Voices in My Head

Chapter 15: Remembrance

When I came to, I was afraid to open my eyes. I was afraid to face reality. I wanted to sleep forever. I didn't want to wake up.

But the sound of footsteps forced me to open my eyes.It took a few minutes for my eyes to adjust in the semi-darkness. The lone source of light was from a lamp post a few feet away.

A girl, probably 16 years old, came into my field of view. She had long dark brown hair tossed over her shoulder as she craned her neck to look at me.

Robyn.

"Allan, how are you today?"

She was never offended by him not talking all the time.

"Just fine. You should be happier than that," she teased, turning around to face him. He will never get used to that blinding warm smile of hers that took his breath away every single time. "After all, it's your birthday today."

He shrugged, hands in his pockets as he leaned against a wall. He didn't really care about birthdays.

"Allan, birthdays are not just another day of the week," she chided at him. "They are special and meant to be celebrated."

She always knew what he was on his mind, always knew the words he left unsaid. It was what made him think of her as an angel, a supernatural being too pure for him to be around.

But he cherished the times he was lucky enough to be near her, to hear her, to touch her.

He was selfish. He was self-centered. He didn't know why he deserved to be called her friend but he was going to grab this chance while he can before she finally realizes he wasn't worth her time.

"Here." Her soft voice pulled him out of his thoughts. He looked down at a small box in her hand, wrapped in blue, snowflake-decorated wrapping paper.

He grabbed it cautiously as if he was afraid it would break under his touch. He ripped the paper away and opened it to find a beautiful silver watch. He carefully took it out of the box. Engraved on the back were the words "Allan and Robyn" in cursive letters.

Allan looked at her with surprise and wonder.

She answered his silent question, stammering a bit, a faint red hue on her cheeks. "Y-you said before that you lost your father's watch a long time ago. And I know that this can't replaced that one, but I hoped that you would like it. And maybe remember me by it."

He hugged her tightly, touched. Robyn was shocked at first but relaxed, returning the hug.

"Happy 15th Birthday, Allan."

My breath caught in my throat.

He rang the doorbell like his life depended on it. It was pouring. He was drenched. It was freezing. He didn't care.

The door opened, the shining lights blinded his eyes for a second, having grown used to the inky black darkness.

"Allan?" An elderly woman asked, surprised to him this early in the morning, before turning her head. "Robyn, somebody wants to see you."

"I'm coming, Granny," a voice called out before he saw Robyn standing in front of him. She took in his soaked form and grabbed his hand gently.

"Come in before you get sick." He followed her absentmindedly, even though he knew the layout of her house already, clutching her hand as if it was his life support. His head was pounding. He felt dizzy, about to drop dead at any moment.

She grabbed some of her older brother's clothes that would fit him and handed him a couple of towels, pushing him towards the bathroom. "Change before you get sick, okay?"