Arthur's POV
I stood at my apartment door for a few more moments. It wasn't new to me that people talked about me that way, yet it hurt me again and again.
I turned and closed the door behind me.
"Is everything alright, Happy?", my mother asked from the direction of the living room. "Yes, Mom."
I put the warm bag on the kitchen counter.
"Who was that at the door? A woman?" Came back from my mom.
"That was Lila, because of the mail."
I stared at the kitchenette. The words of Lila's friend echoed in my inner ear.
Wasn't I worth as much as some spring rolls?
Probably not.
But why would Lila have given it to me?
She knows I'm not feeling well without really knowing.
With a plate of spring rolls, I ran to my mom. She sat in her chair as usual, staring at the TV.
"Do you want something like that?"
I set the plate on the brown glass table in front of me.
"What are you doing, Happy?" She asked without taking her eyes off the TV.
Even to her own son she didn't give a hint of attention as soon as the thing is on.
"Eat it, it will taste you." I didn't feel like explaining her what it was. With a trembling hand she took one of the snacks from my hand.
"You eat the rest. I bet, you lost weight again.", she said and bit off.
So I took one from the plate and also bit off.
In my mind, I imagined myself walking over to Lila again, thanking her again for thinking of me. Maybe she would do it again then.
My mother took me out of my thoughts.
"Look, Happy, there's Thomas Wayne!" I had to blink a few times to make my vision worse.
I couldn't see this guy anymore. "Nice, mom."
I ate everything, for the sake of Lila.
Then I went to the hallway. Everything was quiet.
With light steps I walked to Lila's apartment door.
I could hear voices and the TV.
My hand, shaped into a fist, had been placed a few inches in front of it.
I couldn't knock. No matter how much I wanted it.
Back at my mom, I also tried to focus on the TV program.
Same started "Live with Murray Franklin". It was my favorite talk show and I did not want to miss it.
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