sure she wasn't on the losing end, she took his mistress away, by marrying me off to her son. It was the weirdest thing, yet the saddest. In the end, coming back in time has only showed me just how responsible for my tribulations I really was."My...I am sorry. I am so sorry. Even if...even if I am...if this apology will only be something I can remember, something that will remain only
I spent the night at home, if what I did could be called spending a night. I sat on the bed all night, feeling all the things I used to feel while sitting here, seven years ago, rushing back at me again. It was weird, just how in the end of it all, I was the very middle of it.I looked at my phone. Would the past Karla have her phone with her? What is she doing? I tried hard to remember what I was doing then around this time, but nothing came up. I stayed awake till the morning sun rose on me. In as much as I wanted to stay with my mother, I wanted to go back home. To be alone again.I trudged my way out of the room, intending to spend some time with her and leave."The alimony? Are you willing to pay it?" I heard my mother's voice say, and I stopped."But...Sandra. We can't just give our only child away like that. We can't just give her away into a marriage she does not want because we want to keep ours, Sandra. That is selfish."I heard my mother laugh. "Do you mean the same da
I adjusted my position on the bed, my eyes squinting. It should probably be mid day, but I had no motivation to even wake up. It was annoying how in the end, to my father, I was only an alimony. Or the price for it.I turned to my back and sighed.It was eerily quiet. This is one of those days that I would have run to Bernice...but right now...right now I wasn't exactly her favorite person.I felt around for my phone, and grabbed it once I felt the cold steel against my palm. I turned it on, and there was a notification for a message."Hey. This is Luke. So sorry if I am being fussy and irritating, but, I hope you are okay. I left a little package for you."I sighed. It was starting to feel like I was ruining this second chance too.He had sent it over three hours ago, and I dragged myself off the bed. I walked slowly to the front door, and opened it.There was no one around, so I stepped out to get the medium sized pink box. I had just picked it and was about to go back when I felt
"You are silent. Do you find the sky that mesmerizing?"I looked up to the sky again. It was already dark now, and I moved away from the window. "It must be really hard...and lonely. Isn't it?"He chuckled. "At least, I have you to call now. It used to be much worse." His voice went down an octave, and then he let out a sigh. "Maybe I should let you rest now.""Luke.""Yes?" He answered and I could hear a slight shuffle. It was like he had already removed the phone from his ear and only returned it when he heard my voice."Would you like it if I came over?"There was a moment of silence. "Do you want to?"I nodded, a little absent mindedly. My future self was probably laughing hard at my fickle decisions now, after she had sworn to not like Luke."Yes, I want to."There was another moment of silence. "Would you like to?" His voice dripped with uncertainty this time around."Just give me the address." I laughed. "Tell me if there is something you want and I will bring it to you."He w
I stood in front of the spot where Luke's grave had once been, this time instead of the knitted brows and expressionless coldness, I had a small smile playing on my lips, thinking of how far I have come. As a person. As a wife.I smiled again, raising my head to the small tapping sound of a walking stick."Seeing how you are looking at that blank space and smiling like that, I bet it had been well for you." The man I now know to be Mr. McGregor said, his smile knowing.I nodded. "I couldn't think of anywhere to find you, and I thought of here. Where we first met.""Miss the mad man?" He teased and I laughed."How is my son?" He asked once the laughter died down, a hint of seriousness in his tone.I turned to him, squinting against the bright sun rays. "He is perfect. Luke is perfect."He broke into a big satisfied smile, then nodded. "I know. He takes after me. Without the flaws.""I think you are not that bad too."He turned to me. "You seem to have learnt a little too much. But then
I felt tears well up in my eyes again, and I slowly reached for the phone. My hand was trembling badly, and I had to hold it down with my other hand. I picked it up, then brought the phone to my ear, tears already streaming down.It was still raining outside, and I kept my eyes on the drops that stayed on the glass window, as I spoke into the phone."Hello?" My voice shook, and I closed my eyes. "Who is this?"I knew who to expect. The man that would report Luke's accident to me, and the hospital he was rushed to. Then I would run out the house only to meet him dead."Karla?"My brows furrowed at the sound. Even over the static and the heavy rain, I could tell who it was, well enough."Karla, this is Karla, right?"My brows furrowed even more as I clutched the phone to my ear. "Luke?""Oh, thank Goodness gracious. I guess I was so out of it earlier when I was about to leave, and I forgot the documents meant for the meeting on the bed. Did you see it?"My eyes widened as I slowly turne
I watched Luke as he slowly went back to eating and a small smile spread my lips. Of course. It was because he had bought it for me.We ate in silence, and once we were done, without letting me even have the chance to protest, he packed the plates up, then headed straight for the kitchen.I followed behind him, and just like I used to do when he baked back then, I pushed myself on to the island and sat, my feet hanging downwards.He looked at me once and I smiled at him. He smiled back, a little sheepishly however, then returned to his chore. It will take some time for me to adjust to the fact that he wasn't in love with me now."You won't go to work today?" He suddenly asked, raising a brow to me.I shook my head immediately, I didn't even need to think about it. "I am going to take a lazy day and...spend it getting to know you better."He looked at me, like I was ssome alien."What?" I asked, laughing a little."I will need some time to get accustomed to you being like this with me.
