Hidden Heart: A Saga Of Redemption

Broken Promise

[LATER THAT NIGHT]

[Victor sat alone in the dimly lit living room while watching TV, it was playing Shinchan. But his mind was not totally focused on the comical characters. Rather he felt the familiar pull of the alcohol. With a sigh, he turned off the TV, got up, reached into the fridge and pulled out a chilled beer.]

[He poured the amber liquid into a glass and watching it foam up before settling. As he lifted the glass to his lips, someone's words echoed in his mind.]

["Take care of yourself. Don't drink. Okay?"]

[He froze, the glass inches from his mouth. He felt an immediate wave of guilt wash over him. He was remembering the way she had looked at him, her eyes filled with intense care and with believe.]

Victor: (in mind) What am I doing? She wants me to be better. How can I let her down like this?

[He set the glass down on the table with a shaky hand. The thud sound echoed through the kitchen corridor. Then he poured it down the sink and the sound of the liquid splashed against the metal basin.]

Victor: (assuring himself) I can't hurt her.

[Feeling the weight of his emotions, he rushed up to the first floor, entered his bedroom and fell himself. He grabbed a pillow and pressed it against his face.]

[He buried his face into the pillow and he clung to it desperately, as if it could somehow absorb his inner struggle as well.]

Victor: (vaguely murmuring) Why is this so hard? I just want to be better... for.....for her.

[Victor squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force himself to sleep. He pressed another pillow over his head, hoping to block out the world and the relentless thoughts that plagued him.]

Victor: (thinking) Just sleep Victor. Please... just sleep.

[Despite his efforts, sleep remained elusive. He lay there, his body was tense and his mind was racing.]

[At 3 am.]

[He was still awake he opened his eyes once but it was nothing but the pitch dark. He forcefully closed his eyes again and turned upside down. He was just like a baby who was trying to hide from his mom to survive from her rebuke.]

[Probably at 4 am.]

[Eventually, exhaustion overtook him, and he drifted into a restless sleep.]

[The next day.]

[VICTOR'S HOUSE]

[Victor's eyelashes flickered a little. As he gained his consciousness he widened his eyes and took a glance at the silent ticking wall clock. It showed 10:15 am. He got up hurriedly but his brain was still drizzled because of unsatisfactory sleep.]

Victor: (slapped his forehead) Urggghhhh...... I'm late. (Pouted) This..... This happened only because of that girl.

[Without making any time waste he rushed to the washroom. This was the same person who never had a thought to go outside. But now the desperation was quite common in his gestures. He came out from the bathroom after freshening up and went to his closet to take out his wearables. His eyes fell onto those shopping bags of 'East Coast Mall'. He fetched one of those to find something new. As the winter had already arrived he chose a navy blue coloured turtleneck knitted sweater. After a while, he appeared before the mirror wearing that sweater, paired with the previous blue jeans.]

Victor: (slightly smiled) Perfect! This time she'll not call me a (pouting) VOLCANO.

[CAFÉ WILD BEANS]