Love Explosion [3]

Chapter 8 - Fischer Consolidated

Italics is flashback

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TW: Death

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Chapter 8

October 23, Saturday

Arthur's POV

October 11, Monday, 21:33. That was the moment my life crumbled. I remember stumbling, tripping over my own feet, barely able to stand without holding onto the wall. I remember the world spinning around me, and I remember the four words uttered quietly that seemed to have shattered everything within me.

"Tell me again what you're doing?" I asked, feeling this blissful smile etched onto my face as I gazed at Leonard through the small screen of my phone. He looked the same as before he left for college, and he acted the same as well– so I don't know why I was so caught up and emotional about everything changing.

Leonard began rambling on– again– about this class he was taking, which I could barely remember the name of. It's not that I didn't care, but I was just not smart enough to know. Though, throughout his speaking– which I barely caught a word on– I just stared into his crystal blue eyes, framed with his rectangular glasses, and covered ever so slightly with the tips of his brown hair since he'd been growing it out lately under my persuasion. It felt as if the world around me was completely silent as I was simply hypnotised with the prepossessing eyes that belonged to the boy I was falling for.

"–And that should conclude our call for this evening." Leonard said, at last, while I snapped out of my trance, my eyes shifting to the clock on my bedside table. 21:30. According to the schedule Leonard made to make sure our relationship wouldn't have any problems, he and I would call for an hour from eight-thirty to nine-thirty on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and that every Sunday, either he would come visit me, or I'd go to see him.

"Oh, okay," I spoke, trying to stifle the hint of sadness in my voice. I'm just dramatic like that. "We will call again on Wednesday?" Leonard asked, smiling at me. I nodded. "Yea. Night Leonard." I muttered. "Good night, Arthur." Leonard replied.

"I lo– I– uhm–" I stammered, my eyes widening. "Pardon?" Leonard spoke, eyebrows furrowed just a bit. "Nothing, nothing– bye." I quickly waved it off, hanging up on him.

I felt myself let out a breath of relief, leaning back on my chair. And then I felt a grin spread on my face, then caught myself, as I grimaced at my sappiness. Was this how falling in love felt like?

Rolling my eyes at myself, I forced myself off of my chair and went down the stairs of the way-too-large house I live in. I went into the kitchen, grabbing a bag of chips from the cupboard as I hummed 'Wonderwall' by Oasis to myself. Oasis was my dad and I's favourite band.

I went silent after hearing sobs echoing in the distance, muffled and high-pitched. Confused, I seemed to have subconsciously set the chips down, wandering over to the living room to find my mother, with her face buried within her hands, crying quietly as she was curled into a ball on the couch.

I've never seen my mother so small, and so broken. It cracked my heart.

"Mum– mum, what happened? What's wrong?" I asked, about to walk up to her, but stopped when she looked up, allowing me to see her eyes– bloodshot and puffy, darkened and hollow– and her cheeks covered with streaks of tears; I was taken aback.

"Mum?" I called out again, a worrisome glint in my eyes. She sniffled once more, trying to get her breathing straight. "You– you're–" She stammered, sobbing in between each word. "You're father... he's dead."

It had been twelve days, and it seemed I was still in shock. The past few days seemed more like a haze, all mixed together into one messy blur.

I stood alone at a corner, still and stunned, ignoring the uncomfortable sensation of the suit I wore– clinging tightly onto my body that I could barely breathe– as I held onto a glass of this beverage I didn't seem to be awake enough to realise I got.

And by then, I realised, I never actually told Leonard what happened. It all happened so fast, so sudden, so unexpected. For one second, life was normal– better than normal!– and the next, it all crashed down. I didn't want to disrupt his learning just because his needy boyfriend was being clingy– but at that moment, I did really needed him, and yet he was so far from reach.

"Hey," I heard a feminine voice utter, snapping me out of my train of thought. "Hey," I replied, my voice raspy, seeming to be worn out from how much I've cried.

"I'm sorry this happened to you, it's honestly terrible." Maeva, the person who came up to me, stated, in an attempt to be sympathetic; but in all honesty, I was just tired of everyone saying sorry. What was sorry going to do? Certainly not bring my father back to life.

"Yea," was all I managed to mutter in response.

"I just wanted to say that... if you ever need to talk to someone, or just need anything at all, I'm always open. My dad passed away too, so.. I know what it's like." She continued saying, as I returned it with a small smile, as if to say 'thank you'.

I heard myself sigh. "I just– it all happened so fast. Life was normal, everything was fine. My mother works as an artist, and my father at Fischer Consolidated– we had a normal life, and something like this just... happens? It's all too bizarre, if you ask me." I ranted.

I saw Maeva's eyes widen, eyebrows raised, as if of surprise. "Fischer Consolidated?" She asked. I gave her a confused nod as a reply, "Yea, why?"

"I– well, I don't think this is a good time to tell you." She stated, biting onto her bottom lip. "It's okay, just tell me." I declared quietly.

"Well, Kathrin's mom died because of Fischer Consolidated, so I– I don't know– maybe there could be some... correlation? Maybe it didn't just... happen." Maeva stated, and I just shrugged in response, not thinking too much into it.

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