Begin Again

Final

She just went home from a long day of work.

Lucille felt so tired; it was as if her body went numb. Not literally, of course, but she does feel like the walking dead. Her co-worker was sick today, so her boss begged her to work an extra shift since their restaurant's never empty.

She stretched her arms, waiting for the bus to come. She took a good look of New York City while doing so. The city seemed much more alive at night than the day. The buildings glowing, all in different colors, keeping the city awake.

Her bus finally came, and she rushed inside, sitting on the window seat at the back of the bus. She took out her iPod and plucked her earphones, then leaned her head on the window. Lucille felt her eyes become heavy, so she closed her eyes while she waited for her stop to come.

Her eyes sprang open as she heard the driver calling her stop, and she quickly stood up to get off from the bus.

As she was walking towards the tall red building she knew as home, she heard someone calling her from behind and she looked back to see Jeremy, her childhood friend who lived beside her apartment, jogging towards her.

"What's up, Luce?" He said when he finally reached her.

She shrugged before answering, "Same day at work."

He just nodded and looked at the street as they walked towards their apartment in silence.

When they finally reached their doors, she mumbled a goodbye and plastered a small smile before going inside. She quickly closed the door and locked it, her hand snaking upwards towards her chest as she felt her heart beat faster.

She shook her head, trying to control her heartbeat as she mumbled, "What is wrong with me? I should be over him."

Truth is, Jeremy and Lucille were more than mere childhood friends. Their status changed when Jere confessed to her on her first prom when she was 15. That was almost 5 years ago, but she still remembered the scene like it was just yesterday. They dated for 3 years before he told her that they should part ways. She didn't understand what she did wrong then, heck, she doesn't even understand it now! He suddenly seemed distant one day and they broke up a week after that.

They haven't had a conversation since then and it's been two years already. When Jere suddenly greeted her, Lucille thought it was weird.

Does he want something from me? She thought.

She shrugged the feeling away and changed her clothes before going to the balcony. She looked down the streets as she felt the wind on her face.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" She heard someone said.

Lucille lifted her head to see Jere leaning on his balcony facing her, just like he did years ago.

She stared at him and blinked once, twice, until she finally snapped out of it and replied, "Yeah. I mean, how are you?"

Nice going, Luce. That's such a lame start. She thought.

"I'm good." He answered, "And you?"

"I'm... I'm okay." She said.

Truth is, she wasn't okay at all. She may not be a fan of those quotes accounts (because let's face it, those accounts are way too overrated), but she knew that quote.

A girl's lying when she says she's okay.

The quote suits what she's feeling right now. No, that's what she's been feeling for the past two years. Ever since he left her, she's never been okay.