Good Enough |✅|

Jeremiah

At first, I couldn't believe Susan had actually walked up to me.
   A lot of things had been on my mind before I was able to leave for school that morning. Suddenly my mom was all in for making me move to my uncle's house. Of course I was shocked! And disturbed.

Jeremiah : But why?!?

Mrs Anderson : Jerry, just try to understand. I—

Jeremiah : Is it the rent? We paid it, right? So what's this about?

Mrs Anderson : Jerry, I'm growing old and feeble. It's high time you stayed with someone who can take better care of you—

Jeremiah : Mom, what the hell are you talking about?!

Mrs Anderson : Jeremiah! I'm requesting you to do it so you will! Understand?!

Okay. Did not expect that. My head felt heavy.

Jeremiah : So you and I are just gonna stay with your brother for a while, that's it, right?

   I did not like how my mother sighed and forgot to reply.

   Even at school, she had texted me to apologize for all the vehemence in the morning but never mentioned the reason anyway. I found the sense of helplessness in my heart become stronger as I continued staring at the lit screen of my phone. Oh man, what was I to do? My situation kept getter worse everyday. At home, at school, at work.

   Daniel, however, was an angel. It seemed like he had never confessed to me at all. As if the evening of the party had never dawned at all.
   So when Susan surprised me by greeting me, I tried to focus all my attention on her so that I could cheer myself up somehow.

Daniel : Jeremiah, the tryouts are gonna start right after recess.

Oh yeah. I remembered I had said I'd tryout for basketball after all.

Susan : They're holding basketball tryouts at this time of the year?

   I looked at her immediately.
   And then I had proof that she really had been there during the basketball match. My inner soul smiled gently.

Susan : Well, I happened to be passing by the streetball court that day and I saw the match you guys were playing and, um . . . I think you played quite great, Jeremiah. I'm pretty sure you'll make the team.

   For a second I doubted if I had heard her right. My face grew hot without my permission.

Jeremiah : You—you think so?

   I held my breath.

Susan : Absolutely.

   And that's all it took for the sun to finally throw its rays around in my body.  I was done with. I wondered why though.
   Even though Susan had no expression or emotion behind her words, they pulled me along for the rest of the day.
   So no wonder I made the team neater than marble.
   Daniel was ecstatic. However, I had Susan on my mind. And that resulted in my involuntarily shaking her hands like it was the end of the world. After the moment of gold left me behind, I didn't know what else to think about.

   The later half of the day passed by in a blink. I couldn't keep my fingers in my pockets. As soon as the last bell sounded, I was racing through the corridors. I wanted to walk home with Susan. In my head I knew it was absurd of me to do such a thing but Susan's mere attention was enough to overrule it.

   I was strutting 'cross the school field when Susan's familiar brown head came into view. However, I stopped short instantly. She was with Nick.
   I had started backtracking when Daniel appeared behind me.

Daniel : What's wro—oh . . .

   I could see he had followed my line of vision and spotted the pair too. He looked solemn. Almost everyone had heard about the Susan and Nick fiasco. I was almost grieving when I was enlightened with the unwanted information.

Daniel : I reckon Nick's apologising or something. Maybe they'll get back at it again.

   My heart plummeted immediately and it felt weird. Notwithstanding, the two continued talking which definitely did not help to add any silver to my grey. Daniel stiffened beside me suddenly. Did I have any emotion etched on my face?

Daniel : Shit dude! I'm sorry—I didn't mean—Susan wouldn't. I'm pretty sure. Uh . . .

   Daniel's discomfort further added to mine. 

Jeremiah : What are you talking about? I have got nothing to do with her. Or Nick. Let's leave.

   Never had I known I could sound so harsh.
   Neither of us uttered anything on our walk home. Daniel waved a bye as we parted ways near my neighborhood. I noticed he was trying hard to smile. And yet, it made me feel worse. Guiltier.
Why was I being so selfish?

   As I approached my house—a little further from the fork in the street, with my head bent down, Susan's face flooded back in the back of my mind. She had been talking to Nick, but hadn't actually looked any happier about it. Just when little drops of hope had started to crawl inside the vessel of my heart, I heard the din near my house.

   I looked up. The driveway to my house was littered with people who were scurrying about looking panicked. In front of the fence, a large white ambulance was waiting, it's red siren light blinking in the setting sun.

   I was about to run in when the crowd parted. And no, they hadn't cleared the way for me. But for two people, heaving a stretcher.
   I craned my neck to get a better look but stopped trying almost immediately.

   The vessel in my heart crashed and shattered, scattering the only green beads of yearning I had managed to acquire that day as the two men carried my mother's limp body inside the ambulance. The doors closed and the ambulance sped away.

   And there was nothing I could do about it.
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Okay, so . . . . who all guessed it already?
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- Mallina