The Last and First 10 Days

chapter one

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It was like any other July afternoon; the last minutes of sunlight washed me in a warm embrace; a sweet scent seeped into my room from the kitchen where Mrs. Jane was cooking, and I could hear faint laughter from downstairs. It was only a matter of minutes before I would be called down for dinner, but until then, I basked in the sunlight filtering through my window and the soft music playing from my computer, creating a calming aura.

I knew it was only a matter of time before all this would be gone too, and I'd have to go back home. That fact only made the day feel more bittersweet. It already felt like a dream to be here, feeling as though everything was perfect, even when it wasn't. In about two weeks, this place I've come to love will be a story for my children, and I'll be just as my grandmother is now, talking of better days in her past. Before I could wallow even more in my misery, my phone buzzed with a message.

Dinner.

I knew it wasn't fair to say it, but sitting around that dinner table, I felt envy bear its teeth inside me. Why couldn't I stay here? with Jane, her husband, and her sons felt like the world was playing a joke. Ha, look at you, you sad little fool. Do you wish your family was as perfect? Well, guess what? It's not! But the feeling was replaced by guilt as soon as I felt it. Thinking of my mother, to whom I was her entire world. I had always felt as if I had to feel the same way, and to feel anything but that felt like a terrible crime.

"Hey, um, I'm going to go out for a little bit, stop by Scott's work, and maybe get some free ice cream." I told Jane as I put the last dish on the drying rack. She only gave me a kind smile and a nod of approval before ruffling my hair and going back to the table, where the family was still laughing. I said goodbye, receiving a chorus of goodbyes and requests for ice cream.

Scott was a friend I've grown close to over the last nine months, and conveniently, he happens to work at an ice cream shop only a 5-minute bike ride from where I live. As I walked in, he was standing by the cash register, his face scrunched into a fake smile as he rapidly nodded at a customer who was lecturing him. I waited in a line that seemed to go on forever and gave him a look of pity.

"I don't know if I can do this anymore, Kei; who even needs ice cream at seven thirty?"

"Hey man, you're the one who decided working at an ice cream shop in the summer was a good idea. Besides, at this rate, you'll have enough money to take Liz on the trip."

His eyes lit up at the mention of his girlfriend, and the dreamy look he had made me happy for him, but a sense of jealousy bloomed in my chest.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll see you after my shift." I've only got like 10 minutes. Liz and Marco want to meet up later on."

"Yeah, man, I'll wait."

As I went to one of the booths, a lady behind me gave me a pointed look for talking so long in line. It was getting pretty crowded inside, and the number of people was making me feel anxious, so I decided to wait outside. As I walked towards the door, a wall ran into me. Well, not a literal wall, but from the height of the person in front of me, it felt like one.

"Ow, I think you broke my nose." I mumbled with a muffled voice, tilting my head up as I felt scarlet droplets fall into my hands. They mumbled enough obscenities to make a pirate nervous, and before I knew it, a gentle hand rested on my back and another on top of my hand, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Here, use this."I felt a piece of fabric press onto my nose, a far more effective way to stop the bleeding.

"Oh my goodness, it's not stopping, holy shit. I'm so sorry."