THE ONE

22. DAYS LIKE THIS

I decided to calm her down and go home.

I heard Tally run down the stairs by saying: "Who is it?"

"It's Jason, sis."

After a few attempts of unlocking the house door, she finally did it and let me in with a smile on her little round face. Her eyes were sparkling.

"I'm so happy you're home. Mommy went to sleep. I don't think she's feeling okay. I heard her crying before but I didn't know what to do, because she said she's fine when I knocked on the bedroom door. Dad is out for work. His boss called. He kissed mom goodbye by saying it's an emergency. He's been gone for about three hours already. Oh, and I made a mess in the kitchen and I don't know how to clean it up. I was hungry."

Her smile was replaced by a frown and I picked her up and carried her to the kitchen, putting her down on the kitchen cabinet. This was the only clean place in the whole kitchen, because Nutella jar was lying on the floor with nothing in it. I smiled at the mess because it was quite ironic. Nothing could be as messy as my life but it was pretty close. I cleaned up, made Tally some sandwiches and carried her into her princess bed.

"I love you.", I heard my little sister say before she snoozed off to sleep. Oh, if only I could fall asleep that quick, I thought while I was looking at her innocent little face.

"I love you too, precious.", I said as I turned off the light and closed the bedroom door as quietly as I could.

"Mom, are you in there?"

"I'm here, love."

Mom's voice sounds so sad. I wonder what's wrong now. And the fact that she's been crying before doesn't make me any more calm.

"Could you unlock the door? I don't want you to go to sleep upset."

"Oh, Jase, I think I need to save you the trouble. Go to sleep, baby. It will be better for both of us."

And there she goes with her need to be brave for me and my sister. Maybe Tally thinks of mom as a superhero, but she can't fool me. I know she's breaking inside. And I both love and hate that part of her. The part that's telling her to stay strong no matter what the situation is. She hates to ask for help but it's ironic that I'm that way as well. It's funny to despise a part of a person which is unique to your own. It breaks my heart to know that I don't want my friends to feel helpless because I can't let them close enough. That's why I just let her cry into her pillow till three in the morning by thinking that she will tell me when the time is right.

I just hope my little sister doesn't wake up to my mom's sniffs and starts worrying too much. She really doesn't need to be worried at that age. I want to save her the trouble and I guess that's what my mom is doing as well.

Best Day Of My Life starts playing as I look up at my phone. Well, it might not be the best day, but I couldn't imagine a better morning. Jaclyn is calling. I try speaking so my voice wouldn't sound like a dying whale but I guess there's no use. And I have to pick up or she'll think I'm ignoring her. And she knows I have nothing better to do on Saturdays instead of lie in bed and watch The Big Bang Theory.

"Good morning, sleepyhead. I thought you will never pick up."

YAWN "Ooh, yeah sorry, I was asleep."

"I'll pretend like a give a fuck about your sleeping schedule."

I hear her laugh and a smile creeps on my face. How pathetic am I? But god, do I adore her smile.

"And besides; you need somebody to tell you that your sleepy voice is the cutest thing ever. But I'm not calling because of that. The doctors said I can leave the hospital. Everything is okay."

"I'm really glad to hear that. Should I pick you up from the hospital to drive you home?"

"No, that's not really what I was planning. Just pick me up. I have to do something today. I'm feeling too confident not to do it, but I will need your help. Be here at 3."

"Okay, may I ask what is it?"

She didn't reply, because I heard the beep before I could even finish my sentence. If only I knew what's going on in that gorgeous little mind of hers. But as I said, her mystery is even more of a turn on.  I like that she doesn't live by the rules of society. How could I ever describe her? She's so dark. But she's cute dark and her demons match mine. Could she get any more perfect?

Wow, that sounds so emo. My head can't think straight. I'll drink some coffee and watch Castle before I can even think about what to dress in for her release.