Left In the Dark

Chapter Six-Struggles

EDITED VERSION ONE

Chapter Six- Struggles

Only when the person is gone then you will know how valuable the person is to you. But it’s much too late…

But you know the places I wanna go 'cause oh, oh, oh, I've got a sickness, you've got the cure you've got the spunk I've been lookin' for and I've got a plan, we walk out the door

You know you wanna just let go It's time to roll down the windows and sing it, oh, oh yeah, all we need, so here we go

Turn it up, it's five minutes to midnight you're coming home with me tonight I can't get enough shakin' me up, turn it up

Alright, at five minutes to midnight you'll see our name in city lights we'll make the clock stop make your heart drop and come alive

We could pack up and leave all our things behind no fact or fiction or storyline 'cause I need you more than just for tonight you're oh, oh, all I care, I can't stop my breathing in I'm weak and you were my medicine

Five Minutes to Midnight- Boys Like Girls

Ethan’s POV

BEFORE

      Do you feel as though your life utterly and totally changed in just one day? Your life is turned upside down and you feel confused, frightened and trepidation. You will grit your teeth, close your eyes and try to convince yourself that everything will be alright.

      Of course I did not make the connection immediately. I was upset to hear it, our whole family was. My father was the sole breadwinner of the entire family consisting of my two sisters, younger brother, mother, grandmothers and I. That means that the entire family would have to starve if we do not get money soon.

       Hence, drastic changes happened.

        My father went job-hunting and interviews every day and my mother would take care of the household duties and controlled us the children. My older sisters and I took up part-time jobs at Starbucks, so that we can keep an eye for each other while we attended to frustrated, impatient customer shouting orders over the counter, eager for their cup of warm coffee.

        Life was going on, no matter how difficult the situation was.

My father was a well-educated man and had many good qualities. However, he did not get employed. It was a mystery. We all struggled to cope, to keep our heads above the water. So far it was alright, just that we did not have full stomachs but we were running out of money. Fast.

       Michelle was ignoring me, after that day when I met her mother. I talked to her, followed her around but her eyes always trained to in front of her, looking straight ahead without even giving me one glance. She ignored my pleas, my shouts, everything that had to do anything with me. I became even more desperate. Today was my breaking point.

I was trying to get her attention on me again, my fear of losing her, desperation, confusion and sadness gripped my heart tightly, choking me from the inside. That was even worse than my father losing his job.

She ignored me and looked away, opening her locker. Out of a sudden, I felt an uncontrollable rage toward her. Without thinking, I gripped her shoulders and roughly turned her to face me.

She gasped in shock and finally, finally after not looking straight into my eyes for weeks, she looked up to meet my eyes. Her cheeks coloured as she turned away once again.

“Michelle!” I screamed in frustration and felt tears forming in the corner of my eyes. “Why have you been ignoring me for the past few weeks?”

“Do I need a reason to?” She looked at me calmly, her face carefully blank. But her eyes were the windows to her soul—she was in pain.

I pulled her into my arms and sighed from the feeling of her. She immediately stiffened and moved away. But I gripped her harder. My feeling consumed me. Before I knew it, I uttered softly those dreaded three words.

“I love you”

AFTER

Ethan’s POV

I was surprised when I heard Sabrina’s voice through the intercom. Why was she doing here? We barely knew each other. The only reason she came to find me was… Michelle. I closed my eyes, hurting as I imagined her violet eyes staring back at me, full of tears and memories, both happy and sad that happened a year ago flowed once again into my head.

I was jolted back to reality when I heard a knock on the door.

“Master, Miss Sabrina is here.”

I sighed and said, “Come in.”

The heavy ivory doors opened and Sabrina stepped in. Marie, the maid that brought Sabrina, gave me a quick nod before leaving the room and closing the door gently, leaving Sabrina and I all alone in the same room.

Sabrina looked almost the same as she was a year ago. Her long brown hair, large doe-eyed green orbs, all dressed up in designer clothes. I could not help but feel distaste towards her. She stood by at the side, watching her cousin that was once close to her slowly die.

I smiled wryly at her, and said in a carefully controlled voice. “Well, well. Why are you here, Sabrina?”

She looked up to me and reached into her pocket, pulling out something shiny. She handed it to me, saying softly, “Recognise this?”

I took it from her and examined it. I knew at once that it was the same locket that I gave Michelle a year ago. With trembling fingers, I pried open the locket to see our photo from that day still inside, slightly yellowed with age.

For a moment, I could not control my emotions. I closed my eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. When I opened them, I saw Sophie’s expectant eyes looking at me.

“Where did you get this?” The words were sharp and fierce.

“From Michelle, unknowingly.” She seemed to look proud of herself.

I stepped closer to her and lowered my voice, becoming more deadly.

“Look, bitch. I don’t know what you are planning to do, what you want to achieve, but stay out of this. You have hurt Michelle enough.”

Panic and fright almost immediately flashed in her eyes. “No, I wanted to help! I just—I just wanted to see her happy, and you are the only one to do that, so—“

I chucked, but it was not a happy one. “You got to be kidding me. Get this back.” I handed the locket back to Sophie, immediately missing its cold warmth it gave me the moment I let go of it.

“Don’t do anything. You are just making things worse as usual. Things will come to an end soon.”

“You—You mean, you still—”

“Ending things does not mean that way, girl. You’re still too naïve for this world that you live in. You are still blind to most things around you. Michelle knew what happened, and look at her know.” I turned away, not wanting to let her see my tears.

“You will do better in the light. Stay away from the darkness.”

“But—”

“Leave.”

The slam of the door indicated that she had left. However, I looked down to see that she left the locker behind, on the table.

“Smart one, aren’t you.” I chuckled darkly before walking over to clutch the locket into my fist.

“I never meant to leave you that day…”