Stepping Stones

Chapter 2: Agony

Isaac sighed in relief as he closed the door gently.

"What happened" Beatrice asked.

Isaac gulped as he was startled by Beatrice's presence.

"Bea-Beatrice? You're still here?" Isaac asked as he cleared his throat.

"Ahhhh.. I-I was waiting for you..." Beatrice said with a little blush.

"Y-you shouldn't have waited for me. I-I'm alright. Really." Isaac stuttered as he blushed in embarrassment, struggling to find the words to say.

"I'm just concerned. You look pale since our meeting for our school festival. Are you sure you're alright?" Beatrice asked, looking worried.

"Umm." Isaac nodded."I'm alright." He added.

"Y-you look kinda red. Do you have a fever?" Beatrice cited as she reached out her right hand to feel Isaac's forehead.

"Rest assured. It looks like you don't have any fever." Beatrice continued as she gazed into Isaac's eyes.

"Don't look at me like that... Geez, Beatrice. You're embarrassing me..."

Isaac said as he looked away from Beatrice's gaze, blushing furiously from embarrassment. "But seriously, I'm fine."

Isaac added, now composing himself.

"It's alright. You can tell me. After all we're childhood friends, right?" Beatrice said with a sweet smile.

Isaac let out a sigh. "Yeah, we're friends. It's just..... I remembered"

"You remembered?"

"I remembered about what happened when I was five." Isaac said as he frowned.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to -"

"No, it's alright. I feel much better now. Don't worry about it."

"I think I'm the one who should be saying that." Beatrice said as she looked at his deep blue eyes with sadness emanating from it.

"But really, I'm alright. Don't worry about it." Isaac assured Beatrice.

"Eleven years has already passed since that incident."

"Yeah, it's been too long but still it feels like it just happened yesterday. "

"Everything works--"

"Together for good." I know that." Isaac cut off.

"Are you still eager to bring justice to what happened to your parents?" Beatrice asked.

"It's not even a question."

Beatrice looked at Isaac in his eyes. Trying to figure out how to cheer up her childhood friend. Realizing that she can't do anything, she sighed.

"Well, I'll support you in any way I can. Just tell me if you need help." Beatrice consoled.

Isaac nodded passively. "Thanks."

"You better cheer up, Isaac. You don't want your mother to see you ugly."

Beatrice said with a forced smile as she patted Isaac's head.

"I know that. And plus, I'm not a kid." Isaac giggled as he removed Beatrice's hand from his head. "Well, I got to go now; I still have to visit my mother." Isaac informed.

"Bye!" Beatrice said as she nods. "See you tomorrow" She added.

"Take care." Isaac replied as he started walking to a different direction.

"Y-you too!" Beatrice stammered.

Isaac raised his left hand in response.

Beatrice silently watched Isaac's back as it slowly disappeared from her sight.

"Friends. Huh..." Beatrice thought as she remembered their conversation earlier.

"Yo, Bea." Trish Harper called out from the corner with a sly smile.

"You've exceeded my expectations, huh?" Trish said with a smirked on her face as she comes toward Beatrice.

Beatrice shrieked as she realized what her friend means while blushing furiously.

"Come on. I just said to talk to him then you touched his forehead."

Trish said as she touched Beatrice's forehead to tease her.

"Geez, Trish. Stop it. It's not a big deal." Beatrice squawked as she removes Trish's hand from her forehead.

"I-I'm just worried you know." Beatrice stuttered as she tries to explain.

"Okay, I understand..." Trish smirked as she puts her arm around Beatrice's shoulder.

"Y-you do?" Beatrice asked. Waiting eagerly for an answer.

"Ummm, I completely understand how much you like him." Trish said as she burst into laughters.

"Shhhhh! Trish, stop it! Someone might hear you." Beatrice barked in embarrassment as she desperately cover her friend's mouth.

"So, you do like him?" Trish quieted down as she asked.

"I...." Beatrice said as she felt her sweat dripped down her neck due to nervousness.

"You?" Trish asked in excitement.

"I-I don't know!" Beatrice blurted out in annoyance yet blushing furiously.

"Ummm... Alright, I'll believe that for now. Let's go home." Trish said with a blank expression, feeling disappointed about her friend's answer.

"If you want to talk about something, feel free to talk about it. After all we're best friends right?" Trish said with a worried expression.

"I will." Beatrice replied with a forced smile. She let out a sigh after remembering her conversation with Isaac. "Friends... huh."

Isaac's words echoed in Beatrice's mind, making her frown. She continued walking silently beside Trish.

Meanwhile, without Beatrice and Trish's knowing, at the opposite corner, beside the vending machine, and away from anyone's sight, there stood Ezra, standing still with her face looking down. Eavesdropping on the two.

Isaac sighed in grief as he reached room 908. He reached out his left hand to twist the cold door knob. It sent shivers down his spine as he saw a doctor beside his mother lying asleep on the hospital bed. He slowly walked towards his mother's side. "How's she doing?" Isaac asked the doctor with a hint of sadness in his face. "I'm sorry but we still are not certain when will she recover from her coma." The doctor explained in a cautious manner, being careful not to hurt Isaac. "Excuse me." The doctor said as he exited the room. Silence. Isaac stared at his mother in sorrow. He clenched his teeth in agony. His chest hurts as he realized he can't do anything about it. He wants to do something, but what? How? How can he make his mother conscious? Those thoughts struck his heart, leaving him in pain. He reached out his hands to his mother's. He held them tightly as he could as he closed his eyes. Hot tears fell down his cheeks. He wants to stop it, but he can't. It kept falling down like an endless stream. He misses his mother so much. He misses her so much.

"Mom, come back." Isaac whispered in anguish as he laid his head beside his mother. Seeking comfort to ease his agony.

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Hi guyssss (.______.)

Ummm, I don't know if this is a bad news for you or it's just for me but I think it will be a little while before I release the next chapter because there's so many things I have to do like school stuffs. But I promise, I'll release it as soon as I can. I hope you like it so far.