Mechanical Heart

Chapter 31

Derek P.O.V

       I let my body droop in defeat and pinned myself to the bed. The sadness overwhelemed me, I cannot believe a day like this would engulf me so soon. He was gone, and I don't know what to do. For once I am fearful not just because Karita is on her own but because I too am now on my own. It's funny how my biggest rival just happened to be my only friend. I let out a soft chuckle, after an old memory came rushing back to me. It flooded my thoughts in an instant.. I gripped my chest as the pang of pain thumped hard on the rib cages of mine. 

        There was a time when Xavier and I decided to go on our own sorta road trip. We had to sneak out to actually pull through with it. It started out with just an idea but then the idea sparked. You wanted to go to the beach for your 10th birthday. At first it sounded pretty reasonable with the fact that we were going to go get permission from our parents. My parents had agreed to let me go, and we were all set since you assured the both of us that your parents would agree to our ridiculous proposition. We got to your house around 5:30 pm after basketball practice and just in time for dinner! Your mom cooked up steak, she was in a good mood, in fact every one of us was in a good mood! We waited until 6:10 pm for all of us including your old man to be seated around the dinner table. For a while we ate our food in comfortable silence, enjoying the space we each had for our thoughts to ponder and to unravel in our own mind. Then words flew out from your mouth. The whole table was startled with the break of the silence, but then again what did they expect from two ten year olds?

"Daddy, Mommy me and Derek wanna go to the beach tomorrow and hit some waves." Xavier asked brightly.

"Honey, I can't allow that the winds are a little two strong for your physique." Your mom said in her usual soothing voice.

"But mommy, it's my birthday." Xavier huffed.

"No means no." Your dads voice boomed.

"But! I wanna go!" Xavier screamed.

"No honey." Your mom patted your shoulder.

"Can I sleep at Dereks place then?" Xavier persisted.

 Your parents both replied with a tired smile and nodded softly, granting what they could to you. After that frustrated atmospheric dinner, we both rushed accross the street towards our secret tree house that we built together at the age of 6 with the help of one of my mom flings. Our feets creaked upon the wiggly wooden staircases. 

"What's the plan?" A ten year old Derek smirked at Xavier

"Well, I saved up money and we could definately get a cab." Xavier smiled at me.

"Okay! When do we leave?" Derek piped in.

"In twenty minutes."

 We reached the  beach in the midst of dawn. The sun was barely beginning to rise. But we were already dressed up in our swim suits with our surf boards out. We layed flat on the sand, our backs creating friction with the sand grains. We sat their just staring at the bland dark blue sky. Somehow I always tried to catch up with you. That was the day I realized that I could never be all that you were. All of a sudden from that comfortable positon you got up and grabbed your board and dashed off towards the water. When you stood on the board riding the wave, I swear I watched your figure sparkle in the dark. You looked heavenly and I was envious. You always looked up to me even as a kid. I could never figure out why, because all this time I have been looking up to you. You are selfless, you have never stopped putting the people you cared so much about ahead of you.

 To think that you are gone is impossible. You can't leave bro, who is going to take care of Karita,  whose going to get my back? I wish I could take your place, I wish I could be there for you. I wish I could do so many things for you however I have never been able to do anything, I have never been able to do such things noble enough to reach your caliber. You were a good person, much better than half the people on this Earth and I don't get why good people get punished. You did not deserve this. Please, Xavier, please come back.