A New Pair of Wings

Part 4

The next few days follow, with Carson calling and texting Hailey while Belle continued to mope over her loss. While she doesn't sob as much as she had that night, she still feels hurt. She still felt like Carson was an important part of her life.

It's like she doesn't have any wings to fly anymore.

Instead, a sack of boulders are holding her down.

  Carson begins taking Hailey out on dates, sometimes bringing Belle along as a third wheel. But Belle hates being the third wheel. She hates being the third wheel in any date. But because it's Carson who keeps asking her to come along, she tells herself that she has to comply.

  One day, Carson decides to spend some quality time with Belle alone. I mean, since she's my bro, I bet she would really like some lone time with me, he thinks as he sits on his couch, scrolls through his social media. Maybe I should take her to that place we always went to whenever we felt insecure about anything, back when we were kids.

  He stops ponders for a while. Belle and I haven't really had a one-to-one conversation nowadays. Whenever we talk, Hailey's always there to listen. Maybe for once, Belle would like something more personal.

  He opens up his contacts on his phone and looks for Belle's number. After he finds it, he taps on it and waits as the line dials her number.

  Meanwhile, Belle is reading a book while sprawling on her bed. The soft matress massages her belly and feet. He arms are propped up on her pillow, her elbows sinking into its softness. The neighbours don't seem to be making as much noise as usual. And the crows aren't singing their awful songs. Everything was rather peaceful.

  Until Belle's phone rings.

  Belle turns her head to check the caller ID.

  Oh great, she thinks as soon as she sees Carson's name on the screen, Don't tell me he's looking for third wheel service.

  Reluctantly, she picks up the phone and answers the call. "Hey," she speaks into the receiver, "What's up?"

  "Hey Belle," Carson greets her, "Look, I just thought that maybe you've wanted to talk to me in a little more personal way."

  Belle gulps. "What do you mean?"

  "Okay, look, I know I've been constantly draging you along on my dates and stuff. I only did that because I needed someone to break the tension between Hailey and I. I never really got to to speak to you personally during those times, and I thought you might like to talk with me in private."

  The same shivers from her night with Carson came up her spine. "Y-you mean, like, talk about how I've been doing and stuff?"

  "Yeah," Carson says, "I know that I probably haven't been treating you like a real friend these past few days, so I just want to make it up to you.

  "Sure!" Belle exclaims, immediately siting up from her bed, "I mean, yeah, why not," she says, trying to calm down.

  "Great! What time do you wanna meet?" Carson asks.

  "Tonight? I'll be free then."

  "Tonight it is then."

  "Whose place are we gonna crash?"

  "We're not gonna be crashing each other's places," Carson tells her.

  "Umm, then where will we go?" Belle's nerves begin to work up.

  "Remember that waterfall we used to sit by together whenever we were having troubles  or insecurities with life?" Carson reminds her.

  "You mean the Shiawase Waterfall?" Belle's adrenaline kicks in.

"Yeah, that one" Carson says, "You remember it?"

  "Yeah. I mean, it's been such a long time since we last sat there."

  "I know. I thought we might as well re-visit that place."

"Okay!" Belle says exuberantly. Deep down inside, she screams with joy and excitement. OMG! I can't believe he still remembers that place! And he's taking me there tonight!

  "See you then," Carson says.

  "Alright. See you," Belle bids him. After they hang up, Belle starts to jitter with excitement. OMG! He's taking me out tonight! I know he doesn't mean it romantically, but still!

  Belle can't seem to wait, so she hops from her bed into her closet to pick out an outfit. She browses into her clothing and pulls out a few items. Glittery, dark blue cardigan, strapless black dress, black high heels, and gold bangels. Perfect!

  She sets them aside and comes out of the closet. Then she goes downstairs to make herself some coffee.

  As she starts the coffee maker, she thinks, I can't wait for our 'date' tonight! It's been a while since I got to talk to Carson in person. It feels good to be able to do that again.

  The coffee maker stops. Belle grabs a mug, places it under the coffee maker and pours the warm, delicious drink into her mug. I know Carson has a girlfriend and all, but I'm happy to have time to spend with him alone. She sips into the coffee and lets out a sigh.

  At the same time, in Hailey's house, Hailey is sitting on her red living room couch, writing a story on her laptop.

  "'Happiness is something you find within yourself,' Aurora said to him, 'You don't need me to be with you all the time just to make you happy.'" Hailey wrote.

  She looks upwards as she thinks back to an event that had happened four years ago.

  "Hailey! Wake up!" her mother screamed. The young lady was lying on a white bed in the hospital. Her mother was looking over her, crying her eyes out.

  "Mom?" she wearily responded.

  "Oh Hailey, thank goodness," he mother sighed, her breath quavering.

  "What's happening?" the young college student asked.

  "You've been out for almost a day. The doctors figured that something's not right with you."

  "What could possibly be wrong?"

  "I have no idea, sweetie. All that I know right now is that you're alive and awake."

  "Miss," a nurse called her mother, "The doctors have finished the examination."

  "What are the results?" her mother begged the nurse for details.

  "I'm sorry, miss..." the nurse hung her head down.

  The woman's face dropped. "Is it bad?" she asked.

  The nurse sighed. "Unfortunately, the doctors said that she only has about four to five years left to live."

  "What?!" her mother exclaimed, "No, not my baby, no!" She buried her face into her child's shoulder.

  Hailey stared at her lap. Four to five years left to live? But what about my dream job? My family? My friends? Everything that matters to me?

  The day came when Hailey was discharged from the hospital. As her mother greeted her with hugs and sobs, Hailey swore to herself that during her final years of her life, she would make the most out of her life. So she travelled the world, made new friends, tried new things, and did as much as she could within that short period of time.

  Four years have passed, the present Hailey thinks to herself, I've done so much during this short period of time. I only have so much time left to live. She looks at her laptop screen and thinks about Carson. I wonder how I'm going to break the news to him, she ponders.

  She fills in the last paragraph of the chapter. "Don't worry, Isaac. You'll find happiness somehow."