Me of Tomorrow

Worst Day

Today's Salary Day and no one can make me ruin my delight not even Sarah. Work is just eight hours and it has already been four hours so I just need to hold on for another four. You can feel today's excitement from everyone else. Our thoughts are all on the finish line. We're more than willing to do extra work if it means receiving the brown paper that equals our hardwork. Mine's not as much but still, it'll fill the void of feeling empty, literally. My eyes are fixated on the paperworks determined to finish them today. It's a weekend and I want nothing but to stay at home and sleep as much as I can. I'll finish this even if it means I have to stay longer again.

Five o'clock rolled in and everyone has received their envelopes. Many are smiling but there are also a few who looked as if they've been cheated on. Yup, that's how it is my fellow men. One wrong move and you get your pay deducted more than you expect just like mine. Whatever it is that made my salary lower than your average employee is something I long have let go. They have given me enough reasons, excuses that I just ended up accepting the fact that I'm not going to receive any more than what I already have. I have survived for five years already. One more year would be nothing.

I already knew where newly-acquired money going to be spent on. Eighty percent of it will be gone by tomorrow night and the remaining twenty saved for food, essentials and piggy-bank saving. I've been wise enough not to break my piggy banks and for five years I have saved ten of it. I decided never to open it unless its for a real emergency. It should be something along the line of life and death situation before it's considered to be one. Other than that, skipping a meal or two would suffice.

My mind's too focused on reaching home that I didn't notice a group of kids following me. I carelessly left my bag wide open and slung on my shoulder so they took it as an opportunity and I was frozen on the spot when someone slammed to me and took a hold of it while few of its contents spill to the ground. They were laughing so loudly my ears started ringing painfully. One of them who looks as if he just turned eighteen spat on me and stepped on my helpless hand. It was a blur. I recalled thinking about this situation, formulating the right response to protect myself. I have been preparing for it, thought I had the upper hand. I was so sure that they wouldn't get me, so sure that I became careless. I wanted to cry. I'm so pathetic. I'm frustrated and everything hurts. I lost everything, only a notebook and a pen on sight. When did I become like this? When did my life become so unbearable? I swear I was a good student. I've always followed the rules, never got in trouble. I've studied so hard to get a scholarship, read until my eyes closed on its own, drew until my hand gave up. I gave everything, so much that's nothing's left on me. What has become of Elliot Price?

I didn't realize I fell unconscious until I opened my eyes and saw unfamiliar ceilings. Where the heck is this? Did the Gods finally decide I'm too pathetic to live? If so, then isn't this great?

"Elliot!" Before I can even focus my eyes and search for the source of the voice, I was tackled to my back only to come in contact with something soft. "Elliot, gosh, Elliot! I thought-I thought you're not going to wake up anymore! I was so worried!" This voice is too familiar to be part of after life. I look down to see the head of the person I haven't seen in a two months. "Ty." He looks up to me and hold on to my neck tighter. I grunt painfully making him finally let go.

"Babe, you're hurting him." I sat on my back and look at the door that suddenly appeared at the side of the room. "You ok, dude?"

Wait, what is happening? I thought I was gone. My stuff got snatched away and I was at the sidewalk spat and stepped on. Why is Ty and Peter here?

Ty holds my hand then looks at his husband worriedly. "Oh no, what's wrong babe? Did Ell lost his memories? There wasn't blood on his head, right?"

I almost want to laugh out loud. I'm not dead. This is the Ty that I've always known and judging from how the walls are painted light blue, this is their house. "I-I'm fine Ty. What happened? How did I get here?" Without skipping a beat, Ty flunks himself to me and cries as if I just actually did came back to life.

Peter puts down a tray of food at the table and sits at the chair beside the bed before pulling his wailing husband. "We just came back from our trip and Ty wanted to quickly meet you. We have been calling you but you weren't answering so we thought that something's wrong. We hurriedly drove to your place and when we passed by we saw a group of kids laughing and rummaging through a bag. Ty realized immediately that it was yours since it was his gift and went to retrieve it, including your wallet and money. We asked them where you are and they pointed at the sidewalk near the alley. When we saw you, you were already unconscious."

"I really thought you're not going to wake up anymore, Ell. It has been a day."

A day? I didn't really expect that. I might've been really shocked that I just fell unconscious. Not to mention the fact that I didn't eat any meals that day. "T-thank you. It might've been worse if you didn't find me."

"Please, Ell, can't you just stay with us? Look at this room. I designed it specifically for you." I look around again and sure enough it looks similar to my room back in college.

Tyler Watson or Tyler Watson-Adams or simply Ty as I call him, has been my friend since primary school. We have spent almost everyday together and even went as far as going to the same college. We were inseparable. Everybody thought we would end up together but Ty has always been just my best friend as I was to him. We both fell in love during our second year in the university; Ty to Peter Adams and me to that one guy who broke me. That's also probably when our life started to stray away from each other. We remained best friends as proven up to this day but Ty was able to go on his life with someone he can rely on. They had a slump, as all relationships probably do but they got over it and two years after graduating, they finally got married. Unlike me, who became hopeless and pathetic.

Two months ago they went abroad for a vacation tour, a dream they've always had. Ty wanted me to go with them but I'm not in the place to get in their way and be a burden. After all, I still have my work and bills to pay.

Peter has always been supportive and accepting of my relationship with Ty. He knew being with Ty also meant having me intervene once in awhile. It was hilarious how jealous he was of me at the beginning but he soon got over it when he realized how much Ty loves him. Ever since then, they both have become my backbone, the ones who'd comfort me when I felt down. Many times, they'd push me to give up on this life and start anew with them but I knew I just can't keep on relying on them forever. We aren't young kids anymore who'd dream of the life we want. We are now living that life and whether it turned out to be like the dream or not, it's because of the choices we made.

"I'm grateful, Ty. So much that I don't even know how to repay you-"

"-but you wouldn't accept it. You never did and never would. I hate this Ell. You don't deserve this kind of life. If there's someone who shouldn't be happy, it's me."

I hate it when he becomes like this. Ty has always blamed himself for all the things that happened to me but he never really did anything. He just became happy and there's nothing wrong with it. "Don't ever say that Ty! Never! You deserve the life that you have. I'm like this because of my choices, not yours. I'm the one who did this to myself. Do you regret ever meeting Peter?"

His eyes widen and he looks at Peter apologetically. "No, I don't. I love him." Peter smiles at him lovingly and kisses his forehead.

"See? So never say that again. I'm not fine, I admit but I'm getting by. I'm not giving up, Ty and it's because of you two, it's because you're here for me."

He finally smiled. "Ok but can you please stay here until Monday? We will drive you to work early in the morning, I promise."

I look at Peter and he just shakes his head while chuckling. "Alright."

"Great!" There go hours of Ty talking about his adventure from his trip.