Immortality

Part 2: The Life Before Death

My mother was beautiful. She was more breathtaking than the cool-colored sunset on a sandy, pale yellow-colored beach.

So, why was she single?

"I only like me who actually want to love me and take care of me," she would always say. "A tramp of a man who only cares about what a woman looks like on the outside doesn't deserve my attention. That's why, Tatsu, I love you. You don't care about my looks, you love me for who I am to you and how I care about you, and the best part is, you get to care about me too!" She would smile after saying random things like that and go back to her everyday single-mothering life, driving me to anime conventions (yeah I'm a nerd, what about it?) and soccer games.I would laugh with her and go back to the carefree world of social media on my iPhone.

Don't get me wrong: I loved her. She was, in fact, my mom. But, was I ready to admit things like that at the time? Give me a break! I was a 15 year old boy who didn't know how to express his feelings in the right way! But everything she said to me, and lectured me on, stayed in a safe-keeping file cabinet in my brain. One that would stay with me throughout my immortal life... and haunt me every step of the way.I should probably explain how that happened. Let's start like we're in the present day. The day... of my death.

I woke up to the annoying sound of my beeping alarm clock. I brought down my Fist-O-Pain on the Snooze button and sat up straight. Rubbing my eyes, I lazily swung the covers off of me, stretched, and put my feet on the ground. I rubbed my eyes and wondered what this new "adventurous" day would bring to the table, but the life of a senior in high school wasn't as adventurous as it was stressful. So, my day was already starting out pretty sarcastic. Yey.

I stood up from my bed and walked to my closet. Throwing it open, I peered inside at the dull-colored clothes and picked out my school uniform in the mess. Dark dress pants, white button up shirt, dull-maroon v-neck sweater, my signature white scarf (which was my favorite), and my shin-high combat boots. I buttoned up my white shirt, pulled my pants over them, sliding on a belt, and slipped on my maroon sweater. I quickly laced my combat boots over my pants and swung my scarf around my neck until one end was on my back and the other was on my chest.

"Honey!" My mom called from the bottom of the stairs. "Get your 17 year old butt down here! I've made breakfast!"

Rolling my eyes, I made my way down the carpeted staircase. Once downstairs, I was always greeted by the bright living room, which was full of vivid colors. And surprisingly, they all went together.The "L" shaped couch sitting in front of the stairs and up against the wall, was perfect for everything: after school naps, eating, applying for jobs, watching anime, etc. It was nude colored, so the rest of the rainbow pillows didn't get too over powering. But, no matter how hard Mom tried, people always had a hard time walking in the door with the couch, and its pillows, being the first thing that they see.

I walked behind the couch and in between the wall-bars separating the kitchen and the living room. Mom was standing at the stove, finishing mini omelets. I looked around at the rest of the food on the round table nearby: toast, jam, sticky rice, fruit salad, and orange juice. It was like every other breakfast that Mom made, not too over the top, but not ordinary either. Everything was in small portions because there was only two of us, and we always had left overs that I could take in my bento box.

"Good morning," she turned and greeted me with a smile. "Ready for today?"

I arched an eyebrow, "What's today?"

She set the omelets on a plate, "Aren't you going to ask that girl you like to the spring dance?"

I swallowed hard, sitting down as she set the plate on the table and sat next to me. I had totally forgotten that I was going to do that!