Lego House | ✓

4. crumbling

Vik returns to his house. Not that it deserves to be labeled as one, but it's still home sweet home nonetheless. He inhales sharply before entering the dwelling.

He sets his backpack down and gets ready to go to his part time job. It was necessary that Vik tried to help pay the bills and mortgage, even though Lily insisted that it was fine. He knew she was lying.

When Vik was thirteen, and Lillian was sixteen, very nearly seventeen, both parents had died in a tragic plane crash. Lily managed to graduate with good grades and a scholarship. However, throughout the remainder of the school years, she had to balance a job with schoolwork. There would be several days in a row where she'd be functioning with only two or so hours of sleep, definitely not a healthy amount.

Lily had to pass up the opportunity for college, something that Vik felt very guilty about. If it weren't for him, she could go and be happy, but instead she had to work and take care of herself and Vik— not an easy task, especially when school was added onto the plate.

She's now twenty-one years old, supporting the family by working as a pharmacist. She has no idea how to managed to acquire the profession, due to her lack of college education, but her boss was very generous and gave Lillian a chance. She proved to be responsible and capable of the task, even with minimal schooling.

For two years of Vik's life, directly after the family incident, he lived in terror and isolation. He couldn't hang out with friends, not that he really had any, but just the concept of it. He couldn't mess up, he had no other choice. If anything were to go wrong or he got in trouble, he could have potentially ended up in a boys' home; Lily technically wasn't old enough to be his legal guardian, even if she fulfilled the task well, which was something that Vik didn't want.

As soon as Lily turned eighteen, all was okay once again, except for one thing, of course, the fear he lived in. He had no companions, no one to help him loosen up. He's still afraid, anxious inside. It's strange, he doesn't know what is eating away at him, but its presence is most definitely felt and its effects are lasting.

Something about Kayla, maybe how she was so reserved, or maybe mysterious, but yet so easy to talk to reassured him. His anxiety would be replaced with comfort, sometimes just being in her presence had the same result as well. Kayla had become his remedy, his consolation, and as much as he hated being dependent on others, he needed her.

Vik was resting in tranquility at this point in time, some feeling that seemed unsettling and alien, yet still managed to be belonging. Kayla had become Vik's friend in quite a while. With the whole potential boys' home fiasco, he never bothered talking to people, avoiding anything happening.

There were those sleepless nights that he suffered from, despite his desire for rest. His mind, he just couldn't fall asleep for the life of him. Energy drinks became Vik's oxygen as he depended upon them for his survival. Waves of fatigue took over him and his brain that seemed to be in a drunken state, but only the result of sleep deprivation.

It had gotten better, a lot better once Lillian turned eighteen. He didn't need to live in solitude, but like many people, Vik didn't like change, so he kept his ways of isolation. At least he could rest without thoughts still chasing after him and craving him, even though he was in a slumber.

***

"Come on, please?" Kayla begged, "It'll be fun, I promise." It was the same day as the Spring Fling, but both mutually agreed that school dances were pointless and stupid to a certain extent, therefore ended up going to the local park and just walking and sharing conversation.

They had stumbled across a tire swing tied tightly to a tree. Vik mumbled a bit before giving into Kayla and positioning himself as he took his turn, Kayla pushing the large, rubber item. Vik was terrified and clung tightly to the rope. He always had to make sure he was healthy at all times and never got injured, mainly because medical attention was expensive and child services could potentially get involved.

"Vik? You okay?" Kayla asked, as soon as a paler Vik got off of the tire swing.

"Mmhm," Vik nodded, still in a dazed state.

"Sure?" Kayla checked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Vik said with fake confidence.

Kayla seemed to believe it and dropped the topic. "I wish I had my camera."

The landscape was beautiful− green grass, flourished with brightly colored flowers. It was the start of spring once again. The chirping of birds reverberated throughout the park and filled Kayla's ears, reminding her of why March was her favorite month and how she would play tag with Jack and a few other friends on the slippery vegetation, and by the end, their clothes would be marked with dirt stains, a real nightmare for the parents.

Vik watched as Kayla took in her surroundings in awe of the creations of Mother Nature. Springtime seemed to fascinate her, as Vik noticed, and her eyes flickered, capturing all of the details of the sight.

"Vik, are you interested in photography?"

He snapped out of his thoughts.

"I'm more interested in film, but photography's pretty cool too."

"At least tell me that you appreciate the nature in springtime."

"I especially love springtime sights."

A silence settled between the two.

"Kayla?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you help me with this photography thing?"

"Of course."

***

"Lily!" Vik called. He walked up to her room and placed a box in front of her. "Happy birthday." Inside was a photo string− a piece of twine with clothespins holding small polaroid-like pictures, simple, but still enjoyable.

"Thank you, Vik," Lillian smiled, giving her brother a hug, "thanks so much."

It was Kayla's idea, and her pictures as well. However, Kayla didn't mind whether or not if she was credited. Photography, and nature as well had always been her escape.

sorry that seemed rushed towards the end, i wanted to get an update out and i really need to study. anyways, thank you all for reading; it's greatly appreciated.