The Unstable Mix

Two. Of Ten and Eleven

 I opened my eyes, still feeling dazed on what has happened. My first instinct was to check the time on my wristwatch. It was 10am. I started to look around and realize I am in a medical tent. I tried to look around some more, that’s when I saw Tam.

“Tam?” I said.

“Are you serious?!” She replied. “Aren’t I supposed to be the one asking that?”

“Uhm what?” I replied.

“Glad you are okay.” She said.

“I am?”

“Are you an idiot?" She said. "There is no way I will let you commute after what just happened”.

“Red?” a familiar female voice echoes from the background. I suddenly realize that this was just a dream. No wonder it felt like de ja vu.

“Red?! Are you okay?” the voice continued. I opened my eyes. It was Lisa.

“What time is it?” I asked.

“10:00 PM”

“What? Oh no!” I grabbed my phone and started opening my inbox. I will not go over the details of what I have read. It was a bunch of text from Ron and Lucas asking me where I was and they have already gone home. There was also a text from my mom at 9:11 asking me the same thing. I immediately replied that I am already heading home.

“Are you done texting?” Lisa asked.

“Yeah, where are we?”

“Heaven” She said, I didn’t even smile at her joke, so she proceeded into telling me where we actually are. “Security office. I saw you being carried by the guard, he asked me if I know you.”

“Is your boyfriend okay now?” The security guard said as he enters the room.

“Boyfriend?” I asked.

“Yes he is okay now”. Lisa replied. “Thank you, we are going to leave now”. Then we started heading out. We stopped by the bus stop and that’s when I asked Lisa more questions.

“Boyfriend?” Well, actually, just that question.

“Yeah, I told him you were waiting for me, and maybe you got bored that’s why you went to the rooftop”.

“Boyfriend?”

“I saved your butt out there, do not question my methods”

“Uhh, thanks, I guess”

“Good.” She replied and kissed me on the cheek.

“What was that…” Before I could finish the question, a bus came and she said.

“This is my bus, goodbye Red”.

“Bye…” I replied awkwardly.

I rode the next bus home, while on the road, I started texting Ron saying sorry. Just sorry. No lame excuses. He didn’t reply though, maybe he simply went home and slept. When I got home, I was greeted by my dog which is her routine. My mom didn’t ask any more questions, she simply greeted me another happy birthday. Which reminded me, this was still my birthday and I have an hour left to celebrate.

Despite the fact that I have classes tomorrow, I decided to stay up late. I just laid on my bed and started looking at the ceiling. I started thinking about Lisa. Lisa is just an acquaintance. I met her in two parties. One was Jane’s party.

Jane. Whatever happened to Jane?

It was last year when she left for Canada. Then to my surprise, I saw Jane when I was about to enroll for this semester. I tapped her shoulder and greeted her. She did too. But that was that. From what I have heard from Lucas’ snooping around is that things didn’t really worked out for Jane’s dad in Canada. That’s why she came back. She’s still my classmate in Physics, which brings back the good ole days when we were really close.

Jane and I are now strangers. Yes, we acknowledge each other’s presence by a simple nod, or a smile. But that is it. She and her ex-boyfriend got back together. I had enough trouble in the past year and I promised my mom that I will never cause any more trouble. Nor will I fight anymore. I’m done fighting, I have already lost the battle.

When I lost Tam, I lost everything.

My phone’s ringtone interrupted my reverie. It was Jane. I picked up the phone.

“Happy birthday Red!” she exclaimed.

“Thank you”

“How are you?”

“I’m okay, I’m surprised you still have my number… and you haven’t changed yours”.

“I’m just as surprised as you are.” She said. “I really thought I won’t be back here, but here I am”

“Yeah…”

“Hey listen, can you sit by me tomorrow during Physics?”

“Sure, why not?”

“If it isn’t awkward at all…”

“No, why would it be?” I replied. But yes, it will be super awkward.

“Thank you, I have to go Red, bye bye!”

“Bye”

Before I could process what just happened, my phone beeped. It was a message from an unknown sender.

“Happy Birthday Red! Hope things are great.” It was from Tam’s sister, Claire.

Whatever happened to Claire? Well she just started college though from another school. Beyond that, I do not know anything that has happened to her. She has fallen off my grid since the start of this trimester.

And then, it struck me. When Tam died, she asked me to take care of two people. One was Claire, her younger sister. I failed on that. The other was Bryce… which I also failed to do so.

“I have become a failure.” I told myself.

“Are you?”. I looked to my left and Tam was there lying next to me. “Happy birthday Red.”