We Went Broke at Midnight | ✔

16 | time is the coin of your life

❝Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.❞
— Carl Sandburg

16 || time is the coin of your life

time | late evening

We're both soaking wet.

Good thing I'm not wearing any white.

"You jerk!" I spout the millionth time at Brolin. I should be pissed at him for getting us both wet. Yet, I'm not. And my annoyance is more of a facade. I'm just having trouble containing my laughter now.

We both look ridiculous; soaking wet and goofy.

"You look stupid," I say reaching up on my tippy toes and petting his hair.

His nice wet brown hair.

Brolin chuckles. "You're not wearing white," he states this as if it's the best thing he's ever realized.

I beam. "I know!"

We both laugh.

As we're walking down the sidewalks of Havendust, no one's given us weird looks.  Two people, soaking wet, laughing as if they're under the influence.

We're under the influence of yolo. As corny as that might sound, that's what it feels like. Going back to that, "Karen you must not take a lot of risks if something as going through Havendust's spray ground is something you'd consider risky." But that's how my life was before I'd met Brolin. It wasn't fun, I didn't take risks, and I was a pathetic little thing.

Eventually the laughter subsides between me and Brolin. And I have my arms wrapped around his arm as if he's my anchor to my ship. He might as well be. My day could've gone horrible if it weren't for him. I'm not scared that I could be broke at midnight anymore. If it happens that Dad's companies go bankrupt, I won't be mad or devastated. I have to accept things for what they are, instead of wishing for this or that to happen.

I wonder if Dad's worried about me. He hasn't tried calling me or anything. I hope he's okay. What if Mom paid him a visit? I doubt that by a long shot. She wouldn't visit him unless I was there, and she's already seen me. At this time, she has to be driving back to wherever she came from. When I think of her driving back to where she's been all these 5 years, it makes me sad.

I didn't say bye. I was angry at her, I hadn't wanted to talk to her. But I don't want to feel bad. I still didn't get a hug or anything from her end. I'm starting to think she hates me. Let me rephrase that. I already knew she hated me the moment she left 5 years ago.

Brolin and I have been walking in silence for the past ten minutes. It's a comfortable silence—nothing's awkward about it. The sky's beginning to darken. I'm continuing to think about Mom but when I see that we're walking near the hospital, that's when Justice cross my mind.

Gwen said she was in the hospital. And it'd have to be this one.

I should pay her a visit.

I take a look at the tall brown building, and stop in my steps.

Brolin seeing that I've stopped, gives me a worried glance. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head and stare at the hospital building. "My friend is in there," I say. "I have to go see her."

It's the right thing to do. At this point, I'm through questioning me and Justice's friendship. Sure we've been friends since middle school, but that doesn't matter—at least to her anyway.

"Do you think visiting hours are closed?" I look at Brolin.

He shakes his head. "It's not near Midnight or anything. So I think we're cool."

He's right.

I'm about to walk towards the entrance, until I'm reminded of something else. "Are you comfortable with hospitals?" I ask Brolin. With his grandfather being in the hospital, would it be good for him to accompany me? I wouldn't be mad if he didn't.

Brolin parts his lips his into a smile. "It's okay."

:: :: ::

The lady at the desk had given both me and Brolin strange looks at our appearances.

My hair is still moist, but my clothes are less wet than they'd been hours ago.

Same goes for Brolin.

Even though I'm just visiting a friend who's checked-in for malnutrition, doesn't mean I don't feel uncomfortable. Brolin holding my hand takes the edge off a little. It's just hospitals never look different; white, eerie, and it's signature smell of soap and disinfectant.

Soon enough we stop at Justice's door and I'm not shaking anymore. "You want me to go with you?" Brolin asks me.

I shake my head. I don't want to give her reason to think I don't care about her well-being, and that me being with a guy all day was the reason I hadn't been here to see her.

A small part of me does feel responsible for Justice being in here. No one knows about her pill problem, except me and a few others (including Gwen). It isn't as if she told me to promise to never tell anyone about her "diets" and the pills. But she didn't have to tell me that. Justice can be ruthless and I know when she wants something to be kept quiet.

I look at Brolin who gives me a reassuring grin.

:: :: ::

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