Luke watched me like he wasn't sure what I was about, but he let me skim my hands over his face, feeling his skin open up under my palm."Was it a bad dream?" he asked slowly, before pulling away from me. He didn't go too far, and I lowered my head, my hair falling in front of me."No, I just...like, the past few months were wrong. On my part...the silence we subjected each other to and the loneliness...everything Luke. They were wrong. Of me. They were wrong. That we both were thrown into this without actually...knowing what to do with this situation. I don't hate you, I could never, I just...we both didn't deserve this."He bit down on his lips. "I know. But it's not us. The situation is...weird. We found ourselves in this marriage and...""I want to make this work." I said, looking up to him, my trembling hands coming to my face to slowly wipe it away. When I dropped my hands, I could still feel the moisture under my eyes.Without a word, Luke brought his thumbs under my eyes and
My heart beat picked up, my eyes feeling with hot tears. My lips parted slowly as the memory came flashing back, painfully.I rushed down the stairs once I heard that clatter, my eyes rolling a little as I passed by the large kitchen door without even turning back."Karla?"I rolled my eyes and turned, a deep exasperated breath escaping my lips. "Yes, Luke?""Well, I....""I have work to go to."He looked at me, his expression unreadable. Like he was trying hard to understand me, to tolerate me, but he was finding it too hard."Karla, I was hoping...I was hoping we could..""I know. You are still finding it hard to adjust to this. So am I, really. I don't understand why I have to wake up. To you. Everyday. That stare. Everyday."His lips parted, and his hands lowered, but I never looked down to see what he was holding."Karla, it's not...""I am tired of it too. I have things to do at the office. Later.""Karla.""I'm busy!"He flinched, but said nothing as I walked away through the
I sat up, my chest heaving hard. My eyes stung hard, my body feeling weak. My hands were wrapped in a cross around me as I held I and Luke's wedding picture to my chest.My eyes fell on a dark brown book sitting next to the bedside lamp. I propped myself on all fours and took the book, then slowly let down the picture.It was Luke's diary. The same one he had used seven years ago. The same one I had read in the past. I swallowed hard, feeling my eyes moisten up again.I opened the first page. Most of it was the same. The problems with his mother. His father's death...the only difference was that, there were absolutely no traces of me. Nothing at all.My eyes welled up more as I flipped the pages hard, till I got to a certain page. July 17th, 2022. The day we had gotten married.I swallowed as my fingers moved to let me read Luke's words on the marriage."I got married. I can hardly believe it, but I did get married. I never did believe in finding someone I would love, but marrying
"My love."It's Luke."Karla?"His black eyes came into slow view, and the edges crinkled as a small light twinkled between them. It is me. I put those lights in there."You are beautiful."He slowly leaned in, his lips brushing mine lightly. He leaned back as a strand of my hair fell on my face and we both laughed. His voice. Beautiful.He moved the strand away, the tips of his fingers teasing my face."I love you, Karla."But I don't get to respond. He doesn't let me. He covered the distant between us and kissed me, making me forget my years of loneliness. Making me forget the times I had hated him."Do you believe in forever?""As long as forever is with you."His hands were outstretched towards me, his smile big as I ran to him. I could hear his faint voice. I could see his one sided dimple. "Karla!"The way he called my name..."My love."My eyelashes fluttered slowly as the images slowly disappeared into darkness. My eyes slowly opened, and I could already feel the wetness in m
"Luke?" "Yes, love?"Do you perhaps, want to go in the sun? I want to spend the whole day outside.""You don't seem to like bikes, though?"I cuddled closer, my hand moving the hair that had fallen in front of his eyes. "No, love. I want to spend the whole day out in the park." He looked down at me, his eyes still half closed from sleep. He smiled a little, then nodded.I gave a small sigh and leaned back down, feeling his chest. I could feel it in me. These moments that feel like treasure...they are the very last. Maybe I wasn't supposed to make peace with everyone from my past. Maybe just this is enough. I sighed and pulled away from Luke who had fallen asleep again. I then went to the shower. It was already morning, probably the last morning of the past. I could almost feel it in my bones that these were the last moments. Like when your body tells you when you are about to lose someone close. I wish my body had told me, then. I hate that my body is telling me now. I stepped i
I sat in the cab, my eyes swollen and red, as I watched Luke's house. I couldn't see him, but it was bright in there, like there was a party or something.I swallowed, feeling a lump rise in my throat all over again. Luke. That name will haunt me forever.I stepped out of the cab slowly, then walked to the front door. I didn't need to knock, and I just opened the door, then stepped in.The strong aroma of baking hit my nose, and it only cause the tears to well up more. Without a word, I went to his room, and then straight to the shower.I closed my eyes as the warm water hit my skin, my eyes starting to feel again. Can my heart....really go on?"Karla? Is that you?" I heard from outside as the door closed."I just wanted to take a shower. I will be out soon."There was a bit of silence. "You don't need to. I'll join you."I said nothing, and I heard the door open slowly, before Luke stepped in, still in his robe."Did something happen?" he whispered, coming close to me. I closed m