Vintage Love

Chapter 3

"Fuck!" Holden curses, unable to dodge my sudden jab. I swiftly retract my fist as he regains his footing and launches a counter-attack, which I manage to block. No matter how much I punch, how much I kick, and the way I want to scream and grit my feelings out. It's still truly rooted deep in me - the anger and the burning desire to make a change. And of course, I can't bring myself to hurt Holden. 

Gritting my teeth, I throw a hook, but unexpectedly, I receive a punch to the side, catching me off guard and causing me to lose my balance.

"Shit, are you okay, Charlotte?" Holden asks, tearing off his gloves with his teeth and rushing over to me. His strong arm envelops my waist, assisting me in getting back up.

"Yeah, I'm fine. You caught me off guard," I reply, removing my gloves and wiping the sweat from my forehead with my shirt. He looks at me apologetically while running his fingers through his blonde hair.

Observing his lingering gaze on my shirt, I snap my fingers, startling him. With a playful smirk, I taunt, "Enjoying the view, pretty boy? Hate to disappoint, but it's only for the ladies." Trying to lighten the mood. 

Holden shakes his head slightly, placing his hands on his hips. "So, what's going on?"

"Angelica," I respond plainly, stepping out of the ring. I retrieve a bottle of water for both of us, tossing one to Holden while keeping the other for myself. As the cold water soothes my throat, I close my eyes, savoring the relief it brings, even as droplets trickle down onto my shirt.

"Did something happen to her?" Holden stammers, he stood there shirtless as he drinks his water. His unwavering gaze remains fixed on me. Internally, I can't help but chuckle, knowing that he always does that after our boxing sessions. Also because I know he won't do anything to me. 

"She's back in the mental hospital," I say quickly, averting my gaze to the floor. "I'll be visiting her tomorrow morning before my lecture." 

"Do you want me to come with you?" he asks softly, grabbing a clean white towel for each of us. I take it from him, using it to wipe away my sweat, and reply, "Can't have you skipping class, right?" 

"Well, I could," Holden starts, but I cut him off. 

"I can handle it." 

He nods in understanding, together we gather our gloves before making our way upstairs to our apartment. 

♥♡♥

I should've known that I won't be able to sleep. After the boxing session, I had only managed to eat a single slice of pizza before preparing for bed. After that? All I did was toss and turn restlessly, my gaze fixed on the ceiling. 

Reaching out to the nightstand, I retrieve my phone and check the time.

5:45 A.M. 

Realizing that sleep is pointless, I rise from bed and make my way to my private bathroom for a morning shower. 

After taking a refreshing shower, I did my morning skincare and brush my teeth, deciding to skip breakfast. Gazing at my reflection in the mirror, I couldn't help but notice the faint presence of light dark circles under my eyes.

"Great," I murmured to myself, opening a drawer filled with makeup. A little makeup for today should be alright, especially with these eye bags. As I finish up in the bathroom, I proceed to my room and swiftly slipped into a white t-shirt and black cargo pants. Looking at the mirror, I decided to add a stylish twist by tying the shirt at the front and tucking it inwards.

Lastly, I secured the bunny necklace around my neck, grabbed my keys, and made my way to the car, heading towards the hospital. 

The drive to the hospital was accompanied by a comforting silence. In contrast to the hospital itself, it's quiet yet chilly and eerie. My eyes scanned the entrance, noting its fluctuating occupancy, sometimes bustling with activity and other times eerily empty. At 7:00 AM, it was currently empty as I made my way to the front desk. The chairs stood unoccupied, and the floor remain its cleanliness. 

A lady at the desk perked up, offering a gentle smile, "Hello dear. How may I assist you today?" 

Returning a half-hearted smile, I replied, "Good morning. I'm here to visit a patient." 

Of course, dear," she responded, glancing at her computer screen. "May I have the patient's name? And are you a relative?" 

"Angelica Wu, age 16. She's my younger sister," I answered, handing her my ID. "My name is Charlotte Wu." 

"Very well, dear. Here is your visitor's name tag. She is in room 16A on the second floor, you can use the elevator," she informed me, offering a bright smile. I returned the gesture and proceeded toward the elevator.

Upon reaching room 16A, I take a deep breath, my hands trembling as I hesitantly knock on the door. A gentle voice from within beckons me to enter, so I push the door open slowly, revealing her figure. Her glasses sit on her nose as she sits with a book in hand. I muster a small smile and softly speak, "Hey, little bunny." 

Angelica drops her book, her eyes lighting up with joy as she turns towards me. "Charlotte!"

She rushes towards me, her radiant smile captivating me as I open my arms, inviting her into a tender embrace. I hold her gently, cherishing the warmth of us. 

"My baby bunny, I missed you," I whisper, fighting back tears while we remain locked in our embrace. Eventually, we loosen our grip, and I gaze into her eyes. "How are you, kiddo?"

Angelica's gaze lingers on me for a moment before she turns and settles back onto her bed. A playful smile dances on her lips as she says, "Life just couldn't get any better." 

I roll my eyes, curious about what she meant. "And why is that?" 

She chuckles a hint of playfulness in her voice. "At this point, I think Father's ultimate goal is to create a family graveyard." 

Concern flickers in my eyes as I observe Angelica. I've known her for as long as I can remember, and her coping mechanism often involves dark humor.

"Or maybe," she continues, her voice tinged with a mix of vulnerability and amusement, "he's creating a family where we can all die and donate our organs. You know, a grand reward for our existence."

"Little bunny..." I begin, and she looks at me. "Life is more than the boundaries our father had taught us. Also, life isn't about just dying."

She gave me a bright smile and said, "I know. I know. Anyways, I still want to go to Disneyland with you. I want to explore life."

I smile at her, gently holding her hands in mine, "Just know, I am always here for you, little bunny. Even when things get worse at home, always call me, okay?" 

Angelica lets out a sigh, "Don't worry, I got it. I was just out of my mind yesterday night. And, no I don't want to talk about it and you have classes today." 

I felt a tinge of disappointment but understood that she wasn't ready to confide in me. I embraced her and whispered, "I love you, my little bunny. Remember that you're strong. Promise me you'll call or text me, okay?" 

"I will, don't worry," she replied with a smile. With that, I left her room.

As I got back into my car, I rest my hand over my necklace for a moment before leaving for Chemistry Lecture. 

♥♡♥

"Hi, bestie," Grace greets me with a cheerful tone and playfully taps my arm. I notice her trendy tan turtle neck and black skinny jeans. I playfully tap her back and assure her, "I'm not skipping this time." 

She clutches her textbook tightly as we walk toward our class. "Don't forget to do your homework," she reminds me. 

I roll my eyes and retort, "Actually, it should be me reminding you." 

Grace grins confidently and informs me, "For once, I finished it early." I chuckle and we continue walking towards our lecture hall. It's late September and the trees on the campus still have green leaves. The university is vast and can hold up to 300 students in a single lecture. As we walk, I notice some couples strolling around. 

As we walked into the stadium for the lecture, I noticed that most of the seats were already occupied, particularly in the front. I looked around for available seats in the middle or near the front to get a better view of the lecture. 

"How about we sit there?" I suggest, pointing towards the middle section near the front. Grace shrugs and replies, "Sure, why not."