The Days That Must Happen

ARC IV - ACT XIII

TW mentions of alcohol/consumption. wrote and published this entire chapter using the wrong name for half the bit my bad :/

sticky wooden countertops and incredibly uncomfortable chairs seemed to be the ideal weekend night for the girl who sat at the third row of your lecture hall. she didn't drink, ordering a dark pink mock tail with a cherry that sat just right on the floating ice.

you stared at her as she laughed with her group of friends, discussing lord knows what to warrant such dramatic changes of expressions. her long hair tied into a neat half up half down hair style, ends curled and her fringe neatly gelled down behind her right ear. she was always beautiful - that was no secret - but god was she angelic tonight.

you sat there with your mother, her disapproving frown making all energy run to your legs in an attempt to escape. all the willpower in the world could not stop the bouncing of your right leg, patience running thin with her statements. your hand mindlessly running the pen on the napkin.

"are you even listening to me? i mean really, do you show your professors this same disrespect or just your mother? this is not who i raised."

your eyes snapped away from heaven on earth and back towards what was less of a mother. "that's because you didn't raise me."

"then who did? your bastard father? god knows that man did no good to either of us."

"i could give you a list of who raised me but do you really want me to put you down here out of all places? i mean really, the old man who worked at the fruit store down the road from primary did a better job than you..."

a scowl found it's way on her wrinkled face, clearly overlined lips sneering at your words. "you rotten child..."

"ooo." you chuckled, eyes brightening as you leaned over the table and got up close and personal to the drawing on your napkin. shaggy black hair and mismatched eyes stared at you. expression unclear beneath a bandaged mouth. "rotten child is good..." you mocked her, writing down the quote next to the character.

"when will you take me seriously? you're begging to live a life of misery."

"if i wanted to do that, i'd just follow in your footsteps." you shot back, not once faltering as her frown deepened. a fire in her eyes igniting.

"fine." she snapped. "you wanna live a life of incompetence and failure? have it your way. i should have left when your father did." spat the poisoned woman as she stood, greedily snatching her fake designer purse from the seat next to her before strutting out.

you watched as she left, slowly turning to look down at your character when the door swung close behind her. as if he could hear you, you asked; "should we share a horrible mother? i heard that shared laughter is double laughter, but shared sorrow is only half a sorrow." as if it would come, you didn't wait for a reply, putting a dot point of a horrible infancy beside him.

"nice drawing." looking up, bright brown eyes stared at you cheerfully.

heaven on earth warmed you with her presence. "yeah?" leaning back, you stared at the character. "you think so?"

"mhm." she hummed, tilting her head to look at him from your angle. "what's his name? is he a movie character or something?"

"he's an original character from a silly story i have." you shook your head. "he doesn't have a name yet." looking up at her, you couldn't help but smile at her genuine curiosity. "wanna help me pick one out?"

that's how you met maryam, one of the many international students in your course.

"i'd love to!" she grinned, eagerly inviting herself to sit beside you in your booth.