All Which Remains

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Arron

I haven't seen or heard anything in a long time. What happened to the second heartbeat?

It's gone.

I'm all alone.

I slowly regain my senses. How long has it been? Months, weeks, years, even? I open my eyes.

Ow.

Everything hurts.

I see a blurry figure in the corner of my eye.

Ramelan?

I hear loud beeping.

Talking. Yelling, even.

What's happening?

Ramelan

I'm so embarrassed. I didn't want anyone to know that I've been studying Suroboyoan. Oh, well. As long as Fadhlan is the only one to know, I guess it'll be okay? Probably. I set my backpack down in my bedroom. Mom said that she wanted to talk to me, so I walk down the hall to the living room.

I sit on the couch beside her and wait for her to say something. I don't notice that she is saying something until I turn to her.

"... so you'll be able to concentrate," She's saying.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"I was saying that your father and I have decided to send you to a cram school for the rest of the semester."

My heart falls. I have so little free time already. Why should I have to give up all of it to studying?

"Please don't send me to cram school. I'm sorry if my grades aren't good enough. I'll work on them! Please. Just don't send me to cram school," I sign furiously.

"Ramelan. This is for your own benefit. Don't fight me on this."

"But—"

"No buts. Go to your room and study."

"Fine," I hiss at her and storm away.

I slam my bedroom door for extra measure. I'm acting like a kid, but I don't care. I know they're just looking out for me, but I really enjoy sitting on my bed and reading. Or sleeping. Sleeping is good, too.

I yawn.

Thinking about sleeping is making me sleepy.

I fall asleep with my face in my history textbook.

I wake up suddenly. There's a pit of anxiousness sitting in my stomach. There's a spot of drool in my textbook.

Eww.

I wipe it off with the edge of my shirt.

I close the textbook and place it in my backpack. I didn't study or eat dinner, so I guess I might as well go to sleep. I walk over to my window and start to close the blinds. I look up slightly and see a figure walking in the middle of the street.

Curious, I lean in closer.

The person is dragging their feet. It reminds me of a zombie. I can't make out who it is because of how dark tonight is. The moon is barely shining, and it's so late that the streetlamps have turned off.

No one should be walking in the middle of the street, let alone in the middle of the night. Should I do something?

I open my window and lean out a bit. I still can't decide if I should tell them to get out of the street. Would that make me look like an asshole, leaning out of a window and yelling at someone? I shake my head.