How To Laugh

The broken teacher of happiness.

Chapter I

"Ares was rude, bad person. Everybody hated him but nobody hated him as much as he hated himself."

When he was 10, he was bullied by everyone. His parents in his house, his classmates in his school. It kept going until he went to high-school, all lonely and sad, everything felt cold, grey. Until he met his only friend in party.

03/02/1990

He was the first one to talk to him in the party and the first one to offer him a drink too. It was the start of a beautiful and never-ending friendship. I was talking about the alcohol of course. He starting talking to that guy, let's call him Apollo.

The next day Ares went to school, did his usual routine until he bumped into his "friend". Apollo noticed something wrong, Ares looked a bit down. Ares then says "I'm not feeling that good, I'm being bullied" while looking down, "Who's bulling you, I'm going to deal with them" Apollo says with determination in his eyes.

Apollo comes back with a cut on his lip and a black eye, Ares can't help but laugh, a warm feeling on his chest starting to buzz, Apollo then says "at least we have something in common now." with a smile "yeah." Ares says in-between laughter . And that was what lit their friendship.

09/12/1992

Apollo and Ares were sitting together in Apollo's house, alcohol all around the floor. "Hey Ares?" said Apollo turning to Ares, "what are your dreams?" he asked the boy that sat next to him. "Hmm.. I'll tell you if you tell me yours first" Ares answered with a can of beer in hand, "I want to be a movie or show director" the boy answered the latter. "Well mine is to be an actor" Ares said "good! Then one day we can work together" Apollo said with a smile. "yeah.. I would like that" Ares said to his friend.

09/11/2007

Ares was doing a stand-up comedy show, he was doing good so far. Apollo was watching him with a smile, waiting for his friend. After he finished his friend went to him, "I've got bad news and good news" Apollo says, crossing his arms. "oh no- tell me the bad news first" Ares said stressed. "well the bad news is that we can't continue to do comedy shows." Apollo says. Ares answer him with "and the good news?" "a company wants us to work on a family comedy show!" Apollo says excited. "WHAT? That's- that's amazing!" Ares said, buzzing with excitement. The two friends spent the night happiness drifting.

09/11/2023

An old guy was driving while driking, he stops at the redlight frowning, "excuse us sir, can we ask you something?" some teenagers asks him. "spit it" the old man says, "are you by any chance the main character of how to laugh, the show?" they ask him. He pauses for a moment before answering "yeah, that's me, I'm Ares, the actor of the main character" said the man(Ares). "oh my- can we take a picture?" the kids said. "yeah sure" Ares says before getting out of his car and taking a picture with them. "Thank you sir it was really a pleasure!" One of the kids say, "sure kid always happy to help" he said. He then bid them adieu before he went back into his car where he drove to an old vintage style cafe. "Rosalyn coffee and tea" was the big label in big letters and bright colours. He got in and went to a corner side table, where a girl was waving at him. Athena, one of the actors in the old show, last time he saw her she was still a kid, barely 4 at the time. "Hey Ares, long time no see?" She said while he sat down "where are the others?" He asked, eyeing her. She responded "they'll be here in a bit you're quite early, tell me- how've you been?". "I've been doing grea-" Ares say, cut off with a two people entering. Apollo, his friend and Diane an actor in the set. "Hello you guys! We're not late I hope?" Apollo said, sitting next to his friend. "Ah no you're just on time I was about to order something, what do you guys want?" Athena said, getting up. "I'll have an earl grey tea, please and thank you" Diane said. "Me and Apollo would have two black coffees" Ares said crossing his legs. "Sure I'll be right back" She said before fleeing. "So, Ares, how've life treated you so far?" Said Diane addressing the man. "Like heck, I've never felt that bad." The man answered her. "How so?" She asked "well if you must know I kind of became relying on drinking my problems away" he said. "Really? I thought we got out of this habit ages ago!" Apollo said to his friend "well it's not my fault!" Ares said. "Whose fault?" Athena came back with drinks in hand, she sat down and handed everyone their respective order. "We're talking about Ares' drinking addiction" Diane said "it's not an addiction." He said glaring at her. "Well if it's not an addiction then you can stop right?" Apollo said. Ares started looking down, out of words before he felt a hand on his back "don't worry, we're here to help you" Apollo said with a smile, he looked at the others, all smiling. "Thanks guys..i really owe you one."

A few moments passed in laughter and catching up. Ares felt refreshed to say the least. He bid his friends adieu not before getting their numbers and he went to his car and started driving to his house.

He don't know how to happened. He was just driving before a truck hit him. Destroying his car. His body felt numb, his eyes closing, looking at red and blue lights. He didn't knew what happened but he felt tired, a nap felt good right now.

And that's how Ares went into a coma, barely alive with wires all over him. His friends were the first and only visitors he had, truly sad and lonely. That's where he began dreaming of his past. Of a past he once hated so much.