Nocens High

Bittersweet

When the stars in the sky sparkle through the dark lonesome night, one can't help but feel even lonelier than before. In the vast expanse of light that surrounded her, with the bitterness of the night seeping through her clothes and piercing her skin, a piece of paper crumpled beneath her trembling hands. She released a long drawn out breath, hot air mixing with the icy chill and looked up at the overhead star lit night. Light takes years to travel to the atmosphere of earth. By saying this, every human on this earth is seeing the light in the past. It reflects the very essence of human nature. Humans are fragile beings. They can't let go of the past. They will forever live in it, remembering the lost times of altered memories and drowning, thick with regret. People wish and beg everyday to go back to the past to change their fate and do whatever they can to prevent it; to stop procrastinating for the test so you won't be scolded for failing, to say hi to the girl at the bar you missed the chance to, to remember to hold onto your phone so to not lose it again...to bring back the dead. They end up cursing their future and what awaits them. The future is layered with uncertainty. To the human eye, the past - the known - is much more appealing. Even the strongest will fall under the pressure of their undying past. However, the one thing humans struggle to understand is that fate is intangible. No one can will it to bend and no one can even come close to touching it. The past cannot change. No matter how many times one wishes on a shooting star or how many eyelash wishes they blow away, the only thing that will surface is disappointment.

With her slender fingers she smoothed down the wrinkles and indents she previously made, making sure it was at least half of what it was like before. Her green eyes scanned each crevice and each curve that made up the crumples and words on the paper. It was a letter. It read:

To my beloved parents,

I'm sorry I haven't written in a while. Many things have happened and I haven't found the time to write to you. For one, I'm at a new school now. It's called Nocens High. It's quite an interesting place, although the classes are pretty boring. Jason goes there too. I'm staying with him right now. He's good. Still the same as ever...still a moody prick. I've also made a friend called Max. He was my first friend at Nocens. He's a nice guy and he has helped me a lot. There's also a cute little tenth grader I've become friends with. Her name is Ivy and all three of them are part of the H.E.L.P Gang. We are going to be the greatest Gang in the whole school! Though I'm not sure about the gang back at home. Dad, I'm sorry to disappoint you. I just wish you guys were still here. I miss you.

Love,
Your daughter, Aurelia

Her insides burned. It felt like it was on fire.

"Aurelia." Her father's soothing voice rang through the room. She twisted, turned and mumbled in her sheets.

Every shuddering breath she drew was painful. Every exhale was torture.

"Sweetie wake up." Her mother's light chuckles filled her senses as she shook her daughter. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

The guilt and the regret...the past.

"Happy Birthday!" They said in unison. She grinned.

It was suffocating.

***

Aurelia happily stuffed her little face with her mum's homemade pancakes. It was just so delicious. She couldn't get enough of the sweetness that flowed into her taste buds. She stared at her parents curiously. Her dad was reading the morning news paper, comfortably accross her, sipping a cup of coffee. Her mum, with almost the same revere - however, the tiniest bit more elegant - ate her share of pancakes. "What is it Aurelia?" questioned her mum, taking notice of her daughter's stare.