An Unwritten Chapter

I Wonder

Hours turned into days and days turned into weeks, Rache had gone back about a week and a half ago. Mia's routine had got back to normal and still no sign of Braydon. It was funny how things were, she saw him thrice, got to know his name and then the guy just disappeared into thin air. As if he never even existed, people disappearing out of her life didn't really bother her, but his appearance into hers did. Why would someone just randomly pop in and pop out of her life? This wasn't a circus carnival. But she had learnt to hide it very well, she had made new friends in the meantime. Zoe, who she often met at the bookshop and Noah from office.

They all often hung out together after work, at the book shop Zoe was working in, they were all of same age but in different positions in life. Maybe that's how its supposed to be for each and every one of them. Zoe in fact had taken over for her uncle and was planning on amping up his business. Lesser and lesser people were buying hardcopies now, except for people like Zoe and Mia or collectors. She is still exploring on the wonder factor.

Noah in the meantime was into finances, a number crunching guy working at Mia's office. Though she was in content writing, and he was into finances for some weird reason they had an instance to work together and they immediately hit it off. They've all been friends ever since. Rache on the other hand was surprised and a little jealous that Mia had more friends now, even Mia was surprised by that fact, but it was a good thing. She was healing and growing, something very important in her life.

To be honest Mia never really thought she would make such a good content writer. Yeah, she journals and writes stuff when she's bored but it was never commercial. Somehow, she managed to adapt and learn quick and kicked it off. For the first time in many years, she felt proud of herself. Maybe that's it, she wanted to be the better version of herself she's doing everything she can. It had been 2 months since she last saw Braydon but she didn't let it get to her, she had better things to do and get on with her life.

Braydon didn't leave on purpose; he'd loved to be there and pop in wherever she went and meet her all the time. Tragedy hadn't left him in a long time, and he had just got a call that his mom was in the hospital. Though his mom was not in a critical condition, it was tragic enough for him to go back to the place he struggled when he grew up and what led to him to leave home.

He didn't come from a wealthy family, not even a middle class; his family struggled to make ends meet when his father died in an accident. The whole responsibility fell unto him, the eldest child, but yet he found ways to be the troublemaker as well. But there was always one person, who cared for him at school and defended him, his friend, Tasha. But just like everyone, she left him in the middle saying that he only cared for him out of pity and wouldn't lose what she has to someone who has nothing. Blow after blow it affected him, ate him alive. He didn't need to feel guilty about it but yet he was. Unbothered about everyone who held him down he decided to leave, to build himself a new identity. "Maybe Mia would understand it, he felt it underneath his skin. It she doesn't, well it's just another could've been", he often reminded himself.

We all know Mia's mental health wasn't a cake walk either, by the time she moved here her new friends had seen her state and had suggested her therapy. She had had sudden breakdown and at times at her lowest points of life she had even hallucinated. Mia put it nicely to the therapist, 'I can manifest people who're not there'. But therapy didn't really work for her as she always found it hard to open up to people let alone a stranger. The therapist was good she'd give him that, as he had the skill to poke at things repeatedly until she blurted out. Nothing worked for her, talking to him only lasted a day. But one thing he had suggested stuck to her. She had developed a habit, a habit of pouring her life into the paper. Poems, short stories, and unfinished journals filled her drawers, it was her way of healing too.

Bits and pieces from the day she had, but not written like a diary entry. If it was put together it'd make a beautiful story. She never intended to, all she cared was taking things off her mind.

According to her therapist she had symptoms of borderline personality disorder as well, hence the episodes of breakdowns and manifestations; he had explained. But so far, she didn't let it affect her in life or even show anyone she had it. But she had it when the coffee shop incident occurred, once she got home, she even tried to pen it down but she couldn't. At that point it seemed silly to her, writing that down, it wasn't an episode. She had truly manifested him and there is a difference between the two. She told herself this and calmed down, while Rache stood by the table and watch her smile and softly murmuring something to herself. But it wasn't manic like she had noticed when once they were with Joe; so, she didn't bother to stop her but rather observed her.

Daring herself to be more conscious about her surroundings as the "mystery guy" had said, she decided to ride the subway after work though she knew it was just a waste of time. She lived very close to the office, but yet she did to prove something, to herself probably; coz he was nowhere to be seen these days and it had been 2 months and a week.

She was wearing a maroon straight jacket with a minty green t-shirt underneath. Her hair was tied up in a proper bun. The whole look made people wonder how old she was, she looked mature but like a child at the same time. Clutching to her bag strap tight, she got in and as expected there were seats, Noah had given her some tips on which direction and time would have lesser crowd. She seated herself next to a tall stranger with a black hoodie, with his face buried inside a book. Getting comfortable in the seat she pulled out a book from her handbag, the same as the stranger was holding, "Tomorrow Tomorrow and Tomorrow". She opened the book where she had placed the bookmark and began reading, the main characters were talking about designing a game; right when she was about to focus on the book, she heard someone say, 'Hi' right next to her. For her surprise and confusion, it was Braydon all along sitting next to her with the book hiding himself. She stared at him for two good minutes before she said, 'Oh yay, look who's back' in an annoyed tone.

'Look I'm sorry to run off like that and then disappear to two whole months, I didn't have a choice and more than that I didn't know how to reach you.' 'I heard telepathy is a real thing', Mia snickered. This put Braydon back in ease as he understood she won't lash out at him. 'Are you gonna tell me what happened? Or are you planning on getting down at the next stop and disappearing for maybe... I don't know a year?' Mia had now fully turned to face Braydon, and she noticed his earring was missing. But this wasn't the time to talk about earrings, there were much important things to be heard.