[ON HOLD!] Oblivion [Solangelo]

1 | Of Broken Plates And Broken Dreams

"Aw, sugar!"
A loud smash and a string of curse words stole Will from his slumber on the kitchen countertop, mop of curly blonde hair sprawled over the discarded medical textbooks.
He blinked open an eye, welcoming the rush of sunshine it brought, before hauling himself up with a yawn.
"Cecil? Lou?" He mumbled drowsily.
"Oh, and the beast awakens!" A boy around the same age as Will poked his head up above the countertop, mouth drawn back in a smile. "Lou-Ellen just left, got a Sunday lecture, poor girl. You must've fallen asleep studying again and we didn't want to disturb you."
"What was that loud smash?"
The boy scratched the back of his neck, "well Lou didn't have time to make me breakfast so I thought I'd make pancakes and-"
"Cecil! That's the third plate this week!"
"Sorry," Cecil muttered, more focused on turning to rummage through one of the open cupboards behind him. With an 'ah!' he pulled out a dustpan and brush.
"It's alright, but you need to be more careful! You could cut your hands, and they could get infected! Not to mention-"
"You know I zone out when you start talking all medical at me," Cecil emptied the dustpan into the bin by the small apartment's front door, his flip flops smacking against the white-tiled floor. It was an exceptionally warm day in Italy, and Will's flatmate seemed to be taking full advantage of it. He wore an embarrassing, bright Hawaiian shirt with khaki surf shorts and a bright pink pair of sunglasses covered in parrots.
"Sorry, sorry, I guess I was so rushed to finish my essay that I fell asleep and now I'm stressing even more!"
Will's head fell into his hands, and with a sigh he collapsed onto the cool countertop again.
Sometimes Will wondered why he even bothered with Medical School. Sure, he wanted to live out his lifelong dream of climbing the medical ranks and saving lives but there were times when he felt so useless - so far from his goal. Some days the pressure and the rush to excel and to learn and to get that degree was too much. Most days, Will just wanted to quit. Become a lifeguard, move to somewhere tropical and just relax.
But then he'd think back to his dream, to all he's ever wanted since he was taken to the hospital aged six and watched as they helped repair his broken leg. He just wanted to help, to be useful. But he also wanted release, to feel free and just stop caring.
Why were things so complicated?

"Hey, Will? Anybody home?"
Cecil had made his way to stand next to Will, a large hand placed on his shoulder.
"You alright?"
The blonde nodded.
"Just a little worked up, thanks. Maybe I'll go to the beach or something, clear my mind and calm down a bit."
"Alright, I'll leave a note for Lou-Ellen. I'm going out for lunch with a couple of guys from my lectures, won't be back until three."
Will didn't bother changing, he was still in a pair of fairly skinny jeans and a bright yellow T shirt from yesterday, just grabbed his mobile and his key before making his way to the door.
"Have a good time, see you later!"
"Bye Will!"

By the time Will reached the shore, he was antsy, itching to do something but at the same time just wanting to fall over and lay there for a few hours. Whatever he did, he just couldn't reach a state of calm!
For almost half an hour he paced the length of the small, sandy beach. It was a short walk from his university, and an even shorter walk (more of a take-three-steps-and-you're-there) from the apartment he shared with his friends. Usually, the soft sound of the waves lapping against the sand and the idle chatter or faint laughter of tourists and locals alike would lull him into a relaxation.
But now the blonde was more tense than ever. He veered away from the beach with a huff, accidentally kicking up a cloud of sand at a small child nearby. The mother shouted harshly at him and the child began grizzling, but he turned on his heels and continued onwards.
He made his way up onto the pier, the thick, hot air replaced by a slightly colder breeze. The salty scent was oddly comforting, and he turned to stare back out along the path he'd just taken. Suddenly, he realised he was further along the pier than he'd ever been before. Usually he'd stop after the small assortment of coffee shops, assuming the rest of the pier was occupied by tourist stands.

And that's when he noticed the small aquarium. Well, it was more of a shack, and it was actually quite a decent size. But it had a rough exterior, almost like someone had nailed pieces of driftwood together and stuck a sign above the entrance.
Yet he had not seen another aquarium around here before, and Will's previous frustration was instantly replaced by curiosity.

He made his way towards the little aquarium.

[Hey so I know the chapter could be slightly longer, but I really had nothing else planned for this chapter. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Part two will be up soon. Any feedback is appreciated X - Lily]