Zelus (Perseus Reimagined) (BXB)

Chapter 61

"I'm your mother; I've known it for a long time."

2024

"I'M SORRY," A SOFT APOLOGY passes mom's lips. "We called the maid service to clean your room every weekend. We had hoped that you would wake up soon, even after a year or two had passed. And I'm so glad we did."

She pushed the door open to my room. The scent of lavender and days-old clean laundry welcomed my senses.

"I mean, who wants to return to a dusty room."

I step into the place I once knew. The marble floor contains the temperature of the air conditioner. From what seems like forever has only been two years in reality. Everything was in its place. The bed is made, the desk looks like an actual desk with all my books and stationaries in their place, and my clothes tucked in the wardrobe.

Ryan's footsteps from the living room become apparent from a distance, and she runs towards the bedside. And that's when I noticed her bed was there too.

"It seems we weren't the only ones who had a hard time without you," mom said. "Since the incident, Ryan would always scratch your door, begging you to let her in. She didn't know you weren't here. On some days, she wouldn't eat, nor go for walks or even play with her toys. She'd only sit in front of your door, day and night. Eventually, I let her sleep in your room, and she began feeling slightly better. Not much, but a little."

"I missed her too," I dropped to my knees, wanting to hug her, but she had already jumped on me, slobbering my face. "I'm sorry I left you for a long time."

...

It feels weird to hold my phone. Its slim edging and sleek surface made it seem like a new phone. My fingers intertwined the device when I had only held weapons all this time. This world, a time of technology, and towering structures, where love doesn't exist but only hook-ups and benefits. Though I may have returned, getting used to it will take a while.

"Jesus, a lot of junk notifications," I mumbled, tossing it aside after plugging the charger in.

I was heading toward the window when the walls at my side caught my eye. It used to be empty, but it now holds pictures of Alex and me. All the Polaroids we took. From the adventures to simply lying on the bed, posing with our tongues out, they're all here. Even the ones I've forgotten. My fingers trace the picture of us wearing batman masks at his thirteenth birthday party. I remember being so happy that someone had finally invited me over to a party. Though I was rather the awkward kid by the corner, with a cup of orange juice in his hand, admiring the birthday boy and his friends gathered around the cake, singing that horrendous song before he blew out the candles.

I can practically hear it as though it were a mixtape, and I had just pressed play.

"I wish he was here to welcome you properly," mom joins my side, her eyes set on the pictures too. "I couldn't imagine how happy you both would've been to see each other again."

"We'd be very happy," I said. "So happy that I'd never want to let him go the moment I pull him into my arms."

"I know."

"You do know what I meant, right?" I shift my attention to her, noticing if she's gotten the clue.

"I'm your mother; I've known it for a long time," happy tears seep her cheeks as she places her arm over my shoulder, rubbing it. "At first, I was so against it. Against the both of you. But then I realized that it's your life. And you get to choose."

She smiles, kissing my forehead.

"And most importantly, whatever you choose, if you're happy, well then, so am I."

...

"I'm sorry, once again," she plops down next to me.

"You gotta stop saying that."

"I really am."

"Why?"

She turns to reach for a small piece of fabric dangling on the bedframe.

"I couldn't save it on time," she hands it to me.

It didn't take long to realize that it belonged to the hoodie Alex had given me for my birthday. Even after two years in a coma and drifted off to another reality, I still recognized anything of his.

"This was all that's left," she said as I held the remaining sleeve where our initials were sewn on. It used to be burgundy with streaks of blue and white dots representing the stars. Now, it's just our initials in white, while everything else is the color of coal. "I'm really sorry."

"It's not your fault," I wipe my teary eyes and realize I'm smiling. "It's time to move on."

I started recalling the day he gave me the hoodie back at the hotel in Greece. It's late night, we just arrived from the airport, and we're so fucking tired. He had just gotten out of the shower when he approached me, and I pulled him in for an embrace just before he unveiled the gift.

I remember that night ever so clearly in my head, and I'll never want to forget it. This memory or any of it. A new beginning is what I'm after, but the memories I made in the past will always be treasured until the end.