Legacy (Completed)

Chapter 20

It'd been days. It had been a numbing cycle of going to bed, waking up, trying to eat, crying, and staring blankly into space. I didn't leave. I didn't talk to anybody. I left myself to cope in my own silence. I knew alienation wasn't healthy. I also knew eating less than a bowl of ramen a day was bad for my health. At the point I had reached, I didn't care for much more than just staring, and not moving.

Thoughts didn't even circle through my head. It was as blank as my sight, being nothing than a person in a mourning coma. I had my blanket wrapped around my body, covering everything up to my chin. It still faintly smelled of Lorenzo, which calmed me more than it should had. I sighed, try not to think to much, but just the thought of trying not to think brought tears to my eyes. My eyes were starting to burn with the amount of tears, and I just wished that they would stop coming.

The house's interface rang, and I spent the energy to look over at it. It quickly went to voicemail with the amount of missed calls that was stacking up.

"I know you can hear me, Jac," came Ren's sorrowful voice. Guilt coursed through me at his tone. I took the blankets edge, pulling it over my head as I shrank down to a laying position. There was a heavy sigh.

"Please just pick up, Little Jacka Bean. We're all worried about you. I'm sure your family wants to hear you're okay. You're not the only one going through this pain. The DLO wants to know you're okay." There was a pause before Ren said hesitantly, "I want to know you're okay. I just need to hear your voice to know you're okay. Call me back," he finished, the call hanging up.

I peeked out of the covers to see that the interface screen read 15 missed calls, before watching it roll over to 16. I sighed, nestling myself back under the cover of my blanket.

It's the same kind of call I've gotten from the director, and my mother. Even my friends who I hadn't talked to in so long called to offer their condolences. I don't want it; I just want to be left alone. Why can't they realize that after I have stayed silent for days?

I closed my eyes, relishing in the warmth my blanket brought to me. I fell asleep quickly, wishing for a dreamless sleep. Anything to escape my reality for a few hours.

I woke up to loud banging on my front door. The sunlight streamed through the windows, causing my to squint as I looked for the clock.

11:35

I grumbled, reaching for my glasses and slipping them on as I stumbled from the couch. My legs were stiff from the lack of movement, and dark spots danced in front of my eyes. I laid my hands flat on the door, peering out the peep whole to see Lorenzo standing with a bag in his hand.

"Let me in!" he growled out, raising he fist to beat against the door. "It's been four days, and you need some human interaction in your life!" I stepped away from the door, taking a deep breath before letting it out. I made my way back to the couch, curling up with the blanket. The knocking lost tempo and became softer.

"Jac," I heard his soft call through the door. "This isn't healthy and you know it. Jac, please." I paused, listening to the desperation in his voice.

'I don't even know if you're dead or not...' I froze as Ren's dark thought that forced its way into my mind. The thought alone almost sent me over the edge, compelling me to open the door. I stared at the object for a while, considering whether or not to open it. There was silence from the other side, telling me Ren had left.

I sank into my couch again, my arms wrapping around my knees. I sat in my own silence, not a single sound filling the air. That is, until the rustling noise started.

It was quiet at first, barely noticeable if it hadn't been the quietness of the room. It was easy to ignore until it continued to rattle... and rattle... and rattle.

I snapped up from my seat, annoyance flaring in me. I peered out my peep hole, seeing nothing in the hall. The rustling was obviously coming from outside my door, the noise getting louder as I was in front of the door. I made an irritated noise with the back of my throat, unlocking the door and swinging it open to look up and down the hallway.

Only to have Lorenzo fall backwards into my apartment with the bag he'd been holding. He quickly scrambled to his feet, bringing his bag to rest on my kitchen counter.

"It's too late to get rid of me now!" he called out, unloading things from the bag. 'Thank god you're not dead...' was the forced thought, coupled with a huge sense of relief. I went to argue, but didn't bother after the thought, closing the door behind me. I moved quietly into the kitchen, watching what he was unloading from the bag.

It was a bunch of cans of chicken noodle soup.

I must of had a look of confusion on my face because Lorenzo chuckled before saying, "It's good for the soul." I shook my head, returning back to the couch. I was going to do what I had been doing; it didn't matter if he was here or not.

The blanket was wrapped around me when he came back with two bowls of steaming soup. I looked up at him as he handed me a bowl. I took it gingerly, laying it against my stomach. I was thankful for the blanket, feeling the heat deep through and warm my stomach. It would have been much hotter had it not been the extra layer.

Ren sat down on the opposite side of the couch, his own bowl in hand as he stole the bottom of my blanket to pull over his lower section. We sat in silence, stirring the soup to cool it down.

"I'm sorry," I spoke first, my voice quiet and raw for not using it for a while. He looked up at me in surprise, his spoon stopped swirling.

"For what?"

"For making you think I committed suicide," I revealed, my voice barely above a whisper. I refused to look up from my bowl, watching a piece of carrot spin with my movements.

"You were in my head again," he stated, his voice not angry, just matter-of-fact. I shook my head in disagreement.

"Sometimes when strong enough emotions are going through someone, they get forced into my head. It's not my doing,"

"Oh," he replied awkwardly, taking his first spoon shovel of noodles. I stirred the noodles a bit more before taking my first bite. The saltiness of the broth danced on my tongue, and I swallowed down the noodles. It was still too hot, the bite scalding my throat as it went down.

"Do you mind if I stay the night here?" Ren asked after a few more bites, I looked over at the clock to see it was noon. I shrugged my response, not really caring. Ren grinned widely, sipping some broth. "Then we can have a slumber party!"

I was going to regret letting him stay.