Fate

CHAPTER 2: High School

"It's not the goodbye that hurts, but the flashbacks that follows."

Song: One Direction - Where Do Broken Hearts Go

I thought about cleaning the house. I started with the boxes I didn't unpack since I moved in here. The first thing that I found on the top of the box was a small fluffy teddybear. There was a card on it saying, 'forever in my heart' and a golden heart necklace around it.

My hand traced circles around it, remembering when my best friend, Hailey, bought the teddybear for me. And the necklace was bought by my ex-boyfriend. The shall-not-be-named french guy who left me for another girl. The french guy I'm still in love with. I know what you're gonna say, pathetic, right? Well I'd admit I am but c'mon, I've been with the guy for 3 years and then he suddenly decided I'm not the fun I used to be anymore. His loss anyway, right?

...right?

I wore the necklace, careful not break it in my big hands.

Believe it or not, the day I broke up, I didn't cry—but Hailey did. We were inseparable, like one soul in two bodies. I know her since we were both in diabers. She had always been the soft side of me, and I've always been the unbreakable one. I'd fall and break my leg and she'd cry. I'd get an A+ and she'd celebrate. We were just like that. She has always had my back and I've always had hers.

I remember the last time I saw her cry. It was at the end of the year, and the winter breeze filled my nostrils.

"Hey babe." Hailey said in a shaky tune. half-hugging me when I finally reached school.

We have exactly 49 days till our summer break and I couldn't be anymore impatient. I and Hailey wanted to go on a vacation to Bora Bora, since we were almost 18. We convinced our parents after a really long way of begging. Regardless, they said yes at the end if we were gonna be together.

But the Hailey that was estastic, enthusiastic about travelling to Bora Bora, is not here.

"Hey." I paused for a couple of seconds, studying her face, "What's wrong?"

I looked at my body before looking at hers, did I break a leg? Twist my ankle? I checked if I even got a bruise. There was none. Does that mean she's sad because of something that happened to her? Not possible, the girl seemed to have a perfect life. But is that even a thing?

She looked at the floor, not daring to look me in the eyes.

I put two fingers under her chin. Pulling her eyes up to meet my gaze.

She burst out of laughter at my pout then burst out of crying. I raised an eyebrow at her. Was that supposed to happen?

It just reminded me of Jess Glynne's album: I Cry When I Laugh. Speaking of Jess Glynne, she's my favorite singer and artist. I've always loved listening to whatever songs she sings.

Back to the topic, my mother is a physiologist, she told me a lot about body language, so I guess I might or might not know how to deal with people and read them.

"What happened?" I asked softly, but in the inside, I actually had this little hope that she'll burst out of laughter again and scream at me and say: "You bought the joke!" But it never came.

There was a long pause before she sniffled, "Michelle went to rehab." She put her hand on her mouth to suppress the sob. 

"Michelle? Rehab? Your sister's a goody-two-shoes." I said loudly, but hugged her nonetheless. My chin was on her head because of the tall difference between us. I was pretty tall for my age and to any girl in particular.