Perfect II: The Art Of Living

Chapter 18 - 19

Chapter 18

Why can’t I see those eyes anymore, huh? Those… happy eyes?

           Skylar leaned on the window with tears dampening his puffy eyes. He clutched his wrist with his harm to relieve temporary paralysis. His thumb met the farthest phalanges and took his hand from gagging himself. It left a white mark around his wrist and took several moments before it turned blushing red again.

           He sniffed and his sinus gave in for regular breathing. He wiped the tears that he imagined never had been there. Skylar coyly smiled at Jesse for the last time and sat on the bench again. It was ten in the evening. An interval of lights was only lighting the hallway. Dark enough for him to get sleep until dawn. But as his head touched the cold stainless bench and his back adjusting to it, things flashed before him.

           One day he arrived home, he had his test results emailed to him. C-, C, C-, D. But, he shrugged them off. Grace also flooded his mail with notifications for the issues, each completed by Ethan himself. William also cleaned his room every day. The beeping became louder. He quickly got up but saw the cardiac monitor still stable. He exhaled and sat on the bench for the rest of the night.

The late night air was cold. Colder than the air conditioning system in NYAAS library. Ethan enjoyed the solace and solitude as he opened his laptop and browsed the web with some mediocre internet connection the apartment hosted. Still, Skylar had not responded from The Yorkish Pen. His last note came a week before. His accounts were stagnant. Ethan sighed and rubbed his eyes to promote staying up late gives you more ideas in writing. He admitted he’s nocturnal and he was proving it.

           Yet, as times did not really want you to be you, his eyes drifted to slumber.

           You’ve got fabulous email! The laptop chirped. You’ve got fabulous email!

           Ethan groaned and put his glasses back on. Without any difficulty, the initials T, J, P sprawled across the header of the mail and underneath was his name.

           To: Ethan Colchester

           Subject: Read On

           From: Mr Rosa, The Japanese Pride

           Text: The Japanese Pride is waiting for your answer, Mr Colchester. An internship offer is an offer we rarely suggest to pupils or college freshmen. You have the right to decline or to accept. For further inquiries, please contact the Internship Department at TJPInterns@gmail.com

           Ethan gulped but he could not shout. The lights that usually peek on his room’s door was gone which could only mean Enid was in her room, asleep. He pursed his squeal and bungeed on the mattress. The squeak was scary so he stopped.

           He forgot why he was so happy for a moment. He forgot why he was even so enthused knowing that TJP noted him, if he would just delete the message and decline. His screen went black and it showed his reflection with a grimace. He inhaled deeply and grabbed the charger from his drawer and plugged it.

           I need water, he convinced himself. He was attempting to stand but the wind howled by his window and the curtains flew like it had wings. He cringed. Maybe not.

The sun made the TrevorProject’s foyer grow heaven on land. It synthesized sanctuary on the streets of New York and somewhere where people can help or can be helped. Enid took her pink mary janes on the white tiles and it knocked on them, suggesting her presence. It was after class so she guessed Niccola was there and was busy sorting out calls.