Together

Together #5

Few months later, a sunny beautiful day, flowers blooming everywhere. Cathy woke up early to prepare breakfast. Ailey took a shower and told Cathy that she was going out to fetch something and come back before breakfast. While waiting for Ailey, there was a sudden knock on the door. Cathy quickly walked up to the door and opened it. It was the mailman, obviously delivering mail. After the mailman left, Cathy sat down at the kitchen table, still waiting for Ailey. Not long, Ailey came with kitchen supplies and bought back 2 cups of pearl tea and they sat down for breakfast.

After eating and cleaning, Ailey went out again to buy something for her room. So Cathy was left at the dorm. Again. She was tired because there was this celebration going on at her hometown last night. Ailey was at the dorm and Cathy had to go. She came back home at 2 in the morning. So she just rest at home. Few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Fast and annoying. It seems as if someone was being chased by a dog and wanted to get in. Cathy didn't think it was Ailey since she had the keys to the dorm. Plus, she didn't think that Ailey would leave them by accident. She saw Ailey pick up her car keys along with the keys to the dorm. Cathy was half asleep in front of the TV when the knocking continued. Tired and exhausted she stood up and walked towards the door. She reached for the door handle, opening it weak. Eyes half open, suddenly bulging big. There she saw.... NIKKY!

Cathy was so shocked that she barely said anything and dropped to the ground on her knees with tears covering her eyes. Nikky helped her up and hugged her. Without realization, Ailey came with her hands full of plastic bags. She was singing happily towards the dorm until she saw Nikky. Plastic bags that was perfectly in her hands, dropped. Ailey was also suprised to see Nikky back home so early. After Nikky let go, she faced Ailey and smiled. Ailey standing still but then step by step she slowly approached Nikky. Right in front of Nikky, Ailey raised one finger just inches away from Nikky's face and Atool poked Nikky's face. Is Nikky really infront of me? Ailey thought. Nikky burst into laughter. But neither Ailey and Cathy joined her laughter. Their faces was obvious in suprise. They were in shock. After everyone went inside, they all sat down in the living room. Cathy was on the sofa laying down with her face covered with a squared-pillow, still in shock. Through the pillow, everyone could tell that Cathy was crying by the sound of loud sobbing. Cathy just assumed that by covering herself with the pillow could actually sound-proof the sound of herself aggresively sobbing. Ailey sat down with a big sigh. No one said a word. It was silent. The only thing that could be heard was the scream and crying from Cqah over the pillow. To break the not-really-silent-situation, Nikky explained why she went back home early when her semester would end in less than 6 months time.

Actually, Nikky's study was already over because her course only took 2 years but she wanted to study longer for another year. But when she got back home for her holiday and saw Cathy's condition, so Nikky asked her professor if she could finish early. Her professor said that if her assignments finish early within 6 months, by then she can go back. And now, Nikky is here.

Cathy sat down after listening to Nikky's explanation and stared at her as if it could drill through her. Her eyes were swollen from all the crying. Cathy closed her eyes and laid back with the pillow over her face again. Suddenly, she stood and sat beside Nikky and hugged her.

Cathy said that to never shock her with great suprises that could actually give her a heart attack but on top of all of that she was really thankful that Nikky is home. She let go and excused herself to the bathroom. When Nikky was left alone with Ailey. Ailey told Nikky that, since she left, Cathy had been rather silent. She meant that, Cathy was doing okay. Doing her daily activities like usual but sometimes she would rather be in her room the whole time. Ailey also said that Cathy looked pale the past few days due to not eating properly. Moreover, she had trouble sleeping. Ailey stopped talking when she heard Cathy spoke and coming to the living room. Nikky and Ailey smiled.

Ailey asked Nikky if she had already eaten. Nikky shook her head. Ailey looked at Cathy motioning her to cook for Nikky. Cathy stood up and went to the kitchen. Nikky was left with Ailey again. She was relieved that Nikky is home early. Ailey told her that it was hard for her to handle Cathy when Nikky was not around. Every time Cathy see things that remind her about Nikky, she cried. Ailey added that it was already like a river at the dorm or more specific like an ocean. Nikky never thought that her dissapeareance was that shocking and left so many tears and heartache. Nikky was pushed away from her thoughts when Cathy brought food to the table. Nikky jumped in excitement, looking like a kid who just got a super-cool toy from her parents. She sat down at the kitchen table. The foods served were all Nikky's favorite. Making her more and more hungry by just looking at it. Before attacking the delicious food, Nikky looked up at Cathy who had her head slightly down but it was clear enough for Nikky to notice that Cathy's eyes were red. Like new red. Nikky assumed Cathy was crying again but she let it be because she was dead hungry. Cathy excused herself back to her toom. On her way, Nikky could her a little sob from Cathy. She sighed and started eating with her mind filled with thoughts.

After eating, Nikky still haven't seen Cathy. So she decided to go into Cathy's room. Inside, Nikky saw her sitting beside her bed. Nikky sat beside her. She noticed that Cathy's eyes were very swollen and she could hear her runny nose. Obvious to the fact that Cathy was crying. Like again. Nikky had no idea of what to do. In the end, she sang a bit from Cathy's favorite song. Feeling a bit better, Cathy sang along. Hardly ever getting the words out because she was still sobbing.

Cathy was in Nikky's arm. She had stopped crying. She felt a little better. Out of nowhere, Ailey came bursting in, shouting. She was anxious on why both Nikky and Cathy took so long being in the room. Both of them apologized. Nikky patted a seat beside her motioning Ailey to sit there but instead she sat infront of Cathy. She knew what had happened. As soon as she sat down, Atool started her charm on making people cheer up. Her way was too special. She only did one simple thing, people would be bursting in laughter. That night, she had succeded on making Cathy laugh.

The night had gotten deeper and Ailey was the first one to fall asleep and she had fallen asleep on Cathy's bed cause she was too sleepy to walk over to her bedroom. Cathy and Nikky was the only one left. Earlier before, they had been doing selfies. Ailey grunted because they had used her phone and is now almost full. Cathy promised that she would transfer it into her hard drive so she could keep it. Every piece of it. Nikky and Cathy was looking back at the photos that they had taken earlier. While going through it all, Cathy noticed one photo. It had caught her attention. She speciafically pointed it and Nikky said that she knew that Cathy had pick her new favourite photo. And so she did.

When it was time to go to sleep, Nikky insisted on crashing in Cathy's room also. Cqah refused because she felt that Nikky felt pity towards herself and also that Ailey is already on the bed, taking half the space but Nikky kept on wanting to sleep there. Cathy had no choice. She thought that she atleast had company beside her. Like both with Nikky and Ailey. Nikky had tucked in Cathy and herself. And shoved Ailey to the other extra bed they had prepared. And by that, the night had gone deeper into the dreams of these three sisters. Trying to dream a better place. Trying to dream a better future.