what would i do

C H A P T E R 10:

" L a t e l y   I ' v e   b e e n   I ' v e
b e e n   l o s i n g   s l e e p . "

Veretta assured the younger girl, only a year younger than her, with tears of joy in her eyes, "She'd be so proud."

The junior was going to sing her first solo in a choir performance and the jitters were getting the best of of her.

"She really would?" The junior asked, staring into the sky, as though she was hoping to see the senior who she had looked up to so much. She still had much respect for the older child.

Veretta affirmed her words, "I really mean it. Even if you never got your solo, she would still be proud."

Veretta could tell that her junior was really scared. After all, she had also been a soloist before. "The best tip, is to have a smile. Your voice is great, so showcase it. Okay?" She spoke from her own personal experience.

The junior smiled knowingly, "I suppose so... Thank you."

I know so. Veretta thought. She wore a bittersweet smile, sure and weak as she stared into the sky.

Are you proud of your junior, the one who you guided and trained from the very start, Lycon? She is a soloist now.

Veretta smiled as she noticed some clouds clearing. Are you proud of me?

...

"You have about one more month. Your condition has reached its final stage, Miss Rose." The doctor declared.

Veretta nodded knowingly. A radiant smile followed afterwards, a beam of optimistic light which would never cease to... confuse, the doctor, who was used to pessimistic reactions. "Indeed."

It was not that she really wanted to leave, but rather, fate made it as such that Veretta joined her soulmate.

The fact brought her much comfort, as though God meant for Lycon and her to be together even after death had done them apart.

"I suggest you step down from your activities soon if you want to prolong your life by a few days or weeks." He suggested with a worried gaze.

Veretta laughed.

I'll just tie up some loose ends and I'll be ready to go. Wait for me, okay love?

...

Veretta stretched out her arms and welcomed the junior, whom ran into her embrace and cried against her chest. The senior felt the front of her blouse being covered in tears, but she could not bear to ask her junior to let go, or to stop. She needed to, after all.

"Veretta, don't leave. Please, I already lost Lycon, I can't loose you too."

The older one's heart could not help but crumble into a million pieces as she heard her junior's cries. "D-Dear, it's incurable. I'm at the last stage and I wanted to tell you a proper goodbye, as well as how proud I am of you."

The junior cried harder, and Veretta had to seal her mouth shut. A tear slid down her face. "I'll accompany Lycon, love her, and make sure she's happy up there. Don't you want that?"

In her effort to think, her sobs died down slightly. Veretta smiled to stop her own from starting, "I-I'm trusting the f-future of Choir into your hands."

Veretta took a book from her bag and passed it to the junior. The cover was decorated with marker and stickers with the theme of music in mind. The younger girl gasped as she realised what it was, and what it meant.

"B-But your Choir Handbook is your precious treasure..." The junior spoke.

Veretta smiled, "Precisely why. You're precious to me too, and I rather it be put to good use." She went on to hug her junior and looked at her in the eyes. "Make good use of this, be filled with optimism. Do us proud. Okay?"

The junior nodded eagerly. Veretta smiled and took an envelope from her bag. She passed it to her. "This is one last favour of mine. Open this the day I leave, and only do as it says, if it is what you desire to do. Alright?"

The young one nodded, more solemn this time. Her sobs had reduced to a soft sniffle, occasionally.

"Sniffle, tiffle, truffle." Vetetta rhymed in a poor attempt to make her junior laugh, and for once, it worked. "Wow, this is truly as rare as a blue moon."

They both laughed at the knowingly intentional song reference, for the choir had once performed a jazz-like song called "Blue Moon".

Veretta beamed, "That's more like the junior I know. Laugh and smile more god dammit!" She exclaimed, making the junior laugh even harder.

After the laughter had died down and they had to leave, the junior gave het senior a tight hug. "For your support and guidance for my very first choir solo, for hearing me out when I had problems, for everything you have done really, thank you. I love you."

Aww, she is so sweet... Veretta thought as she returned the tight hug, not caring if she felt slightly suffocated.

"I love you too, and believe me, so does Lycon. That girl always did, and I do too." Veretta replied tenderly.

...

"What would I do? You ask me. I tried to keep myself together, but I became a big mess. Why? Because what kept me together, was you, love." Veretta confessed to the sky on a quiet night.

The breeze blew at her, brushing her hair behind her ears and shoulders, and she welcomed the cold. "I can't get over you, love. I couldn't bear to forget you because it would've hurt."

She smiled. "I would have left to join you, if not for your last wish. But do not worry, love, in due time, I will leave too. Not by choice, but by fate, and I will surely meet you again."

A shooting star darted across the sky in an instant, leaving a bright trail of shimmer behind. Veretta took that as a sign from Lycon and smiled.

"What would I do? I would live my life for you, as you want me to, until life takes me too, because I love you."

Until we meet again.

...

The night was upon the world and adults were in the city bars. Veretta stood alone at her house balcony, gazing at the stars.

"Thinking about the things
that we could be."

She stared at the sky, looking away from the people that pass by.

" W e ' l l   b e  c o u n t i n g
s t a r s . "